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Symphony No. 1 (Brian)

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Symphony No. 1 (Brian)

The Symphony No. 1 in D minor (The Gothic) is a symphony composed by Havergal Brian between 1919 and 1927. At around 110 minutes it is one of the longest symphonies ever composed. Others include Mahler's Symphony No. 3 at 90 to 105 minutes (the only symphony of this length to be regularly performed and recorded), Derek Bourgeois's Symphony No 42: Life, the Universe, and Everything at 155 minutes, Sorabji's Organ Symphony No. 2 at nine hours, and Dimitrie Cuclin's unperformed Symphony No. 12 at about six hours. Along with choral symphonies such as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony or Mahler's Eighth Symphony, it is one of a few works attempting to use the musically gigantic to address the spiritual concerns of humanity. Beginning in D minor and closing in E major, the work is an example of progressive tonality.

Infobox

Key
D minor (nominally)
Text
Te Deum
Composed
1919–1927
Dedication
Richard Strauss
Published
1932
Publisher
Cranz & Co.
Duration
105 minutes
Movements
6
Date
24 June 1961
Location
Central Hall Westminster, London
Conductor
Bryan Fairfax
Performers
Multiple Ensembles (see performances)

Tables

· Performances
24 June 1961
24 June 1961
Date
24 June 1961
Venue
Central Hall Westminster, London
Ensembles
Polyphonia Symphony Orchestra,Royal Military School of Music,London Philharmonic Choir,Kingsway Choral Society,London Orpheus Choir,Hendon Grammar School Choir
Soloists
Noelle Barker (soprano),Jean Evans (alto),Kenneth Bowen (tenor),John Shirley-Quirk (baritone)
Conductor
Bryan Fairfax
Notes
First performance of the symphony.
30 October 1966
30 October 1966
Date
30 October 1966
Venue
Royal Albert Hall, London
Ensembles
BBC Symphony Orchestra,BBC Choral Society,City of London Choir,Hampstead Choral Society,Emanuel School Choir,Orpington Junior Singers
Soloists
Honor Sheppard (soprano),Shirley Minty (alto),Ronald Dowd (tenor),Roger Stalman (bass)
Conductor
Adrian Boult
Notes
First professional performance of the symphony.
10 October 1976
10 October 1976
Date
10 October 1976
Venue
Royal Albert Hall, London
Ensembles
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Soloists
None (only orchestral movements were performed)
Conductor
Charles Groves
Notes
Only Part One (movements I, II, and III) of the symphony was performed.
21 May 1978
21 May 1978
Date
21 May 1978
Venue
Victoria Hall, Hanley
Ensembles
The Stoke Gothic Symphony Orchestra,Leicester Philharmonic Society,Keele Chamber Choir,Margaret Wharam Choir,Nantwich and District Choral Society,Oriana Choir,Potteries Choral Society,Stone Choral Society,Ashborne Parish Church Boys' Choir,Goudhurst Girls School Choir,Nantwich Parish Church Boys' Choir,Parish Church of St. Peter Choir
Soloists
Margaret Tapley (soprano),Jean Reavley (alto),Eric Baskeyfield (tenor),Phillip Ravenscroft (bass)
Conductor
Trevor Stokes
Notes
The orchestra was assembled ad hoc and the performance took place in Brian's home country.
25 May 1980
25 May 1980
Date
25 May 1980
Venue
Royal Albert Hall, London
Ensembles
London Symphony Orchestra,London Symphony Chorus,London Philharmonic Choir,BBC Singers,BBC Club Choir,Hampstead Choral Society,Bach Choir,English Chamber Choir
Soloists
Jane Manning (soprano),Shirley Minty (alto),John Mitchinson (tenor),David Thomas (bass)
Conductor
Ole Schmidt
Notes
First performance of corrected edition.
22 December 2010
22 December 2010
Date
22 December 2010
Venue
QPAC Concert Hall
Ensembles
The Gothic Symphony Orchestra,The Gothic Symphony Chorus,The Gothic Symphony Children's ChorusQueensland Festival Chorus
Soloists
Melissa Gill (soprano),Kathleen Lamont (alto),Luke Venables (tenor),Dimitri Kopanakis (bass)
Conductor
John Curro
Notes
First performance of the symphony in Australia, and first performance outside England.
17 July 2011
17 July 2011
Date
17 July 2011
Venue
Royal Albert Hall, London
Ensembles
BBC Concert Orchestra,BBC National Orchestra of Wales,City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Youth Chorus,Eltham College Boys' Choir,Southend Boys' and Girls' Choirs, The Bach Choir,BBC National Chorus of Wales,Brighton Festival Chorus,Côr Caerdydd,Huddersfield Choral Society,London Symphony Chorus
Soloists
Susan Gritton (soprano),Christine Rice (mezzo-soprano),Peter Auty (tenor), Alastair Miles (bass)
Conductor
Martyn Brabbins
Notes
The symphony was performed as part of the programme for the 2011 season of the Proms.
Date
Venue
Ensembles
Soloists
Conductor
Notes
24 June 1961
Central Hall Westminster, London
Polyphonia Symphony Orchestra,Royal Military School of Music,London Philharmonic Choir,Kingsway Choral Society,London Orpheus Choir,Hendon Grammar School Choir
