If you are looking for genius British composers, there is none greater than Tallis in my book. To take just one example, his Miserere Nostri is a dual masterpiece of both craftsmanship and beauty. You could easily get caught up in just the beauty:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLyg5qht8f0

...But how he gets there is kind of mind-boggling:
source: https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/...(Thomas_Tallis)

Don't even get me started on Spem in Alium.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gv1zZwppTuc
(If you don't want all the analysis and intrigue, the performance begins here: https://youtu.be/Gv1zZwppTuc?t=1938)

Holst is one of my favourite british composers, planets is remarkable, I know it's all subjective but he's under rated.

Why should it be controversial, I don't know of any "executive order" that demands we all like the same version.

I didn't know this version, took a quick listen on Tidal and didn't like it that much at a first listen.

First impression was - it was too "polite", trying to sound nice, too slow at times, not as urgent and grave as the Britten's version. Also the sound of the Decca (especially if one listens to the newly remastered version - from original tapes) is richer, more life-like and the balance is more powerful. (the elements that matter exposed in the proper way to my taste). The NY Phil version you mentioned feels too "lyrical" at times, some elements being nice, instead of menacing or more otherworldly.

I really appreciate the versions of any recording where the composer was present. And if the composer is also a great conductor as in Britten's case - I perceive that as his "original performance", the rest as "cover" versions. Which could even be better, of course, or some may prefer them.

In War Requiem's case I haven't heard any that surpassed the power and immediacy of the original (for my taste).

My first CD of War Requiem was Telarcs recording conducted by Robert Shaw and while if felt more high fidelity, smoother, a really nice sound - compared to my first CD of Britten's DECCA recording that I got later - with all the hiss and grit - the raw emotional power of the latter version made that other "nicer" CD rarely (if ever) played again.

After witnessing this great live performance, and really liking the expressiveness of the tenor Ian Bostridge - I went to search for any recording featuring him.

I found a rather special version, that I quite liked (not over the Britten version) - sounding "modern" for lack of better word and also grave and substantial enough - the Antonio Pappano conducted recording for Warner Classics, also featuring the now "infamous" soprano Anna Netrebko and the famous italian choir and orchestra of "Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia".
This one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGXTlR_lzs4

Ian Bostridge, apart from being a really great singer, is a very interesting person, as I learned, also a historian who wrote some rather interesting books, such as "Witchcraft and its transformations" and "Schubert's Winterreise: Anatomy of an obsession". And this broadness of mind can be felt in his interpretation. (he is older than in that clip, now and in live performance, he was even more expressive - I really believed him when he sang those powerful lines)

All in all - as it turned out - we were lucky to witness a rather stellar set of performers, performing very close to the Britten's aim of the work. Not pretty, but grave and urgent. And its also the historic times, with all the absurdly brutal events, we're in, that contribute...

As a teenager I really liked the "Planets", rarely re-visited it later... or explored this composer in depth. Must do so.

I also didn't consider him British, my mistake, this should be corrected.

Holst was a teacher at a posh London girl's school.

He got the school orchestra there to demo his pieces.

Apparently he was very surprised by the popularity of The Planets.

His daughter Imogen, became assistant to Britten! The circle is complete.

Highly recommended, a truly wonderful book and the definitive, historic recording!

Another nail in the fine music coffin…

“DOGE has terminated all four of the American Musicological Society’s NEH grants. Our executive director writes: “As the chief operating officer for the American Musicological Society, a 91-year-old knowledge society committed to the study of music, history, and culture, I am resolved. I am resolved to oppose these cuts and find alternative sources of funding for the affected programs. I am resolved because the loss of these programs (or a failure to fight for them) is not a small thing. It would represent an abdication of the basic duty at the heart of the humanities: to pursue truth in service of a better understanding of the human condition.”

If you want to do something follow the action steps below.…”

…. I guess you can look up the society’s website if you’re motivated to lend support and assistance to fight back.

Damn! Idiocracy in full swing...