Walton - Symphony n°2 - LPO - Bryden Thomson

Sir William Walton - Second Symphony under the baton of Bryden Thomson conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
I. Allegro molto
II. Lento assai (9:24)
III. Passacaglia - Fugato - Coda: scherzando (20:03)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony...)
Pictures of Ishia where W.Walton lived for 35 years:
www.lamortella.org/en/
** If the copyright holders don't want this recording to be uploaded on KZbin, please contact me and I will delete it as soon as I read it. **

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

This is technically an outstanding piece of music, written essentially by a self taught composer and one of England's greatest ever. A mature work, full of past idiosyncrasies containing innovative yet dynamic orchestration. Premiered in 1960, it was ridiculed by the critics for being old fashioned!! Yet the "twelve tone" idiom is evident in the last movement (they probably didn't even pick it up at the time....idiots, most music critics). It remains a masterpiece, a true masterpiece of symphonic writing. We should be so proud of it.

[@paullewis2413]

I totally agree with you. We have to remember that in 1960, especially in the U.K., only the avant-garde was acceptable in new music, everything else was irrelevant. Many, shall we say "listenable" works, from the 1940's to the 60's are now finally being heard and there are some real gems among them including of course this symphony.

[@maliuatu]

It is a very inventive and enjoyable piece of music. I do like it and enjoy listening to it. But, even though agreeing with you on your opinion on critics, I also cannot disagree with the critics of the time: it is an old fashioned piece of music considering the time it was conceived and premiered

[@patrickburnsmusic]

He's one of my great inspirations. Still a terribly underrated orchestrator, too. Top-shelf craft all the way.

[@paullewis2413]

@@maliuatu "Old fashioned piece of music" is an irrelevant assessment, the only relevance is whether the music is of high quality nor not and this symphony certainly belongs in that category.

[@maliuatu]

@@paullewis2413 I do not agree with you: most "academic" composers or painters could compose or paint something of "high quality" at any given time in the history of art. An artist is supposed to express and interpret (whether consciously or not) his time, that would make him a good artist and its creation a "relevant" one. A step further: great artists not only interpret and express the "spirit of the time" but also anticipate what is to come and, in so doing, influence their contemporaries and the next generation of artists, and the development of art itself. Many academic painters had more skills than Van Gogh and could paint "high quality" paintings, but they were irrelevant. Nowadays someone composing in the style of the Brandenburg concertos would be totally irrelevant in spite of the skills and quality displayed. So you can enjoy the music you like and the artists you prefer, as I also do with this Walton's symphony. But knowing that it was an "old fashioned" piece and it was a quite "irrelevant" creation in terms of its impact and ability to express the spirit of its time.

[@misterb1245]

Most critics feel that if it has universal appeal it cannot be any good. Walton wrote beautiful and passionate music that everyone could enjoy. Period.

[@psijicassassin7166]

That's why I find Boulez's music to be great. All the robots I know admire his machine music.

[@MichaelConwayBaker]

A wonderful Symphony chock full of great ideas skillfully presented. Fantastic performance by the LPO. A masterpiece!

[@TheVaughan5]

Yes, the photos are fantastic - a real paradise on earth. I've yet to go there but feel I must as Walton is one of my favourite composers. I think his violin concerto is the finest ever.

[@freddydiamant]

The mystery and the miracle with Walton is that you can't hear all the effort it supposedly caused him to write a piece (especially those later ones) You can't hear it, but you can certainly SEE it in those painstakingly detailed scores, with all the Italian instructions, that give them this vaguely exotic air, deployed with characteristically English finesse. He certainly went a long way from Lancashire, Willy Walton did.

[@conforzo]

John Williams godfather

[@rickyhailpern1866]

John Williams must have studied all of Walton's Scores.........this is so Indiana Jones......Symphony #2 is a Masterpiece of adventure, passion and emotional endeavor!!! I have performed this and own the first recording of this piece by the Cleveland Orchestra.....a must for any collector!