Noelle Barker (soprano),Jean Evans (alto),Kenneth Bowen (tenor),John Shirley-Quirk (baritone)
Bryan Fairfax
First performance of the symphony.
30 October 1966
Royal Albert Hall, London
BBC Symphony Orchestra,BBC Choral Society,City of London Choir,Hampstead Choral Society,Emanuel School Choir,Orpington Junior Singers
Honor Sheppard (soprano),Shirley Minty (alto),Ronald Dowd (tenor),Roger Stalman (bass)
Adrian Boult
First professional performance of the symphony.
10 October 1976
Royal Albert Hall, London
New Philharmonia Orchestra
None (only orchestral movements were performed)
Charles Groves
Only Part One (movements I, II, and III) of the symphony was performed.
21 May 1978
Victoria Hall, Hanley
The Stoke Gothic Symphony Orchestra,Leicester Philharmonic Society,Keele Chamber Choir,Margaret Wharam Choir,Nantwich and District Choral Society,Oriana Choir,Potteries Choral Society,Stone Choral Society,Ashborne Parish Church Boys' Choir,Goudhurst Girls School Choir,Nantwich Parish Church Boys' Choir,Parish Church of St. Peter Choir
Margaret Tapley (soprano),Jean Reavley (alto),Eric Baskeyfield (tenor),Phillip Ravenscroft (bass)
Trevor Stokes
The orchestra was assembled ad hoc and the performance took place in Brian's home country.
25 May 1980
Royal Albert Hall, London
London Symphony Orchestra,London Symphony Chorus,London Philharmonic Choir,BBC Singers,BBC Club Choir,Hampstead Choral Society,Bach Choir,English Chamber Choir
Jane Manning (soprano),Shirley Minty (alto),John Mitchinson (tenor),David Thomas (bass)
Ole Schmidt
First performance of corrected edition.
22 December 2010
QPAC Concert Hall
The Gothic Symphony Orchestra,The Gothic Symphony Chorus,The Gothic Symphony Children's ChorusQueensland Festival Chorus
Melissa Gill (soprano),Kathleen Lamont (alto),Luke Venables (tenor),Dimitri Kopanakis (bass)
John Curro
First performance of the symphony in Australia, and first performance outside England.
17 July 2011
Royal Albert Hall, London
BBC Concert Orchestra,BBC National Orchestra of Wales,City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Youth Chorus,Eltham College Boys' Choir,Southend Boys' and Girls' Choirs, The Bach Choir,BBC National Chorus of Wales,Brighton Festival Chorus,Côr Caerdydd,Huddersfield Choral Society,London Symphony Chorus
Susan Gritton (soprano),Christine Rice (mezzo-soprano),Peter Auty (tenor), Alastair Miles (bass)
Martyn Brabbins
The symphony was performed as part of the programme for the 2011 season of the Proms.
· Recordings
Sir Adrian Boult
Sir Adrian Boult
Conductor
Sir Adrian Boult
Main Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Recording Date
1966, released 2009 in Testament
Formats
LP / CD / Digital
Labels
Aries Records (bootleg recording) / Testament Records
Sir Charles Groves
Sir Charles Groves
Conductor
Sir Charles Groves
Main Orchestra
New Philharmonia Orchestra
Recording Date
1976, released 2020
Formats
CD / Digital
Labels
Heritage Records
Ondrej Lenárd
Ondrej Lenárd
Conductor
Ondrej Lenárd
Main Orchestra
CSR Symphony Orchestra Bratislava and Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
Recording Date
1989, released 1991, rereleased 2004
Formats
CD / Digital
Labels
Marco Polo (1991) / Naxos Records (2004)
Martyn Brabbins
Martyn Brabbins
Conductor
Martyn Brabbins
Main Orchestra
BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Recording Date
Recorded and released in 2011
Formats
CD / Digital
Labels
Hyperion Records
Conductor
Main Orchestra
Recording Date
Formats
Labels
Sir Adrian Boult
BBC Symphony Orchestra
1966, released 2009 in Testament
LP / CD / Digital
Aries Records (bootleg recording) / Testament Records
Sir Charles Groves
New Philharmonia Orchestra
1976, released 2020
CD / Digital
Heritage Records
Ondrej Lenárd
CSR Symphony Orchestra Bratislava and Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
1989, released 1991, rereleased 2004
CD / Digital
Marco Polo (1991) / Naxos Records (2004)
Martyn Brabbins
BBC Concert Orchestra and BBC National Orchestra of Wales
Recorded and released in 2011
CD / Digital
Hyperion Records

References

  1. www.derekbourgeois.com
    https://www.derekbourgeois.com/orchestr.htm
  2. The Organ
    http://www.theorganmag.com/issues/353.html
  3. Havergal Brian, 'How the "Gothic" Symphony came to be written', Modern Mystic, December 1938.
  4. Letter reproduced in programme booklet for the Royal Albert Hall performance on 30 November 1966.
  5. "Symphony 1 'The Gothic'"
    http://www.havergalbrian.org/sym1.htm
  6. p. 309, MacDonald (1983) Malcolm. London The symphonies of Havergal Brian Volume 3 Kahn & Averill. "Brian's interest in
Image
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