Suffolkcoastal's Symphonic Journey

[Suffolkcoastal]

More from the journey through my symphonic collection:

1947

Bentzon: Symphony No 3
Blomdahl: Symphony No 2
Braga-Santos: Symphony No 1 in D
Carpenter: Symphony No 2
Cooke: Symphony No 1 in B flat minor
Fortner: Symphony 1947
Furtwangler: Symphony No 2 in E minor
K A Hartmann: Symphony No 4
Henze: Symphony No 1 (revised 1963 version)
Holmboe; Symphony No 6
Hovhaness: Symphony No 8 ‘Arjun’ (revised 1959 version)
Khachaturian: Symphony No 3 ‘Symphony-Poem’
G Lloyd: Symphony No 5 in B flat
Lutoslawski: Symphony No 1
Malipiero: Symphony No 5 ‘Concertante in Eco’
Malipiero: Symphony No 6 ‘Delli archi’
Milhaud: Symphony No 4
Moyzes: Symphony No 4
Piston: Symphony No 3
Poulenc: Sinfonietta
Prokofiev: Symphony No 4 (Revised Version)
Prokofiev: Symphony No 6 in E flat minor
Shapero: Symphony for Classical Orchestra
Shtoharenko: Symphony No 1 ‘Symphony-Cantata’
Siegmeister: Symphony No 1
B Tchaikovsky: Symphony No 1
Vaughan Williams: Symphony No 6 in E minor
R E Ward: Symphony No 2

Neils Bentzon’s 3rd Symphony is a three movement work lasting around 35 minutes. The language in this work is tonal, approachable and quite appealing. The 1st movement contrasts a pastoral like idea with a more urgent one and the movement overall is very successful. The central slow movement has some appeal but lacks distinctive and memorable ideas. The finale has Hindemith like momentum and texture at times. The influence of Nielsen occasionally surfaces during the work. Though a distinctive language and personality is perhaps lacking, this is still a work worth investigating.

Blomdahl’s 2nd Symphony is a very fine work. It is in 3 movements. The 1st movement is a tautly constructed movement of some power. The central slow movement is superb, the intensity and anguish in this movement are really striking, the pacing and structure are deftly handled and the final quiet resolution exactly right. The finale has plenty of polyphonic energy and momentum that creates a strong conclusion. Highly recommended.

The 1st Symphony of the Portugese composer Joly Braga-Santos is a very approachable and quite appealing work. Its use of modality and some of the textures and occasionally reminiscent of Vaughan Williams, in fact the very opening reminds me of the opening of RVWs London Symphony. The main part of the 1st movement is quite vigorous and energetic and come off well. The slow movement creates an impression of an atmospheric landscape, though perhaps it lacks the last degree of real distinction. The finale has a cinematic panache which the composer handles fairly well. Towards the end of the movement Braga-Santos brings back the symphony’s opening before a slightly garish Hollywoodesque conclusion.

John Alden Carpenter’s 2nd Symphony is a revised orchestration of his 1934 Piano Quintet and is an unpretentious work of about 20 minutes in length. The 1st movement is quite light by lively, whilst the 2nd movement has a touch of Gallic wit elegance about it. The stomping finale has an element of relaxed good humour.

Arnold Cooks was already in his early 40s when he composed his 1st Symphony and it is a strong and purposeful work. The chief influence appears to be Hindemith plus to a degree Walton. The 1st movement is structurally sound and the scherzo has plenty of energy and panache. The 3rd movement is elegant and refined and is particularly successful. The robust and forthright finale emphatically concludes the work in the major.

Wolfgang Fortner was among Germany’s leading post-war teachers and his pupils included Rihm, B A Zimmerman and Henze. His only symphony is a tough and demanding work of about 30 minutes duration. The 1st movement, like many other of the period, is dominated by a nagging rhythmic figure. The slow movement is rather austere with strands of rather dissonant counterpoint weaved to create an rather brooding atmosphere. The short scherzo has an element of dark humour, whilst the finale is quite aggressive and heavily scored resulting in some dense and uncomfortable textures.

Furtwangler’s 2nd Symphony is a large 75 minute long work in the conductor/composer’s preferred Austro-German late-romantic manner. The material is simply not distinctive enough to justify the works considerable length, and through there are some effective and atmospheric passages, the symphony is long-winded and rather dull.

Like his other earlier symphonies, Karl Amadeus Hartmann’s 4th Symphony, scored for strings, has its origins in an earlier work. In this case a Concerto for Soprano & String Orchestra. For its reincarnation as his 4th Symphony, Hartmann composed a new finale. In the slow 1st movement a mysterious opening gives work to a movement of some intensity and passion. The Allegro di molto 2nd movement is purposeful and gripping. The finale is also slow with a rather unsettled feel to it, though it is a successful enough contrast with the 1st movement.

Hans Werner Henze’s 1st Symphony was revised in 1963 and scored for chamber orchestra with the original 4th movement removed. This 17 minute long work already shows some hints of the composer to come. The outer movements have sparse textures with sudden outburst creating an impression of barely suppressed tension and unease. The central slow movement is a rather eerily beautiful nocturne, creating a sense of uneasy tranquillity.

With his 6th Symphony, Holmboe continues his impressive symphonic cycle. This 30 minute long work is in two movements. The composer’s distinct use of metamorphosis is evident in this work. The 1st movement begins slowly and austerely with rather Bartokian 4ths. The faster central section maintains a forward momentum before the tempo once again slows. The 2nd movement maintains a rather masculine energy and drive in a highly effective manner before it winds down to a quiet conclusion.

The numbering of Alan Hovhaness’s earlier symphonies is sometimes a little conclusion. Though the 8th was composed in 1947 it was not performed until revised in 1959 after a trip to India. The work plays continually for around 35 minutes and features a prominent part for solo piano. The whole work creates the impression of a vast religious processional with its Armenian and Eastern colourings. Some may find this work beautiful and hypnotic while others may be rather less impressed, I’m with former on this one.

Aram Khachaturian’s 3rd Symphony subtitled ‘Symphony-Poem’ was written in commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of the Russian Revolution and includes an extra 15 trumpets and an organ. The work is rather notorious and the scoring is horribly cluttered and brash and ideas rather banal at times, despite a more relaxed central section.

George Lloyd’s 5th Symphony was like the 4th , written in Switzerland where he was still recovering the horrors of the recent war. It is in 5 movements and just over 50 minutes in length. It is a marginal improvement on the 4th Symphony. The best movement is the slow 4th movement where Lloyd’s wartime experiences seem to come to the fore, creating a rather disturbing picture. The 1st movement has a slightly Delian 1st subject and a less lyrical 2nd one. A lot of the ideas still come across as rather like 2nd rate film scores and occasionally almost cross in to the world of the light music of the period.

Witold Lutoslawski’s 1st Symphony was labelled as ‘formalist’ when it first emerged in Stalinist Poland. It was originally begun in 1941 under the Nazi occupation. The 1st movement is under the spell of Stravinsky. The 2nd movement is textually rather striking but also refined in atmosphere. There is a touch of dark humour in the 3rd whilst the finale is occasionally rather frenetic. The music is still fairly approachable although tonality is rather free, but it is a rewarding work that shows an independent mind at work.

Malipiero composed two symphonies in 1947 and they are sharply contrasted. The 5th features an important role for two pianos and is a transitional work and the composer’s toughest to date. The 1st & 3rd movements introduces sharper dissonances and angularity in the writing, which was new in Malipiero, whilst in the 2nd & 4th movements we have a return to the tonal world of the 3rd & 4th Symphonies. The 6th Symphony is scored for strings alone. This work is more tonal than the 5th. The outer movements have a neo-classical Vivaldian touch to them and use solo strings in a concertante manner. The short 3rd movement is more terse and closer to some of the 5th Symphony in manner.

Darius Milhaud’s 4th Symphony was commissioned by the French Ministry of Education in anticipation of the centenary of the 1848 revolution. Milhaud responded with a colourful score. The 1st movement has a strong militaristic touch, portraying the revolution. The 2nd movement is slow and elegiac in memory of those who had been killed. The movement also has a somewhat austere sparseness. The 3rd movement is bright and celebrates the victory of the revolution, before the militaristic overtones return in the commemorative finale.