[@Brian_B505]

Yep, Walton, Gustav Holst and also Howard Hanson I'm willing to bet. I thought the same thing after about a minute in. Something about the woodwinds and brass suggested to me the scene in the Cairo market.

[@musicfangt]

And not only ...Stravinsky as well.

[@basspoem]

The opening is like the explosion of a many coloured volcano - a perpetually new voice...this was an earth that could not stay still...

[@culveyhouse]

Interesting parallels between Symphony #2 and his virtually unknown Cello Concerto. Not just a coincidence, as he wrote them both roughly between 1956 - 1958. I've been listening for another eerie form just like the cello cto., and I've pretty much found it.

[@tatyanazhebentyayeva1807]

l Lento assai is sublime and stands in the class by itself

[@Malstrom86]

Agreed! I’m surprised no one else I’ve read yet mentions this. 15:40-19:55 fills me with a terror and awe that is difficult to describe... someone did mention Holst... that seems appropriate there too.

[@hyseo1121]

The last movement is also great. A great variation full of creativity and inspiration. Quite interesting similarity with his johanesburg overture at some points including the final section.

[@TheVaughan5]

Thanks for posting! At last a really good performance of this great mid 20th c work on KZbin. Great quality sound!

[@BoulderMamacita]

Yes, wonderful posting! The photographs are exquisite. Very helpful as I prepare to perform and record this with William Boughton and the New Haven Symphony!!

[@Tracotel]

I am just discovering the recording of the First Symphony and the violin concerto on Spotify. Beautiful, but, in my humble opinion, there is nothing above Bryden Thomson's recordings of these two symphonies. In the recording of the First Symphony (also available on my KZbin account), the London Philharmonic sounds terrific, passionate, extremely ferocious and volcanic. Thomson conducted this work like a titan.

[@jgesselberty]

Please, before crowning Thomson, listen to Andre Previns LSO recording of the 1st Symphony. It has no peers.

[@CharlotteinWeimar]

Had the great privilege of singing with him in Don Giovanni. He was a joy to work with, incredibly supportive but brilliant too. He considered his job was NOT to be noticed but to get out of the way so that the music spoke for itself.

[@Tracotel]

@@CharlotteinWeimar In my opinion, he was a much greater master of conducting than many "big stars". A pity that we do not have official recordings of him conducting symphonies by Sibelius, Bruckner, Mahler, etc. What a chance you had to work with such a great musician. I am still eager to know more about him because I never had the chance to meet him. Unfortunately he died tragically.

[@charleyzimmer2505]

20:06 Had no idea this Walton guy made giant monster music.

[@galas062]

thank you....:)

[@Tracotel]

Thanks for your comment. I hope you also appreciated the pictures of Ischia island and garden. Do not hesitate to subscribe on my KZbin channel.

[@leoinsf]

William Walton was first and foremost a movie composer: hence his striking themes, dynamic orchestration, and wonderful mood settings. People who complain about his writing must see him as a composer who was most comfortable writing dramatic music to movie scripts and did a helluva job doing this. I love everything Walton wrote: from his Facade through Balthazzar's Feast and recognize how unique a composer he is. Yes, sometimes in his Symphonies, he loses steam, but his style is unique and dramatic and who writes better for the orchestra. This man is a instrumental genius who wrote in an original way for instruments and nothing he wrote is boring!!!!

[@Twentythousandlps]

If you had told Walton he was primarily a movie composer he would correctly have taken that as a put down.

[@leoinsf]

@@Twentythousandlps You are right! I misspoke!!!

[@Twentythousandlps]

@@leoinsf 👍

[@geoffharris9396]

Always been overshadowed by his great first symphony.. Brydon Thomson was a great conducter of British music, try his Bax, Elgar, and the much under rated Vaughan Williams cycle..

[@googlekopfkind]

There is so much Gustav Holst!

[@matthewbrown3420]

Stravinsky too

[@darrylschultz6479]

What-no Walton?!

