Some lovely unison playing from the violins of those haunting and heart-melting Celtic wild and sensuous melodies. So evocative, of ...... what? Of walking along a windswept cliff path, bushes swaying and squeaking in the sea breezes. In my mind it is the south Devon coast of Polperro and Talland Bay. To seek out, merely on the given word of an intermediary, another woman, mysterious and passionate, whose mind carries a deep and unfathomable secret, which can only be whispered once, in ones yearning and fascinated ears. Thence, in an instant, she either walks unhalting away into the mists; or you two ladies run helter-skelter, past graveyards of generations of sailors and pirates, to a warm tavern, frequented by sinister bands of wreckers, and excise dodgers, and drunken and fanciful balladeers. Gamblers the lot of them, with lives and money and the truth. A respite of un-menued but substantial food, and consoling drink, intoxicating in greater measures. Architected with curious corners, sporting 17th century prints, and sermons by Donne, and several roaring fires. And thence to spring into a cosy room, with a deep-mattressed four-poster-bed, and heaped duck-feather duvets, readied by the knowing and smiling landlady, herself with flaming red hair. There to make love all night long! As if the sensuous energies and joys of two womanly lovers were unlimited; and hands and caresses and tongues and lips explored the full globe of our conjoined sensuality. When it was destined all along, by commanding Aphrodite and Athena's wise Owl, that you would be angels, and wolves, and transfixed inflamed "transfigured fiends of supreme erotic ecstasy"! When by kissing and tight embraces you stand upon the transcendental abyss of annihilation of the pointless self, and thus grasp divine unity with everything and every soul! Probably this is music well-suited to the passionate and temperamental Latin soul too. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polperro en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talland_Bay Love andrea
I don't think that there can be a piece of music ever written that better captures the spirit of a geographical area, where else could this wonderful piece of music be about than the mystical, magical, beautiful, rugged, treacherous, spectacular coast of North Cornwall, Tintagel indeed.
my husband and I spent days here in Tintagel , walking the 13th century ruins, the beaches, Merlin's cave where sea smashes through,so evocative of the Athurian legend.,glories of th island of Tintagel and the Fabulouse sea scrapes around it. This music could not say it better. gloiriouse!
Many years ago, I was an "image" radio announcer, and I was called upon to do some 60-second ads for the luxurious Kawasaki Voyager touring bike. For a background I used the first minute or so of this music, and it magically created the feeling of breezing along the open road on a powerful machine, much more so than the usual blues/rock setting. I adore this piece more than anything else Bax ever wrote. It is totally engaging from the first note to the last.
I have a close friend who swears that Bax is one of the all time greats. When I hear a piece like this, I can't possibly disagree. It completely blows one away.
This Bax tone poem brings to mind Debussy's "La Mer": both have the same evocative power of making you feel in the presence of the sea and its often treacherous environment. I enjoy the highly effective rendition by this orchestra and its conductor. In particular I am grateful the camera crew show us "real-time" close-ups of the players and their instruments (flutes, clarinets, first violin, various brass section members, not to mention the mysterious and haunting French horns) at the exact bars when they "paint" the various moods of this tone poem in one continuous "movement" (instead of Debussy's three). Beautiful and powerful!.
My mother's family hails from Tintagel, part-descended from Huguenot refugees fleeing France. I've stood on that same headland with my English Dad on a sunny but breezy day, as created by Bax. It is amazing and evocative. He lived in Ireland but came back to West Sussex, In England, not far from where I now live, residing at The White Horse Inn at Storrington until his death. btw King Arthur DID exist, ignore the rubbish they peddle, not so long back an archeological re-dig in Tintagel unearthed a pottery shard "This place was caused to be built by Arthog, son of the High Prince", 5-6 Century AD, right on Legend! Cue Bax.
Beautiful.....how on earth is Bax not more widely played. If ever a composer was a cert to attract an audience who want really beautiful and inspiring music.