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[Suffolkcoastal]

1947

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Alexander Moyzes’s 4th Symphony is in 3 movements and is quite a strong work. Moyzes style is approachable but contemporary and certainly has some individuality. The central slow movement is particularly fine and shows an the occasional Bartokian touch. The finale though is more conventional.

The 3rd is Walter Piston's longest symphony at a little over 30 minutes in length and is in 4movements. The 1st and 3rd are slow and account for two-thirds of the length. The pacing of the 1st movement is impressively handled and has real inevitability about it. The 3rd movement builds to a powerfully intense and dissonant climax. The 2nd & 4th movements are lighter, the 2nd is a typical scurrying Piston scherzo with a gentle pastoral trio. Whilst the finale is a forthright optimistic and march like. Piston’s own individual style is clearly present throughout.

Poulenc’s Sinfonietta could almost be called his ‘classical symphony’. It is an inventive , light and quite charming score, that evokes a classical balance and wit in its 4 movements.

Prokofiev substantially revised his 1930 4th Symphony, based on ideas from his ballet ‘The Prodigal Son’ in 1947. In doing so he lengthened the work by over 15 minutes adding to, extending and transforming the material of the earlier work. The work that now emerges is larger and arguably more symphonic, though in places it results in some passages that have become slightly overblown.

The 6th is Prokofiev’s finest symphony and one of great symphonies IMO. The 1st movement continually alters tempi to create a movement that is unsettling. It builds to a powerful punctuated climax before ending quietly without finding the repose for which it has been searching. The unsettled searching feel continues in the central movement, here a gently wistful lyrical idea almost achieves the repose that the symphony has been looking for but the movement concludes in unease. The finale strives for an optimistic conclusion, but a gruff rhythmic figure seems to hint that this isn’t going to be the case. Just as the music does appear to end optimistically, it fades away, bringing back the world of the 1st movement before ending in a powerful dissonant conclusion.

I admit to not being particularly keen on Shapero’s Symphony for Classical Orchestra. The 1st movement is slightly reminiscent of his teacher Piston and is ok but rather unmemorable. The 2nd movement is occasionally elegant but the ideas are rather bland and the Beethovenian gestures of the scherzo and finale sound like a bad joke and the ideas in the finale are rather trite.

Andrei Shtoharenko’s 1st Symphony is subtitled a ‘Symphony-Cantata’ and is scored for mezzo-soprano and bass soloists, chorus and orchestra. The composer was a communist party member and noted accordion player and the work is rather typical of the music composed by lesser composers in the Soviet Union during the later Stalinist years. Mussorgsky seems to be an influence at times and there are some moments of charm . The symphony seems to try to avoid the worst banalities of lesser Soviet works but only partly succeeds.

Ellie Siegmeister’s 1st Symphony has some attractive ideas and is quite approachable. There are hints of jazz and Hollywood at times and one rather engaging theme that is really memorable. However some of the scoring is rather thick and overblown and detracts somewhat from the overall impression of the work.

The 1st Symphony of Boris Tchaikovsky is a most impressive work for a composer in his early 20’s. It however had to wait 15 years for its first performance. The symphony does show the influence of Shiostakovich in places, but also shows some real individuality. A motto idea occurs throughout the symphony. The 1st movement opens with a broad and distinctive idea and the pacing and structure is well handled despite an abundance of material. The scherzo is very Russian and has plenty of bite to it. The slow 3rd movement shows some emotional depth and character. The finale is cleverly understated with a hint of underlying unease, which skilfully avoids the rhetoric and banality of many Soviet symphonies. Thoroughly recommendable.

Vaughan Williams 6th Symphony is of course familiar to most MBs. A work of remarkable originality and power, especially from a composer already in his 70s. The symphony has haunted me since I first encountered it a little over 30 years ago when I was in my mid-teens and it has never lost its tremendous impact. The symphony is one of the few RVW works that shows a slight debt to Holst, but the world RVW creates is far more terrifying . The finale seems to peer over the abyss in to the eternal sleep that is death.

Finally, Robert E Ward’s 2nd Symphony. This is a light and lyrically attractive symphony in 3 movements of about 20 minutes duration. The influence of Copland and Diamond can be felt in places and the main idea of the finale is very similar to one of Holmboe’s themes , though I think this is pure coincidence. The central movement is particularly appealing.

Any comments on these works, would be most welcome as usual.

[Suffolkcoastal]

More from the journey through my symphonic collection:

1948

Antheil: Symphony No 5 ‘Joyous’
Antheil: Symphony No 6 ‘After Delacroix’
Arnell: Symphony No 4
Brian: Symphony No 6 ‘Sinfonia Tragica’
Brian: Symphony No 7 in C
Cowell: Symphony No 5
J N David: Symphony No 4
Eller: Symphony No 2 in E minor (Unfi nished)
M Gould: Symphony No 3 (original version)
Lajtha: Symphony No 3
Langgaard: Symphony No 13 ‘Undertro’
Langgaard: Symphony No 14 ‘Morning’
Malipiero: Symphony No 7 ‘delle canzone’
Mennin: Symphony No 4 ‘The Cycle’
Messiaen: Turangalila Symphony
Miaskovsky: Symphony No 26 in C
Moyzes: Symphony No 5 in F major
A Panufnik: Symphony No 1 ‘Sinfonia Rustica’
Rubbra: Symphony No 5
Schuman: Symphony No 6
Shcherbachov: Symphony No 5 ‘Russian’ (revised 1950 vers)
Siegmeister: Symphony No 2
Sulek: Symphony No 3 in E minor
Swanson: Short Symphony
Tansman: Symphony No 8 ‘Musique pour orchestre’
Vainberg/Weinberg: Sinfonietta: No 1
Veale: Symphony No 1 (revised 1951 vers)
Wellesz: Symphony No 2 ‘The English’

Antheil composed two 5th Symphonies, the first of which, called ‘The Tragic’ was withdrawn. The ‘Joyous’ symphony isn’t necessarily joyous throughout. The 1st movement maintain an almost constant momentum and sound like Prokofiev with an American accent. The central movement could almost come from one of Antheil’s many film scores. Whilst in the finale Prokofiev’s influence (especially the finale of his 5th Symphony) is again to the fore.

Antheil’s 6th Symphony takes its initial inspiration from Delacroix’s famous painting ‘Liberty Leading the People’. Once again Prokofiev’s influence seems to be a hard one for Antheil to shake off, though in the central movement hints of Strauss & Mahler also occur. There are though enough jazzy passages and hints of Americana to identify the nationality of the composer. The work is fairly effective but ultimately rather unmemorable.

Arnell’s 4th Symphony is in 3 movements and just under 30 minutes long. It is for me his best symphony to date. The symphony opens quite strikingly on the Timpani and the 1st movement’s slow opening gives way to a dark movement of grit and determination. The central movement is expressive and moving and is by far Arnell’s finest slow movement to date. The finale is a fair bit shorter than the other 2 movements, and its punchy dramatic energy has a distinctly American feel to it.

Havergal Brian’s 6th Symphony comes after a symphonic gap of 10 years. The 6th was originally intended as a symphonic prelude to a projected opera on ‘Deidre of the Sorrows’ which fell through. The symphony plays continuously and is about 20 minutes in length. The music flows more naturally than is often the case with Brian and the orchestration is quite colourful and very effective. Slow music predominates, and the ideas have plenty of atmosphere and some distinction, which helps make this one of the more approachable Brian symphonies.

Brian’s 7th Symphony was initially inspired by the architecture of Strasbourg Cathedral and is for me one of his finest works. It is fairly substantial’ lasting around 40 minutes and in 4 movements. Brian reverses common symphonic procedure by starting brightly and ending in a more sombre mood. Each of the movements is highly satisfactory and like the 6th there is a natural forward inevitability. The 3rd movement is particularly fine and contains some evocative and haunting music.

Henry Cowell’s 5th Symphony is similar in design to his 4th, but about 10 minutes longer. It has the same folksy approachability of the engaging 4th but lacks that symphony’s last ounce of charm and memorability.

