Repertoire: Boyce Symphonies--Remember Those?

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

I think these were popular around the same time as the Backstreet Boyce... wah, wah, wah, waaaaahhhh.

[@matthewdemars642]

I've had this recording for a while now, and it never gets old. Truly some great and reliable classics in my book.

[@neilcameronable]

Thank you for drawing my attention to these works.they are lovely and short.You are such a great communicator sir.Really enjoyed these symphonies.

[@davewin1792]

I love these off the beaten path composers. Great for times we have short attention spans.

[@HassoBenSoba]

During the last six years or so I had the great pleasure of conducting Boyce's SYmphonies Nos. 2, 3, and 4 with my orchestra north of Chicago. Amazingly wonderful music...especially (for me) No. 4 in F Major, which I programmed three separate times (I added a repeat in the 2nd Mvt, just so we could hear its loveliness one more time). Thanks for playing a bit of the NAXOS set; sounds great....MUST BUY! We also played all Four of the available Symphonies of Thomas ARNE who, like Boyce, was overshadowed by the gigantic presence of the German Handel in London. Too bad, since Arne's symphonies are also FABULOUS. Thanks for giving Boyce a much-deserved "plug." LR

[@scienceisgod1]

One of my all time favorites! It takes me back to England every time I play I play it. I once write to the LA Philharmonic asking if they would ever consider performing these symphonies with no reply. Lovely! Thanks

[@dirkh.44]

I love these Symphonies. Going for the Argo recording from The Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Marriner from 1976. Never surpassed in my view.

[@mancal5829]

These curiosities, which were unknown at least to me, are delicious indeed. It is so refreshing to listen to something "new" or, for those who knew them, to be reminded of them.

[@johnfowler7660]

Back in 1967 I was a freshman in college. My roommate had the old Vox Turnabout LP of Boyce Symphonies by Gunter Kehr and the Mainz Chamber Orchestra (or was it Jörg Faerber and the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn?). Still my favorite (especially no. 5) though I don't think it's ever been on CD

[@richardsandmeyer4431]

It was Faerber and the Württemberg CO. I remember that Turnabout LP, although I no longer have a copy. On CD I have Antonio Janigro with I Solisti di Zagreb on Vanguard. I listened to them a few times when I got the CD decades ago, but I really ought to revisit them now that David has reminded me of Boyce.

[@grahamexeter3399]

That was my introduction to Boyce as well, back in the late 60s or early 70s. I wasn't yet a "real" Baroque fan, but I loved that LP immediately and thought the whole opus would make a terrific ballet. Except I couldn't imagine what story it was telling ...

[@michaelhughes1504]

I wonder if you would consider taking us on a video tour of the overflow room sometime...

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I sort of did that a while ago...

[@fredcasden]

@@DavesClassicalGuide If one were to put 'Hurwitz overflow room' into the KZbin search engine, would that work? Definitely what Dekoven would have called 'OTW.'

[@VoceCorale]

Aaaww so charming! I really wouldn't mind giving these works a listen. Also some Arne.

[@AlexMadorsky]

I’ve never heard of Mr. Boyce - those 15 minutes of fame must have been before my time. Sounds like pleasant listening when I want something entertaining but not too emotionally or intellectually challenging. Most of this music appears to be on Spotify, so I’ll look forward to diving in.

[@cliffordbaker4930]

I used to have a recording of these on vinyl back in the late ‘70s or early ‘80s. I don’t remember who did them, but they were lovely pieces. Thanks for reminding us of them.

[@davidhickey1182]

The FM San Francisco Classical Station KDFC played these works seemingly daily during drive time, particularly in the late sixties. I hated them then - love them now.

[@robkeeleycomposer]

Thomas Arne wrote some lovely tuneful orchestral music, full of what someone called ‘Georgian swank’. There was a lovely LP done by the AoSMITF and Marriner back in 1970 of Arne and CPE Bach harpsichord concertos played by George Malcolm. A treasurable and much-played disc. We have Constant Lambert to thank for bringing Boyce’s Symphonies to life in the 1930’s, not only conducting them, but also, I believe, publishing them in practical performance editions.

[@deanjonasson6776]

A few years back, I came across the Bournemouth disk (sealed) at a Salvation Army shop. What delightful music! Thank you for featuring samples from the Mallon/Naxos disk. They sound wonderfully vibrant.

[@cwm5001]

John Stanley was a contemporary of Boyce and wrote some charming organ concertos.

[@VoceCorale]

Also a good number of charming Voluntaries for solo organ. Op. 5 no. 8 in D minor is relatively well-known.

[@cosimagrundkotter906]

Wonderful! Curious if you stumble in Symphonies by Joseph Martin Kraus ("Der Odenwälder Mozart", as we say here), next time you stumble into your enviable overflow room. Have a wonderful time - love your videos!

