Dennis Brain: A Life in Music

Discography

240 Introduction The intent of this discography is to give as comprehensive a listing of Brain’s solo and chamber recordings as possible, together with a selection of orchestral recordings, and to reveal newly discovered recordings that have not been featured in any previously published discography. It includes quotations from The Gramophone, Monthly Musical Record, Radio Times, and other sources, but it is not a complete list of every recording that Brain is known to have made. New works include six solo works for horn and orchestra, two for horn, violin, and piano, three for wind quintet, eight chamber music works for various combinations, fourteen orchestral works, five performances in international archives collections (solo and chamber works), and two of film media. The new items are marked with an asterisk (*). This list includes commercial recordings (published and unpublished) as well as radio archive recordings and off-the-air recordings. Matrix numbers for recording takes are given only if a recording is unpublished, for example, the British Library Sound Archive takes of the Britten Serenade. Unpublished and incomplete Columbia HMV and EMI recordings are listed even though they may not all be preserved by EMI Archives at Hayes, Middlesex, England. The authors do not have matrices for all these unpublished recordings. Section I lists those recordings referred to or discussed in detail in the chapters of this book as well as new items not listed in any previous Brain discography. Section II lists international archives with all applicable known recordings in each archive. Many of Brain’s recordings are no longer available commercially and are found only through second-hand record dealers or from these archives. One exception is the Stanford Library of Recorded Sound, which has the holdings of the former Western Sound Archive. Stanford University has not yet completed work on a listening and transcription service, which, when available , will be invaluable for the study of their substantial Brain holdings. Many of these recordings originate from the BBC (Information and Archives) and are listed under that heading; only those recordings no longer available at the BBC are listed under the Stanford collection. Robert Marshall’s book Dennis Brain on Record lists Brain’s orchestral recordings comprehensively (though not exhaustively). This discography focuses on a few orchestral recordings that are especially soloistic and where Brain can easily be identified. Where possible, booking sheets have been used to confirm his presence or absence. Little documentation exists for Brain’s work with the London Chamber Orchestra, also occasionally known as the London Chamber Players. Recordings are represented by only four works, all conducted by Anthony Bernard. Although Brain was principal horn of several other orchestras, the numerous recordings with them remain obscure and require further investigation, which is beyond the scope Discography Discography 241 of this book. They include recordings with the New London Orchestra, conducted by Alec Sherman, and the RAF Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Wing Commander O’Donnell during wartime. Many of the RAF Symphony Orchestra recordings do not have exposed solos but a few are included because otherwise little documentation exists for this orchestra during Brain’s tenure. Section III lists the few films with Brain recording, including modern reissues. This does not include the enormous quantity of material in the form of music for film sound-tracks recorded at various British film studios, including Gainsborough Pictures, Ealing, Denham, etc., with the National Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Key to Abbreviations 45 rpm A record that plays at 45 revolutions per minute. Sometimes these were issued in “extended play” format, including the London Chamber Orchestra’s recording of Faure’s Pavane on EMI, 7EP 7701. See Discography I. 7. London Chamber Orchestra. 78 rpm Shellac 10-inch or 12-inch record, that plays at 78 revolutions per minute. Several modern manufacturers make a turntable that will play 78 rpm discs, as part of Hi Fi systems but it is a specialist market and readers are advised to consult specialist dealers to obtain the best equipment to play these records. Not all recordings of Brain issued on 78 rpm are available on compact disc and, in some instances, they are not otherwise obtainable. Second-hand dealers are still a source of recordings. Alt. Contralto AR Abbey Road Studios, London B Bass Bsn Bassoon b/c Broadcast BBC BBC Information and Archives BBC SO BBC Symphony Orchestra BBC TS BBC Transcription Service BPL Britten-Pears Library, Snape Maltings,Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England (Britten-Pears Foundation) Brain source file...