Johann Nepomuk David’s 4th Symphony is a 3 movement work of around 30 minutes duration. It is quite a demanding score to listen to. The music is underlyingly tonal, however there is a fair degree of dissonant harmony and rather thick and heavy textures. The overscoring and generally unrelieved density of the score make this a tough listen, though one cannot deny the dark drama and power of the work.

Heino Eller’s 2nd Symphony only exists as a one movement torso, and I’m unsure why he didn’t finish the work. Elller was Estonia’s leading composition teacher of the time. The symphony as it stands is attractive, tonal and with distinct ideas and maintains a strong forward momentum and shows some occasional similarities to the work of his pupil Tubin.

Morton Gould’s 3rd Symphony is a substantial 40 minute long work and IMO the finest of his symphonies. The 1st movement is very intense and quite gritty, the 2nd movement introspective and sparse with a slightly bluesy feel to it in places. The scherzo is aptly marked ‘with sardonic humour’ and is a real ‘tour de force’. Gould withdrew his original finale and wrote a new one at the request of Mitropoulos, however the Albany recording restores the original movement. This movement has genuine nobility and makes an effective conclusion, the influence of Harris is readily apparent here.

Laszlo Lajtha came to the UK in 1947/8 and he had been invited to compose the film score for ‘Murder in the Cathedral’. Instead of composing a specific score he wrote four works, one of which was his 3rd Symphony, parts of all these works were the used in the film. The symphony is an impressive two movement work of dark intensity. The occasional influence of his compatriot Bartok is apparent, but Lajtha is still very much his own man. The sheer intensity of the 1st movement in particular is quite striking. The symphony is well worth seeking out, as is Lajtha’s music generally.

Langgaard’s 13th Symphony ‘Undertro’ or ‘a belief in wonders’ is a one movement work of around 30 minutes duration. It is composed in Langgaard’s familiar late romantic manner. The writing is broader and more expansive than in some of his symphonies. The ideas are pleasant but not particularly interesting.

Langgaard’s 14th Symphony ‘Morning’ is in 7 short movements and uses a choir in some of the movements. The symphony appears to be a portrait of morning from a childlike perspective and even includes a movement entitled ‘Father is dashing off to the office’! The language is the composer’s usual eclectic mix of everything from Gade and Verdi, to Wagner, Grieg & Schumann, and could easily have been composed stylistically 60 years earlier.

Malipiero’s 7th Symphony is a 4 movement work that is generally approachable. The 1st and 3rd movements are in a quicker tempo, the 2nd & 4th slow. The 1st movement is slightly terse and has some of the angularity that Malipiero had introduced in to his music since the 5th Symphony. The 2nd & 4th movements are more expressive and show more of the ‘delle canzone’ qualities of the symphony’s subtitle. Indeed, the finale builds to a strong and sonorous conclusion.

Peter Mennin’s 4th Symphony is scored for chorus & orchestra and sets a text by the composer himself. This is a typical Mennin work of the period, sombre and serious in purpose. Mennin’s style is now fully evolved and very personal, with predominately polyphonic textures, with frequent use of ostinati, canonic and imitative devices and characteristic use of the dark locrian mode. The symphony makes quite an impact in its dark dramatic language.

Messiaen’s Turangalila Symphony needs little introduction from me, as I expect it will be familiar to most MBs. Like it or not, it is a truly astonishing work, with a sound world unlike anything else of the time. I was actually following the score for the 1st time when listening to it the other night, and Messiaen’s procedures in a work that can sound so complex, are actually relatively easy to follow. I wonder if there is a more demanding part for wood block in the orchestral repertoire! The 6th movement ‘Jardin du sommeil d’amour’, must be one of the most sensuously hypnotic movements ever written.

Miaskovsky's 26th Symphony was composed in the wake of the infamous Zhdanov speech, when the already ill composer was among several others singled out for censure. The symphony is very straightforward and uses various Russian folk idioms as the sources of inspiration. Ultimately this is among the composer's least interesting works.

The 5th Symphony of the Slovak, Alexander Moyzes is generally a lighter work than its predecessors. The writing is generally appealing and approachable, especially in the scherzo. Ultimately I personally found this the least interesting of Moyzes’ symphonies so far.

Panufnik had written two symphonies prior to his 1st, both of which were destroyed during the Warsaw Uprising. The official 1st ‘Sinfonia Rustica’ is an entertaining and aptly bucolic score with its sometimes rough, pungent, earthy writing, spiced with dissonance and bitonality. The composer’s distinctive manner is already established and this is a work we should here more often. Let us hope that his centenary in 2014, will result in more than the current pitifully few broadcasts or performances of his music that currently occur in this country.

Edmund Rubbra’s 5th Symphony is a particularly fine work. The 1st movement has a wonderful sense of inevitability and pacing as it unfolds, the mark of a true symphonist. The delightful 2nd movement has one of those ideas that sticks in the memory. The 3rd movement has an almost improvisational quality to it, whilst the finale, which follows without a break, is propelled along by an instant perky idea. Rubbra has a surprise though as the symphony ends quietly but with a sense of affirmation and inevitability.

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[Suffolkcoastal]

1948

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The 6th Symphony is one of William Schuman’s finest works. It is in one movement of about 30 minutes duration, and in six interconnected sections. Schuman has now arrived at his mature style. The language of this symphony is much tougher than that of his previous symphonies, with more complex and often dense harmonies, but with the same power and drama inherent in his 3rd Symphony. The symphony unfolds slowly but always with a sense of purpose, to create a symphony that is truly absorbing, disturbing and haunting in its dark dramatic power. A challenging but recommendable work.

Vladimir Shcherbachov’s 5th Symphony is a four movement work of about 45 minutes duration. The 1st movement is rather appealing in its gentle quiet pastoral manner. The 2nd and 3rd movements are also slow and the lack of contrast and any drama makes them rather tedious. Only the finale has any really fast movement and in its rather contrived optimism, is rather typical of Soviet symphonies of the time.

Ellie Siegmeister’s 2nd Symphony is a rather uneven work. The 1st movement lacks any really engaging ideas, the rather cryptic and jazzy 2nd movement is more interesting and the slow movement has a noble eloquence that is quite moving. The finale though is of rather less interest.

The Croatian, Stepjan Sulek’s 3rd Symphony is a slightly more interesting work than its two predecessors. In three movements the work is tonal and straightforward. The 1st movement is rather restless with a rather romantic main idea. The scherzo comes 2nd but is rather uneventful. The finale a larghetto, is of greater interest. A slightly melancholic movement of quiet unease, it ends the symphony on a questioning hesitant note.

Howard Swanson’s Short Symphony is aptly named, as it is under 15 minutes long and in three connected movements. Basically neo-classical in style it is a fairly attractive if rather anonymous little work.

Alexander Tansman’s 8th Symphony, is a highly engaging and enjoyable work. In 4 movements and a little over 20 minutes in length, the music is neo-classical in manner with an American touch in its sometimes jazzy rhythms and harmony and in the haunting elegiac slow movement in particular, rather Stravinskyian. The orchestration is transparent and aptly suits the thematic ideas. The 3rd movement is particularly catchy and many MBs would I think enjoy this work. I cannot understand why we don’t hear more of Tansman’s music.

Vainberg/Weinberg’s Sinfonietta No 1 is a 20 minute long work in which his Jewish heritage is distinctly to the fore. All of the ideas have a distinctive Eastern European Jewish feel to them and the work is thoroughly engaging and enjoyable. Bartokian and Shostakovich like touches abound, and this work I believe could have greater popularity if heard more often. Sadly this works Jewish heritage almost cost the composer his life during Stalin’s last years and the infamous ‘Doctors Plot’.

John Veale’s 1st Symphony is a one movement work of about 15 minutes duration. This is an approachable work. The middle section seems to be influenced by the ‘pastoral’ section of Harris’s 3rd Symphony, but Veale lacks Harris’s distinctive personality.

Finally, Egon Wellesz’s 2nd Symphony. Though titled ‘The English’ it is not particularly English in sound, more a tribute and determination to produce an approachable work by the composer to his now adoptive home country. The work is indeed quite tonal and very approachable. The 1st movement contrasts an unsettled, urgent idea with a more lyrical Mahlerian one. The scherzo has an almost Brucknerian propulsion about it. The slow movement is rather beautiful and song like and the most attractive movement. The finale is for me rather less successful as the three main ideas don’t really ‘gel’ successfully, though the movement contains some lively writing.