[@tterrace]

The opening of #5 you played was actually my first Boyce experience, though it was a long time before I knew what or he was. One of the San Francisco classical stations - either KKHI or KDFC - used it for the bumper of one of their daily musical blocks. I want to say that goes back as far as the 1960s when I first started listening to classical radio regularly. The sound of it always tales me back in time. The version I eventually got was the Hogwood. - Paul Penna

[@stevenklinden]

The first movement of No. 1 has been bouncing around in my head for years, ever since it was used as an intro on WQXR years ago (I wish I could remember what program it was used for).

[@johnmontanari6857]

As those old enough to remember the DeKoven radio program will recall, Boyce is "super OTW!," one of the giants of "Barococo music!" Nowadays, he's best known as the answer to the crossword puzzle clue, "English composer, five letters" (four letters of course being Arne),

[@AdamCzarnowski]

Elgar!

[@hwelf11]

@@AdamCzarnowski Alwyn!

[@johnmontanari6857]

Arnld! Um, Britn! Er, Vn Wms! Ah, forget it...

[@AdamCzarnowski]

@@hwelf11 Bliss.

[@vinylarchaeologist]

@@AdamCzarnowski Holst!

[@iggyreilly2463]

Just a quick plug for Abel, Marsh, Linley! Heck, even JC Bach doesn't get his due. The English Classical period wasn't a wasteland. Curious to see a review of Richter's symphonies. Really good music.

[@mr-wx3lv]

I have Boyces "ode to the goyter surgery on the Earl of Thraxton" in my collection, it's a very cutting recording...

[@mrktdd]

I think itcwas a very good US group, Zimbler Sinfonietta, drawn from Boston SO, who recorded some of these early on and the LP was very popular.

[@lawrencerinkel3243]

I remember many years back when QXR in New York would use the opening of #1 as one of its themes. I file my composers alphabetically, so Boyce lives between Bouzignac and Braga-Santos, with Boulez not far off. Amazing that they all get along. My only version of these is by Barry Wilde with the Serenata of London on IMP. Any particular thoughts on that one?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Haven’t heard it that I can recall.

[@henrygingercat]

Wonderful little pieces which are in a sense the twilight of quality Brit. music for well over a century. When Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven were flourishing the best we could come up with was Crotch and it was even worse in the 19th century - unless you're really into Sterndale-Bennett which of course no sane person is.. I've never really understood why.

[@scagooch]

Sound good to me.

[@mlconlanmeister]

An interesting music-listening paradox is that composers whose compositions run no longer than the content justify, for me, become music that can be heard repetitively and not cloy. These Boyce pieces (and of course more notably pieces by Satie) are in that vein.

[@dmntuba]

Boyce is just good fun👍

[@mikaelbeskow9221]

Listen to Roman Drottningholmmusiken! In the same vein, very pleasant. Roman is often called the father of Swedish music. He worked in Stockholm in the eighteent century.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, that’s another video! Thanks for mentioning it.

[@mikaelbeskow9221]

Also Joseph Martin Kraus, for example Amphitryon.

[@clarkebustard8672]

"Drottningholmmusiken" - just rolls off the tongue. Excessive syllables and weird nicknames (Rued Langgaard's "Defoliation Symphony" [No. 4] may take the cake) are the bane of Scandinavian music.

[@mikaelbeskow9221]

@@clarkebustard8672 Drottningholmsmusiken just means Music of Drottningholm. This is a royal palace some miles north of Stockholm. The music was written for a wedding there.

[@VoceCorale]

@@DavesClassicalGuide Yes, please! I'm intrigued.

[@mogmason6920]

13:17 The Handel signature ending!

[@andreashelling3076]

Boys, boys , boys...I think I've heard it somewhere🙄

[@wapolo1974]

The Boyce samples were lovely, David! What other works of the English baroque are worth investigating, in your opinion?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Well, I would suggest next Avison's Concerti grossi after Scarlatti sonatas. Really fascinating and delightful.

[@wapolo1974]

@@elaineblackhurst1509 Thank you for your suggestions, Elaine! I certainly have heard of Arne before, but had never bothered to listen to any of his works. Perhaps now is a good time to get started! :)

[@loganfruchtman953]

Yeah, that first D Major sample sounds nothing like Haydn. It sounds like Bach and Handel. It sounds a lot like the Fireworks Music particularly the overture

[@voicesoftoday7583]

Speaking of neglected symphonists, is it time for a revival of the works of G.B. Sammartini?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Is it ever?

[@voicesoftoday7583]

@@DavesClassicalGuide I was thinking that a man who wrote 68 (or more) symphonies must have got quite good at it.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

@@voicesoftoday7583 That doesn't necessarily follow at all.

[@benmills7104]

David, how do you arrange your collection? Performer, composer? Just curious how you find what you’re looking for.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Alphabetical by whatever about a disc I think is most important, usually composer, but not necessarily.