I'm french and I think that Arnold Bax is the english Debussy.. Bax music is often gorgeous and that is the case with Tintagel more than descriptive music, naturalism for me is quick boring or impossible in music ; here the fantastic athmosphere speaks a lot with choregraphic pictures langage and there is obviously links with "The Sea" and "Prelude à l'après midi d'un faune" de Debussy..
The orchestra is the RTVE Symphony Orchestra (Spanish Radio Television Symphony Orchestra) and the conductor is Adrian Leaper. This is a piece that I've recently discovered, while I was looking for music of Vaughan Williams. A beautiful piece, very well conducted.
Thrilling performance. Visited Tintagel Castle recently, and it doesn't disappoint. There is a new bridge across to the island and an excellent guidebook from English Heritage. Well worth the trek to Cornwall.
Grande compositore Sir Arnold Bax le sue straordinarie evocazioni sono frutto di una sensibilità e sapienza musicali di altissimo livello.Un grande. Ottimi direttore e orchestra.Grazie per la pubblicazione.
I can't hold back the tears as I listen to this. I actually wrote an animated feature story based on this incredible work. I wish I had the power to see it produced.
SchmoozeMinkey Had you thought about getting it produced as a comic? It might even be possible, reading technology being as it is these days, to integrate the music with such a thing. I know Darren Aronofsky did something similar with The Fountain, producing a 'director's cut' in comic book form when it looked like the film wasn't going to be made - and there are always artists out there looking for a solid script. Why give up?
Bax is vastly underrated and underplayed these days. His skill in creating rich sound canvasses, and his grasp of form and development were immense. However if you wonder why Tintagel is almost his only piece played regularly today, it is probably the fact that it is built on a memorable melody embedded in those wonderful fanfares. For a classical work (or indeed any musical form) to capture and hold an audience, melody remains a supreme element. Can you suggest any enduring work in the classical repertoire that fails this requirement? I don’t refer here to highly sophisticated and educated specialists who can enjoy modern compositions. As a regular concert goer I (we) basically had to “endure” performances of contemporary composers. We often would comment “well that wasn’t too awful”. A poet whose reading was utterly incomprehensible to me told me, “it’s up to you to learn my language so you can appreciate my art.” My answer was “no it’s not”.
This is not far off from being the greatest piece of music ever written. I first heard this on BBC's Classical music station when I was driving, and had to pull to the side of the road to listen to the whole thing.
Bax was staying at Tintagel with his new (and long-term) mistress, Harriet Cohen, when he composed this piece. Apart from the sound of water beating against the ramparts of the ruined Tintagel Castle one can detect a decidely erotic human passion in the music!
I can't speak for the RTVE Symphony Orchestra in general, however, in this piece Adrian Leaper has taken a good orchestra and made it sound great. A big sound with the winds and brass. The orchestra appears to be well disciplined. I have Sir John Barbiroli's version which is among the best and this version compares well with it.
Very probably Sir Arnold Bax's best piece. My sole experience with it live was hearing the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under of all conductors - Vladimir Ashkenazy! Quite a decent performance of it, by the way.
Translation of the Spanish introduction: "Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, KCVO (Knight Commander Victorian Order) (November 8, 1883 - October 3, 1953), was an English composer and poet. His musical style mixes elements of romanticism and impressionism, with a marked Celtic influence. His orchestral scores stand out for their complexity and their colourful instrumentation. The stories and poems of Bax, which he wrote under the pseudonym of Dermot O'Byrne, reflect his deep affinity for the Irish poet William Butler Yeats and are written in the literary tradition of "Irish resurgence.""
I should add to my comments below that a degree of understanding and experience is, of course, necessary to appreciate art in any form, but the law of diminishing returns applies.
Philistine audience can't recognize a piece has ended with out a loud, overwrought climax of an ending. "Why don't they play Beethoven's Fifth, again?!" Uhg...
To say again adverts have been inserted in this wonderful performance RUINING IT. Bastards shame on you. Will not use Betfair or any of these other crappy companies in future.