As usual any comments on any of the composers/works will be most welcome.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Thanks SC for a wonderful journey through the year. It would be so good to hear some more of these on the radio station that is supposed to be a flag carrier for classical music.
Meantime, referring back to Suffy's journey and youtube are a huge help.
Not quite sure what I will pick out this week to try. last weeks spin of Schuman 3 was brilliant, so any tips on where to start amongst this lot (apart from the Messiaen and Rubbra) would be welcome.
Thanks to Roehre also.

Many thanks for the further comments. Teamsaint, my recommendations from 1948 would be the Lajtha 3rd, Schuman 6th, Brian 7th (if you don't already know it), Tansman 8th and the Vainberg Sinfonietta No1.

[Suffolkcoastal]

More from the journey through my symphonic collection:

1949

Alwyn: Symphony No 1
Arnold: Symphony No 1
A Avshalomov: Symphony No 2 in E minor
Badings: Symphony No 5
Bentzon: Symphony No 4
Bergsma: Symphony No 1
Bernstein: Symphony No 2 ‘Age of Anxiety’ (rev 1965 vers)
Braga-Santos: Symphony No 3
Brian: Symphony No 8 in B flat minor
Britten: Spring Symphony
A Bush: Symphony No 2 ‘Nottingham’
Englund: Symphony No 2 ‘Blackbird’
Fricker: Symphony No 1
K A Hartmann: Symphony No 3
Henze: Symphony No 2
Hlobil: Symphony No 1
Ivanovs: Symphony No 6 ‘Latgalian’
Krenek; Symphony No 5
Langgaard: Symphony No 15 ‘Storm at Sea’
Lilburn: Symphony No 1
Miaskovsky: Symphony No 27 in C minor
Rochberg: Symphony No 1
Sauguet: Symphony No 2 ‘Allergorique/La Saisons’ (rev 1951 vers)
R Thompson: Symphony No 3 in A minor
Vainberg/Weinberg: Symphony No 3

William Alwyn’s 1st Symphony is a well crafted and approachable score in 4 movements and lasting under 40 minutes. Despite the excellent craftsmanship, the symphony ultimately lacks a distinct personality in the writing. The haunting 3rd movement comes off best, but the outer movements sometimes lack focus and could come from one of the composer’s many film scores.

With his 1st Symphony, Malcolm Arnold already shows his distinct individuality and the symphony couldn’t be composed by anyone else. The symphony displays the sparseness of texture, distinct orchestration and sudden mood changes typical of the composer. The terse, slightly angry 1st movement is impressive. The central slow movement seems to continually want to breakout in to a rich vein of lyricism, but never does so, its wistful melancholy held firmly in check. The finale is an unorthodox fugue, just when the music seems to be propelling itself to a conclusion, the subject is suddenly turns in to a comic march, before the symphony ends in a near Mahlerian apotheosis.

Aaron Avshalamov was born in Russia, after the revolution he lived briefly in the US before spending over 25 years in China, before Mao’s rise forced him to return to the US. His 2nd Symphony written for Koussevitsky, clearly reflects his time in China, with Chinese elements present throughout the work. Some of this borders on the pastiche and though the work is enjoyable in places, the excessive orientalism wears thin.

Henk Badings 5th Symphony is a fine work. The 1st movement seems to open up some vast but uneasy landscape and the 3rd movement is similarly evocative. The finale provides a strong optimistic conclusion to the work.

Bentzon’s 4th Symphony is a rather curious work. It is in 3 movements that play continuously. The ideas in the 1st movement seem strangely at odds with each other and they are gradually transformed as the work progresses. There is a certain awkward angularity to some of the writing and the symphony requires concentrated listening if it is readily to divulge its secrets.

The American William Bergsma’s 1st Symphony is an approachable and fairly attractive work, dominated by skilful contrapuntal writing. The idiom is rather typical of mainstream American works of the period, though Bergsma’s Symphony lacks that vital spark of individuality.

Leonard Bernstein’s 2nd Symphony is scored for concertante piano and orchestra and is structurally modelled on W H Auden’s poem ‘The Age of Anxiety’. I admit to long having a ‘soft spot’ for this enjoyable work. Basically the work is in two parts, each in three sections. The language is tonal, though in ‘The Dirge’ section in part two, extreme piled up dissonant harmonies are used. The variations in part one are very effective and continuous and the ‘Masque’ in part two scored for piano & percussion is infectiously jazzy. The conclusion was revised in 1965 when Bernstein added a cadenza for piano into the slightly Hollywoodesque apotheosis.

Joly Braga-Santos’s 3rd Symphony inhabits a similar sound world to his 1st Symphony. The style is tonal and neo-modal at times, which makes it sound slightly ‘English’ in places. The symphony opens slowly and atmospherically before the movement proper is launched with an idea that could almost be by Moeran! The romantic landscape that is the 2nd movement could almost come from a film score whilst the scherzo is slightly bucolic. The finale has some propulsive forward energy before its rather hymn like coda.

Havergal Brian’s 8th Symphony is in one movement lasting around 25 minutes. The symphony maintains a steady, slow but instant pace throughout, like some vast processional and there is a sense of inevitability that is maintained throughout.. The scoring lacks the distinction of his 6th & 7th symphonies, but is effective enough in creating a sound world that is highly individual.

For me the Jury is still out on Britten’s Spring Symphony. Personally I don’t think his invention as it its very best in this work. The vocal numbers for the soloists come off best, and contain Britten’s usual imaginative writing. It isn’t a work that makes me want to go t regularly, which I think for me is its major drawback.

Alan Bush’s 2nd Symphony is a conventional but pleasant score. The first two movements have a near impressionistic feel at times, though the finale is thoroughly English in feel. Nothing special, but enjoyable all the same.

Einar Englund’s 2nd Symphony is certainly worth investigating and is a very fine score. The title ‘Blackbird’ comes from its characteristic bird like writing for woodwind solo. The symphony is primarily based on a contrast between the nature like music dominated by woodwind solos and the more brutal, almost militaristic music that seeks to dominate. Englund controls the tension and structure impressively to create a gripping score. Thoroughly recommended.

Peter Racine Fricker is among those countless British composers of the period that have fallen in to obscurity. His 1st Symphony is a powerful and imposing score, deadly serious in purpose. This 4 movement score lasts a little over 30 minutes. The language is basically tonal and the symphony makes a striking impression and is worth investigating.

Like several of his other symphonies, Hartmann’s 3rd Symphony is a reworking of movements from earlier works, in this case both symphonic. The resultant two movement score is powerful and very serious in expression. It opens with a Double Bass solo and other solo strings enter, then the full string ensemble and the full orchestra., this 1st movement is contrapuntal/fugal in texture and builds to a powerful conclusion. The 2nd movement is arch shaped, beginning with a funeral march like idea that builds to a powerful climax before ending in an atmosphere of dark unease.

Like the Hartmann, Henze’s 2nd Symphony is a dark and rather pessimistic score. In three movements, the 1st begins with sparse mysterious textures before building to a powerful climax. The central movement is aggressive with an almost manic intensity. The final movement is predominately slow and the string writing is very intense and there is a real sense of resignation and despair. The movement ends with a powerful crunching climax. Henze’s language is imaginative and still basically tonal, though tonality is certainly stretched.

Emil Hlobil was one of the leading post-war Czech composition teachers. His 1st Symphony is in 4 movements and lasts a little over 30 minutes. Hlobil’s language is traditional and very tonal. The first two movements maintain a continual momentum and have some occasional quirky Janacek like touches. The slow movement is quite pleasant and has some depth. The scampering finale though is weak and sounds rather like typical Soviet finales of the time.

Janis Ivanov’s 6th Symphony is attractive and like all his symphonies to date, highly atmospheric and picturesque. There is a romantic warmth to the writing which nevertheless has some individuality, even if ultimately the symphony lacks real memorability.

Krenek’s 5th Symphony is a tough spiky atonal work scored with precision. The overall result though is slightly anonymous and for me slightly unconvincing.

