News and Announcements  

Bax and Vaughan Williams at this year’s Proms in London: The BBC Proms are featuring the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams in commemoration of the 50-year anniversary of that composer’s death in 1958.  Bax’s music is also being played and is featured in two proms concerts including Vernon Handley’s long-awaited return to the Proms on July 19^th.  Tod will be conducting his beloved “Garden of Fand” in a concert that also includes Finzi and Nigel Kennedy in the Elgar Violin Concerto.   Yan Pascal Tortelier conduct’s Bax’s In Memoriam, Padraig Pearse  on July  24 in a concert with the BBC Philharmonic that also includes VW’s Fourth Symphony.  See the BBC Proms Website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/proms/2008/ for more information.

Ashley Wass to record Bax’s Symphonic Variations and Left-Hand Concerto for Naxos: The young British pianist Ashley Wass continues his Bax series for Naxos with recordings of the “Symphonic Variations” and Left-Hand Concerto.   He will be joined by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and conductor James Judd.   The recordings are expected to take place in Poole in late May.   Ashley Wass will also be playing the Vaughan Williams Piano Concerto at this year’s Proms on August 12.

Lyrita to release Iris Loveridge’s mono recordings of Bax’s piano music in 2008: Lyrita has announced it will be releasing Iris Loveridge’s pioneering recordings of the four piano sonatas along with many of Bax’s shorter works for piano.  These recordings were made in the early 1960s and have long been treasured by Baxians for their remarkable strength despite the mono sound.  No word yet on whether her unreleased recordings of Bax will be included in the set or when the set will be released.  However, it has been also announced that Ms. Loveridge’s recording of the works for piano and cello featuring Florence Hooton, will also be released.    

More Bax from Chandos?:  It was announced on the Chandos Website Forum that the label has plans to record Bax’s Viola Phantasy in 2008.   Details not available yet but there has also been discussion of another Handley Bax disc – hopefully to be recorded next year as well.   The Viola Phantasy may be among the works being considered for that disc.  

Join the Bax Yahoo Discussion Group: A new and very active Yahoo discussion group has been created devoted to Sir Arnold Bax. Those interested in joining should visit the group's web site at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Arnoldbax/. This group will be a collecting point for feedback about every aspect of Bax's work.