[@slateflash]

Holst could never

[@Tracotel]

To record Walton's Second Symphony as conductor or as a member of the orchestra? What record label?

[@MarcoInchingolo83]

[@logodaedalist]

I really wonder what the greats (Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky.. etc) had they been living, would think of later music, this symphony for instance?

[@internetpolice6143]

noise

[@martaboratgis2186]

With Nimbus (Adrian flies over)

[@BoulderMamacita]

As conductor. With Nimbus.

[@bowerdw]

Not as impressed with #2 as with #1. However, I like it a lot.

[@steveegallo3384]

Doug Bower -- Always a pleasure running into you, Doug!

[@12corners]

The stronger the melodic and harmonic formulae are, the weaker is the (symphonic) form.

[@scottgilesmusic]

+Keith Gifford The weaker the form? Because of melody?!

[@12corners]

+Dr. Scott Giles The more involved we are in the melody, the less room we have for the form. That's why good symphonies have themes. Maybe Tchaikovsky is an exception, but Walton certainly isn't.

[@scottgilesmusic]

Good point. Interesting.

[@eastwood1941]

I don't understand what you are saying about Walton.

[@12corners]

Dear Derek, I know my remark was a little gnomic. You see, I'm very interested in successful symphonic form. If the composer spends too much effort on making an effective melodic and harmonic fabric, he may have problems producing an effective symphonic form. Walton, I believe, creates just this problem in this symphony.

[@dabedwards]

I adore Walton, but we have to face the fact that he just did not have many tunes! He feels like a much-loved comedian trying to come up with new material. After listening to the start of this symphony, try the Partita for Orchestra and see if you can remember which is which. The opening melodies of the Viola and Violin Concertos also bear a striking resemblance. That said, these works along with Belshazzar and the First Symphony are stupendous. It must be tough to be a genius but with a limited amount to say. Like the great writers who only have one or two books in them. The pressure to live up to a reputation must be awful. Perhaps Rossini had the right idea -- packed up composing when he'd made enough cash, and spent the rest of his time cooking and eating!

[@JRH1954]

Adrian I hear what you are saying but I think he stated his thematic material much more clearly in the opening of this work. I love it and I can tell you do too haha! Some composers, or even painters do seem to keep composing the same piece albeit more refined or with a different twist along the way.

[@rogerknox9147]

Adrian Edwards Symphonies are not just about melodies. Walton takes his motifs through many harmonic contexts, with different textures and timbres, according to the mood and the place in the formal structure. Love the slow movement... In Walton's music there is the underlying tension of his inner romantic struggling with the ironic façade of the Age of Anxiety. No wonder he retreated to Ischia!

[@DavidA-ps1qr]

Quick idea Adrian. You obviously know about music and know Beethoven's symphonies? Now listen to his String Quartets!

[@leroyosmon]

Adrian, you are simply wrong. Wrong on two points. 1. I do not think you understand the development of the symphony in the 20th Century and 2. you are under the misconception that there are no "tunes". Maybe not tunes YOU can walk away singing - BUT THERE ARE MANY TUNES. And, Walton develops these with a masters touch. Because you do not understand a work (and I do not think you do) or if a work does not fit into YOUR view of what a symphony may or may not be - is zero proof of your pretense of Walton's ability. As a composer (presently working on Symphony No. 4) I find your comment about a comedian trying to come up with new material, quite frankly, insulting. I do not say these things without the background to reply. With over 100 published works, Grammy List Nominations, Pulitzer Nomination, retired music teacher/professor - I am in a position to respond to your carless remarks. Walton is a brilliant composers - for reasons you may not understand and this Symphony No. 2 is, quite frankly, amazing.

[@leroyosmon]

Well said. You are much kinder than I.

[@Tuxster3]

Compared to his first symphony, this piece is too bombastic without really saying much musically. I'm afraid I'm not a fan of this one. 🤔🤔🤔🤔