Langgaard’s 15th Symphony is another eccentric work from the Danish composer. In one movement lasting under 15 minutes, this is more a symphonic poem. The first section is stormy in a rather late romantic manner, whilst the central section lapses in to tame mid 19th century pastiche. When the stormy section returns a chorus and solo baritone are added.

Douglas Lilburn’s 1st Symphony is an atmospheric 3 movement work. Sibelius is a strong influence, especially in the central movement. The 1st movement has breadth and a powerful brooding expression. The finale is slightly lighter and provides and effective conclusion. Lilburn handles the orchestra in a competent manner and his distinctive scoring for brass being particularly of note.

The 27th was Miaskovsky’s final symphony. The language remains traditionally tonal but is distinctly his own. The symphony is a finally crafted work. The strong 1st movement contains one his most memorable lyrical ideas. The central movement is poignant and moving in its resigned melancholy. The finale is more optimistic and conventional, but successfully concludes his symphonic output on a defiantly optimistic note.

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[Suffolkcoastal]

1949

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Rochberg’s 1st Symphony is an astonishing work. It lasts around 65 minutes and is in 5 movements. The language is basically routed in tonality, but that tonality is taken to the limits. The writing at times has an element of ‘Rite of Spring’ like neo-primativism, in its pounding rhythms, energy and brutality. At other times there is an eerie dreamlike quality and moments of sudden savage exultation. The work’s main drawback is its length coupled with the maintained intensity, which gives the listener little relief. However this is a work that should be heard for its sheer impact.

Sauguet’s 2nd Symphony is a large work of Mahlerian length lasting nearly 90 minutes and in five sections. The work is more of a hybrid oratorio/ballet/symphony and employs a chorus. The work was originally choreographed and used natural sounds of nature. These natural sounds were replaced by percussion in the revised version. The symphony is largely slow, and contains some beautiful and atmospheric music. The main drawback is lack of contrast, there is little in the way of more lively music and the predominately slow writing doesn’t contain a great deal in the way of contrast either, resulting in a rather soporific score.

Randall Thompson’s 3rd Symphony lacks the instant appeal and memorability of his delightful 2nd from 18 years earlier. The symphony is a conventional work in 4 movements. The 1st is broad and in sonata form, the 2nd a livelier Rondo. The slow 3rd movement has a noble main idea and comes close to the world of Vaughan Williams. The short finale is light but rather inconsequential.

Finally Vainberg/Weinberg’s 3rd Symphony. Generally this is a fine work. The 1st movement has a string main idea and maintains the breadth and momentum of a true symphonist. The 2nd movement is light and almost comical and sounds a little out of place. The expressive 3rd movement comes of well and the symphony is rounded off by a finale with plenty of action, but one which avoids the pitfalls of main lesser Soviet symphonic finales.

Well since I started in the 2nd week of January with the year 1800 this has been quite a journey. Another 62 years to go.

As usual any comments or questions on the works would be welcome.

[Suffolkcoastal]

More from the journey through my symphonic collection:

1950

Blomdahl: Symphony No 3 ‘Facetter’
Braga-Santos: Symphony No 4
Creston: Symphony No 3 ‘Three Mysteries’
Gardner: Symphony No 1 (revised version)
K A Hartmann: Symphony No 5 ‘Sinfonia Concertante’
Henze: Symphony No 3
Holmboe: Symphony No 7
Hovhaness: Symphony No 9 ‘St Vartan’ (revised version)
D Jones: Symphony No 2
Korngold: Symphony in F sharp
Malipiero: Sinfonia in un tempo
Mennin: Symphony No 5
A Merikanto: Symphony No 3
Moeran: Symphony No 2 in E flat (completed Yates)
Piston: Symphony No 4
Rawsthorne: Symphony No 1
Rorem: Symphony No 1
Truscott: Symphony in E Major
R Ward: Symphony No 3

Blomdahl’s 3rd Symphony is an imposing one movement work of real individuality. The musical language is much tougher than in his previous two symphonies but is still recognisably the work of the same composer. The symphony begins and ends with a rather forlorn flute solo, in between is absorbing music of disturbing power and clarity. Not an easy listening experience, but ultimately an absorbing one.

Joly Braga-Santos 4th Symphony is a 4 movement work of around 50 minutes duration. The symphony begins like nos 1 & 3 with a slow atmospheric introduction before embarking on an engaging 1st movement proper. The slow 2nd movement could be described as portraying a vast landscape with a processional element and like the 3rd symphony it is rather cinematic in sound. The scherzo is quite attractive with a distinctly British feel to it which occasionally reminded me of Moeran. The finale also begins slowly before embarking on in music which is lively and optimistic. The main idea though is rather commonplace and short on memorability and the finale soon become rather tiresome. A sudden surprise discord ushers in a coda that sounds a bit like a rather banal film score.

Each of the three movements of Paul Creston’s 3rd Symphony is inspired by the ‘three mysteries’ of the nativity, crucifixtion and resurrection. Gregorian chant provides the basis or inspiration of the thematic material. This is an appealing and moving work, Creston language is very approachable, with a masterly command of rhythm and counterpoint. This 3rd symphony like his 2nd is well worth getting to know.

John Gardner’s 1st Symphony was originally sketched out in 1946-7 and revised ready for a premiere at the 1951 Cheltenham Festival. This is a fine score. The 1st movement is rather dark and sombre, like some overcast landscape. The 2nd movement is lighter with an almost archaic pastoral touch at times. The 3rd movement returns to the sombre world of the 1st, with a rather wistful sadness, before reaching an intense climax and returning to a rather cool introspection. The influence of Rubbra can be detected here. The finale begins in urgent fashion that drives the music forward through angry outbursts, before a dreamlike section prepares for a broad, defiant coda.

Hartmann’s 5th Symphony began life in 1932 as a Trumpet Concerto. The present work retains a concertante part for a solo trumpet. The higher strings are dropped from the orchestra to create a wind dominated sound which has a neo-classical feel to it. It is the lightest of the Hartmann symphonies.

Henze’s 3rd Symphony could almost be a ballet score as the music has a strong choreographic feel to it and the 3 movements are entitled ‘Invocation to Apollo’,’Dithyramb’ and ‘Conjurers Dance’. The 1st movement is shimmering and impressionistic with a more animated central section. The 2nd is notable for the variation of orchestral timbre. The finale has a Stravinskyian drive and bite to it, interrupted by two jazzy ‘breaks’. Henze’s language is distinctive and though adventurous, still retains an element of approachability.

Holmboe’s 7th Symphony is a tautly constructed score. Though nominally in one movement the symphony is divided into three sections and a coda with three intermezzi separating each of these. The score is haunting and has real inevitability that make it very absorbing.

Hovhaness 9th Symphony was written in preparation for the 1500 anniversary of the Armenian warrior saint. Though basically in one movement the symphony divides into multiple short sections that have ritualistic, prayer like and dances like elements mixed with Eastern/Armenian touches. Like many Hovhaness works it has a certain hypnotic feel to it that one either likes or dislikes.

Daniel Jones 2nd Symphony is a dynamically energetic work, very masculine and in 4 movements lasting a little over 40 minutes. One still feels that Jones is still to find a distinctive voice, but the symphony is an improvement on his 1st especially in clarity of purpose and orchestration. Generally rather serious in tone, this is a symphony of some substance that needs to be heard.

Korngold’s Symphony in F sharp is an exuberant and enjoyable score. It uses an idea from his film score to Elizabeth & Essex and stylistic aspects familiar from his film scores find their way in to the symphony. For me though it is not the equal of the teenage Sinfonietta of the composer’s early years. Still it is a work to be enjoyed and perhaps isn’t heard as often as it should be.

Malipiero stopped numbering his symphonies for a while after the 7th due to a superstition. The Sinfonia in un tempo is in one movement but which roughly divides into 4 sections. The work is rather austere and sombre and the clarity of idea and orchestration is readily apparent. Each of the first three sections introduce new material whilst the last section brings back music from the opening section. It is not the most readily enjoyable of the Malipiero symphonies but still a score of interest.

Peter Mennin’s powerful three movement 5th Symphony brings to a climax the first period of his symphonic writing. His distinctive use of Renaissance polyphony, motivic devices and the locrian mode are refined to produce a work of extreme concentration. The energy of the outer movements really is astonishing, the powerful and instant drive never slacking. The influence Vaughan Williams 4th Symphony can perhaps be detected in the hectic, frenetic counterpoint and anger in the music. The central movement provides an effective contrast with its slightly austere song like quality.

Moeran’s 2nd Symphony is a bit of a mystery. He was continually working on it for the last few years of his life and many friends of the composer are convinced that a complete score did or does exist somewhere. Following his tragic death only sketches were found and eventually deposited in Melbourne Australia. The symphony appears to have been designed in one movement but divided into 4 continuous sections. A fair amount of material survives for the first three but not the last. Martin Yates completion is speculative in the finale and perhaps not convincing. The rest of the score isn’t the equal of the G minor symphony but still contains some lovely ideas, especially the glorious 2nd subject in the first section and much of the extremely beautiful 3rd movement. Whatever one may say about the completion Martin Yates is able to adapt to Moeran’s style very successfully.

A Merikanto’s 3rd Symphony is a shortish work. The outer sections have a gentle slightly wistful lightness of touch which is quite appealing, this also true of the central section which seems to have a sense of slightly regretted acceptance.

The 4th Symphony is one of Walter Piston’s most satisfying works. The 4 movements are well contrasted beautifully crafted and this symphony deserves to be in the regular repertoire. The 1st movement has an air of calm, relaxed elegance. The scherzo is entertaining and witty with its excursions into popular waltz style and a barn dance. The 3rd movement is a most beautiful and moving movement of great eloquence. The finale is one of Piston’s most successful providing just the right amount of confidence and optimism. Thoroughly recommended.

Alan Rawsthorne’s 1st Symphony is a highly confident almost brash four movement work, lasting a little over 20 minutes. The first two movements have a sureness of purpose and show Rawsthorne’s recognisable individual style well, indeed the slow 2nd movement is austerely beautiful. I personally find the last two movements less concentrated and successful, but still this is a fine work.

Ned Rorem’s 1st Symphony is also in 4 movements and about 20 minutes in duration. This is a gently lyrical and relaxed work that succeeds in its limited and modest aims. The highlights of the work are the pastoral intermezzo that is the 2nd movement and the beautiful lyrical 3rd movement with its distinct refined Gallic touch and effective orchestration. The finale is joyously infectious and even includes a Moroccan wedding tune!

Harold Truscott is far better known as one the most perceptive writers on music in the UK of his time and as a teacher. His Symphony is a fairly conventional 3 movement work though the 3rd movement is equal to the other two combined in duration. The 1st movement has a somewhat restless feel to it whilst the 2nd has a surprising Mahlerian sardonic wit to it. The finale is a long slow processional, but a movement that struggles to hold one’s attention.

Finally Robert Ward’s 3rd Symphony. This is a pleasant and tuneful three movement work of about 20 minutes duration. Nothing special, but nicely written and appealing, the sort of work that would be ideal morning listening on R3.

As usual any comments or thoughts on any of these works would be welcome.

[Suffolkcoastal]

Thanks to SC for another great account of his journey. Lots there to tempt one into a listen, and I'll certainly be picking out a few to have a good listen to. Like EdgeleyRob, time seems to be a problem for me in investigating these works. !!
(Great work on the typing Suffy......its tough work on that much material).

Many thanks teamsaint and ER. My recommendations from the 1950 list to try would be the Blomdahl, Creston, Henze, Holmboe, Mennin & Piston and possibly the Ward or Rorem for a more relaxing work.

[Suffolkcoastal]

More from the journey through my symphonic collection:

1951

Brian: Symphony No 9 in A minor
Creston: Symphony No 4
Dello Joio: The Triumph of St Joan Symphony
Dutilleux: Symphony No 1
Fricker: Symphony No 2
I Hamilton: Symphony No 2
Hindemith: Symphony in B flat for Concert Band
Hindemith: Symphony ‘Die Harmonie der Welt’
Honegger: Symphony No 5 ‘di tre re’
D Jones: Symphony No 3
Lajtha: Symphony No 4 ‘Spring’
Langgaard: Symphony No 16 ‘Deluge of Sun’
Lilburn: Symphony No 2
Malipiero: Sinfonia dello zodiaco
Moyzes: Symphony No 6 in E major
Persichetti: Symphony No 4
Pettersson: Symphony No 1 (performing edition C Lindberg)
Rosenberg: Symphony No 6 ‘Sinfonia Semplice’
Shebalin: Sinfonietta on Russian Folk Themes
Szabelski: Symphony No 3
A Tcherepnin: Symphony No 2 in E flat major
Wellesz: Symphony No 3
B A Zimmermann: Symphony in One Movement (revised 1953 version)

Brian’s 9th Symphony is in three movements that play continuously. The symphony opens in a rather gruff and humourless mood and continues in a somewhat awkward but ultimately satisfying fashion. The central movement has some interesting and luminous harmonic touches that sound like no other composer, whilst the finale strives forth confidentally with a no nonsense confidence ending the work in a peel of bells.

Paul Creston’s 4th Symphony is the lightest and most classically conceived of the composer’s 6 symphonies. The outer movements are infectiously rhythmic and enjoyable. The pastoral 2nd movement with its more animated central section is the most instantly attractive movement, whilst the scherzo has plenty of lively wit and clean athletic scoring. A delightfully balanced and unassuming work.

Dello Joio’s Triumph of St Joan symphony is based on music from the 1st version of the composer’s opera of the same name. Its three movements are entitled; ‘The Maid’, ‘The Warrior’ and ‘The Saint’. Like his fellow US composer of Italian ancestry Creston, Dello Joio is particularly fond of Gregorian Chant, and uses it for some of the themes in the symphony/opera. The 1st movement has a basically pastoral feel , the 2nd predictably animated whilst the finale has a sense of lyrical, calm, acceptance.

Henri Dutilleux’s 1st Symphony is an individual and rewarding symphony. The symphony seems to take elements from French Impressionism and Roussel and subject them to even greater concentration and refinement. The 1st movement is a passacaglia that begins quietly and reaches a final climax. The fast shifting and shadowy 2nd movement maintains a continual momentum. There is also a continual momentum but a slow tempo , in the 3rd movement which creates a ritualistic atmosphere. The finale is in variation form and is again a movement of great interest which in teh final pages resolves to a peaceful and gentle conclusion.

Peter Racine Fricker’s 2nd Symphony was commissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic as part of the Festival of Britain. In three movements, it is a terse and dynamic work. The shifting rhythmic patterns of the 1st movement generate an uneasy tension and searching feel to the music. The central movement has a dark almost pleading intensity. The finale is more extrovert, with a sense of defiant determination. Not an easy symphony to come to terms with initially.

Iain Hamilton’s 2nd Symphony is one of many fine British symphonies of the period. It is in 4 movements lasting a little over 30 minutes. The 1st movement is a rather dark processional, grim and determined. The 2nd movement has plenty of rhythmic exuberance and both it and the 3rd movement have a slightly American feel to them. The finale is powerful with a punchy aggression.

The American Concert Band was a medium that began to attract a range of composers from the 1940’s onwards. As one might expect Hindemith’s Symphony for Concert Band is an expertly composed and rather engaging work and is well written for the medium. There are plenty of opportunities for the composer to show off his legendary contrapuntal techniques. Some of the material is perhaps not that memorable and there is some overscoring, but otherwise this work is pretty enjoyable.

Hindemith’s Symphonie ‘Die Harmonie der Welt, like Mathis der Maler has its origin in material intended for, at that time, an unfinished opera, in fact in this case the opera was only at a very early stage of its conception. It is Hindemith’s longest Symphony and is a fine and satisfying work, with particularly noteworthy scoring for Brass. The central movement is the memorable and has a haunting expressive quality to it.

Honegger’s 5th Symphony rounds off his impressive symphonic canon. Written in the shadow of the onset of the composer’s protracted final illness, it is a dark, powerful and moving work. The symphony opens blocks of dissonant chords and the movement is oppressive with little hint of optimism. The central scherzo has a slow central section, the scherzo element is full of dark humour whilst the central section has some of the oppressive gloom of the 1st movement. The finale is very agitated but peters out to conclude both the symphony and the composer’s symphonic cycle in a strangely inconclusive manner.

Daniel Jones 3rd Symphony is somewhat shorter than its two predecessors and is in 3 movements lasting around 30 minutes. The 1st movement is sombre and unsettling, whilst the 2nd seems on occasion to almost approach the Celtic world of Bax in its dreamlike atmosphere. The finale is a movement of great determination that seems to struggle in its search for an affirmative conclusion.

Laszlo Lajtha’s 4th Symphony ‘Spring’ is the most lyrical and immediately appealing of his 9 symphonies. Hungarian folk elements are hinted at in places and the inevitable influence of his great compatriot Bartok can be heard, but as commented on before, Lajtha maintains a distinct sound world of his own. The 1st movement is scurrying and animated, whilst the very lyrical 2nd has a distinctly pastoral feel. The finale is dance like. Overall the work is one that I would expect many listeners would thoroughly enjoy, if given the opportunity to hear it.

Langgaard 16th and last symphony is a 5 movement work lasting a little over 20 minutes. Here the composer continues to cling stubbornly to his late-romantic idiom, with strong overtones of Strauss and Wagner. The scoring here is aptly brighter and more transparent than is often the case with this composer. Though like many of his symphonies it is rather unmemorable.

Douglas Lilburn’s 2nd Symphony is one of my favourite symphonies. As in his 1st symphony the influence of Sibelius and his teacher Vaughan Williams can readily be heard, however the language in this symphony is somewhat more personal. The symphony is a 30 minute long landscape portrait of his New Zealand homeland. The 1st movement has an expansive Sibelian grandeur. The 2nd movement has a distinct antipodean twang to rhythm and melody. The 3rd movement seems to portray a mountainous landscape with distant dark clouds, the gloom is suddenly lifted in the broad confident finale. No masterpiece, but a very satisfying and picturesque score.

Malipiero’s Sinfonia dello zodiac is in four parts each divided in to three sections, which thereby mirrors both the four seasons and the twelve zodiacal signs. The work is Malipiero’s longest symphony at over 40 minutes. It isn’t however among his best works, as the invention is rather dry and even the sections that evoke the world of his 3rd & 4th symphonies lack the charm and memorability of these works.

Alexander Moyzes 6th Symphony is a rather engaging work. The symphony opens with a slightly Italianate introduction, which reminds one of Respighi and Malipiero, which is followed by a light but animated main 1st movement. The 2nd movement is particularly fine with slightly impressionistic and sensuous outer sections surrounding a slightly more animated central section. The 3rd movement is basically a light and pleasing intermezzo. The finale has plenty of propulsive energy before a return to the world of the 2nd movement, followed by a energetic close ends this attractive work in good humour.

Vincent Persichetti’s 4th Symphony is a generally good humoured work. A somewhat serious introduction gives way to a bright propulsive 1st movement. There is a slightly humorous ungainly air about the slow 2nd movement, before an infectious and engaging scherzo. The finale is a scampering and entertaining movement that closes this unpretentious symphony in an affirmative manner.

Alan Pettersson did not complete his 1st Symphony and a performing edition was made by Christian Lindberg. As it stands this 30 minute long one movement work is a dark and uneasy score, that seems to inhabit a dreamlike world that is already quite disturbing. There isn’t enough contrast here though to really hold one’s attention.

Hilding Rosenberg’s 6th Symphony is a rather enigmatic score but satisfying score. About 25 minutes long, it begins with a substantial restrained and slightly uneasy poco adagio. There is a distinct uneasiness about the mood of the whole work, a sense that stays with the listener after the work has concluded. Rosenberg’s writing is still basically tonal but very individual, recognisably Scandinavian but very personal.

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[Suffolkcoastal]

1951

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Shebalin’s Sinfonietta on Russian Folk Themes is a pleasant, nicely written work of about 17 minutes duration. The work is generally relaxed and well contrasted with plenty of rhythmic sparkle and is among the more appealing works of this type produced by Soviet composers.

Boleslaw Szabelski is probably best known for being the teacher of Gorecki and he was one of the leading post-war Polish teachers and an important figure in Polish music of the time. His 3rd Symphony is a 40 minute long work and is rather dark and introspective throughout most of its length, only the more optimistic and affirmative and firmly tonal coda lifts the darkness. The language is quite harsh at times, but underlyingly tonal and the symphony is well written and consistent in aim. It is certainly worth a listen.

Alexander Tcherepnin’s 2nd Symphony is a pleasant and rather attractive work, with engaging ideas. The composer’s Russian background is evident and the finale has some rather Petrushka like touches. The composer’s time in the US can also be felt in the jazzy and engaging scherzo.

Egon Wellesz never heard his 3rd Symphony in performance and the work remained unperformed until 2002. It is quite an imposing work, still tonal and showing Wellesz’s mastery of counterpoint. Overall the symphony reminds me of a 20th century Bruckner (though at 35 minutes it is shorter than Bruckner’s symphonies) in its distinctive chorale like passages for the brass and its lofty almost spiritual grandeur. The symphony is well crafted and very satisfactory.

Finally Bernd Alois Zimmermann’s Symphony in One Movement. This work was revised in 1953 and is a concentrated piece lasting about 15 minutes. The language is rather uncompromising but at the same time totally absorbing and the symphony makes a highly satisfying and distinctly powerful statement.

As usual any comments on any of the symphonies are most welcome.

[Suffolkcoastal]

More from the journey through my symphonic collection:

1952

Alfven: Symphony No 5 in A minor
Bacewicz: Symphony No 3
Butting: Symphony No 8 ‘Die Urlaubreise’
Cipra: Symphony No 2
Cowell: Symphony No 7
Freitas-Branco: Symphony No 4
M Gould: Symphony No 4 ‘West Point Symphony’
R Harris: Symphony for Band ‘West Point’
R Harris: Symphony No 7 (final revised version 1955)
Holmboe: Symphony No 8 ‘Sinfonia Boreale’
Lajtha: Symphony No 5
Poot: Symphony No 3
Prokofiev: Symphony No 7 in C sharp minor
Tansman: Sinfonia Piccola
A Tcherepnin: Symphony No 3 in F sharp major
Vaughan Wiliiams: Symphony No 7 ‘Sinfonia Antarctica’
Wiren: Symphony No 4

Began in 1942 and completed 10 years later by the 80 year old composer, Alfven’s 5th Symphony was completed over 30 years after its predecessor and was amongst the composer’s final works. It retains the composer’s late-romantic idiom, is in 4 movements and lasts somewhat over 50 minutes. The long outer movements in particular suffer from being rather diffuse, though there is still some pleasantly attractive romantic writing and overall the symphony lacks some of the sparkle that characterised his earlier symphonies.

Grazyna Bacewicz was Poland’s leading woman composer and amongst the finest women composers of the 20th century. Her 3rd Symphony is a distinctive work of some depth. It is in 4 movements and lasts around 30 minutes. The 1st movement is agile, athletic and assertive. The 2nd movement is a rather haunting is slightly austere movement of an understated wistful sadness. The slightly sardonic humour of the 3rd movement is followed by a finale that begins in a menacing fashion, before become more confident. A work of some distinction and certainly worth exploring.

Max Butting’s 8th Symphony is a fairly lightweight and easy going work, approachable and fairly enjoyable, but ultimately rather unmemorable.

The Croatian Milo Cipra’s 2nd Symphony is a rather tame work. The somewhat neo-classical 1st movement momentarily reminds one of the 3rd movement of Shostakovich 8 and the slow movement has a touch of Respighi about it. The rest of the movement chugs along in rather unmemorable fashion.

Henry Cowell’s 7th Symphony continues the gentle folksy idiom favoured by Cowell in many of his post 1945 works. The work is quite charming and akin to the 4th & 5th Symphonies, but with somewhat more quirky touches in harmony and orchestration.

The Portugese composer Luis de Freitas-Branco’s 4th Symphony is a substantial 4 movement work lasting a little over 40 minutes, and composed in a basically late-romantic manner. Gregorian chant provides the inspiration for many ideas in the work. Overall it is quite an attractive work and I find it slightly superior to the earlier symphonies of his disciple Braga-Santos. The first three movements show solid craftsmanship and command of symphonic ebb and flow, even if the ideas don’t quite have the highest distinction, though they are quite appealing at times. The long finale though is rather weak and struggles to maintain interest.

Morton Gould’s 4th Symphony (West Point) is one of the most popular works in the American Concert Band repertoire. It is in two movements ‘Epitaphs’ and ‘Marches’ and lasts under 20 minutes. The work is light, engaging and entertaining and even has a part for the marching of feet.

In the same year Roy Harris also composed his West Point Symphony for concert band. The concert band medium was one that attracted Harris from the 1940’s and he wrote a number of works for the medium. The Symphony is in three movements that play continuously and last under 20 minutes. The 1st movement is martial and uses fragments from the composer’s 5th & 6th symphonies. The central movement’s main idea is loosely modelled on the folksong ‘He’s gone away’. The finale shares an idea with the 7th Symphony written at the same time, the idea and its treatment are more convincing in the 7th.

Roy Harris 7th Symphony is his symphonic masterpiece and one of the great American symphonies. A far richer and more fascinating work than the famous 3rd, it is also in one movement and of similar duration. The 7th consists of a passacaglia followed by variations in asymmetrical and symmetrical rhythm, before the passacaglia theme returns followed by a brief rhythmic coda. Harris’s highly distinctive harmonic pallet here reaches its apogee aided by rich orchestration and degree of almost neurotic tension between melody, harmony and counterpoint that is held in perfect control. The symphony was revised a number of times between 1952 and 1955. There is a recording by Stokowski that claims to be of the original version, but is in reality and intermediate version and the differences with the final version are not major.

The 8th is one of the finest of Holmboe’s 13 symphonies. In this symphony Holmboe has fully mastered his metamorphosis technique, which he had been developing in symphonies 5-7. The symphony is a gripping and intense score, the opening bass clarinet motif contains the material from which the whole symphony will derive. The 1st movement is agitated and intense, the 2nd flips between moments of exuberance and introspection. The 3rd movement is darkly brooding and introspective and very imposing. The impressive finale has a sense of grim struggle and defiance. The symphony maintains interest throughout and Holmboe’s style is highly distinctive. If you don’t know it, this symphony is a must!

Laszlo Lajtha’s 5th Symphony is in two movements lasting a little under 30 minutes and is a rather enigmatic work. The impassioned opening sounds for a brief moment like the opening of Vaughan Williams 6th. The whole movement is full of a somewhat suppressed exotic simmering passion. The 2nd is more urgent and dreamlike and just occasionally reminds me of Martinu. It is a work that needs repeated hearings I think to really appreciate.

The 3rd Symphony of the Belgian composer Marcel Poot is a three movement work lasting around 25 minutes. The outer movements are dominated by rhythmic energy which contrasts strongly with the almost plaintive lyrical lines, creating great tension. The central movement is a sort of dark introspective processional. Certainly worth a listen.

Prokofiev’s 7th Symphony is of course familiar to most MB’s so little comment needed. It was originally intended as a Symphony for Children but became more substantial as Prokofiev worked on it. A sense of gentle wistful nostalgia haunts the work, the composer already ill, did not have long to live. The sad melancholy of the 1st movement and waltz like 2nd movement could easily come from one of the composer’s later ballets. The lively finale has two endings, one in which the world of the 1st movement returns to end the work quietly and gently, the other in which the lively main theme returns briefly to end the work after the wistful return of the 1st movt material. I admit to being rather fond of this score.

Alexander Tansman’s Sinfonia Piccola is an engaging light work in 4 movements of about 18 minutes duration. Somewhat Stravinskyian at times with infectious jazzy rhythms, the work is unpretentious and simply enjoyable.

Alexander Tcherepnin’s 3rd Symphony is a four movement work of about 25 minutes duration. Some of the ideas in the work have an Eastern pentatonic basis, a result of the composer’s extensive study of Far-Eastern music in the 1930’s. The symphony itself is based around material from three of teh composer’s ballet scores of the 1940’s. The work is colourful and attractive though not particularly symphonic.

Vaughan Williams Sinfonia Antarctica must be among the finest of all works derived from a film score. The decision to ask RVW to compose the score for the film ‘Scott of the Antarctic’ must be among the most inspired decisions in all of film music. The film/story totally gripped the composer and in doing so resulted in RVW further developing his orchestral and harmonic pallete. The Symphony itself really is an imposing and inspired score and totally compelling. Perhaps the fact that RVW was 39 when at the time of Scott’s death, must have brought back memories of the world of 1912, a world that must have seemed an age away. Perhaps this may account for the sheer intensity of the writing in both the film and symphony.

Finally Dag Wiren’s 4th Symphony. This is a concentrated work in three movements lasting under 20 minutes. Like Holmboe, Wiren uses metamorphosis as his principal mode of symphonic development in this symphony. The shifting moods of the 1st movement make for a distinctly nervous feeling. The central movement is a short compact scherzo, fast and propulsive. The 3rd movement is somewhat darker with a powerful underlying tension and energy. The movement ends quietly an inconclusively. Certainly a symphony worth investigating.

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More from the journey through my symphonic collection:

1953

Adler: Symphony No 1
Alwyn: Symphony No 2
Arnold: Symphony No 2
Badings: Symphony No 6 ‘Psalm Symphony’
Chavez: Symphony No 4 ‘Sinfonia Romantica’
Cowell: Symphony No 8 ‘Choral’
Cowell: Symphony No 9
Cowell: Symphony No 10
Francaix: Symphony in G
Gerhard: Symphony No 1
K A Hartmann: Symphony No 6
Ivanovs: Symphony No 7 in C minor
Koch: Symphony No 4 ‘Sinfonia Seria’
Knipper: Sinfonietta No 1
Kurka: Symphony No 2
Martinu: Symphony No 6 ‘Fantasies Symphoniques’
Milhaud: Symphony No 5
R Palmer: Symphony No 1
Pettersson: Symphony No 2
Searle: Symphony No 1
Shostakovich: Symphony No 10 in E minor
Tuukkanen: Symphony No 3 ‘The Sea’
Wellesz: Symphony No 4 ‘Sinfonia Austricia’
Wordsworth: Symphony No 3

The 1st Symphony of the American Samuel Adler is an attractive tonal work, with a somewhat neo-classical manner. The influence of Hindemith, Piston and Stravinsky can be felt, but Adler is yet to evolve a distinctive style.

William Alwyn’s 2nd Symphony is a more satisfying work than his 1st Symphony. It is divided in to two parts and lasts about 30 minutes. The symphony is a strongly argued work that develops ideas heard at the outset. The symphony progresses confidentally in the first part. The 2nd part opens with a dynamic scherzo eventually reaching a broad lyric climax before dying away in a quiet and haunting coda.

Malcolm Arnold’s 2nd Symphony is a work of great interest with Arnold’s highly personal style fully on show. The opening movement is deliberately understated with a gentle lyricism. The scherzo that follows is a complete contrast, dominated by a spirit that is in turns, mischevious, terse and malevolent. The 3rd movement has a haunting main idea first announced on the solo bassoon, it only just holds in check a feeling of disquiet. In the rollicking finale one still feels an underlying sense of tension that is driving the music. The symphony ends with a brief triumphant coda.

Henk Badings 6th Symphony (Psalm Symphony) is scored for chorus and orchestra and lasts around 30 minutes. For the most part I find it a slightly stern work with rather dark sonorities. The finale is brighter and opens with an almost gamelan texture to end the work optimistically.

Carlos Chavez’s 4th Symphony is in three continuous movements lasting a little over 20 minutes. The first two movements are dominated by a certain refined austerity, with clean Renaissance like polyphonic lines. The 3rd movement is by far the longest and is more lively with a Stravinskyian bite to the orchestration and harmony. There is little trace of the Mexican nationalism of the popular 2nd Symphony here.

Three Henry Cowell symphonies date from this year and all three are 20-25 minutes in length. The 8th is scored for chorus & orchestra and opens with drums alone and what sounds like a Red Indian incantation, the symphony passes through jazz, Eastern and folk styles before ending in a choral fuguing tune. The symphony doesn’t really hold together and isn’t particularly memorable. Both the 9th & 10th Symphony are orchestral transcriptions of some of Cowell’s Hymn & Fuguing Tunes. They are fairly similar in manner, slight and stylistically fairly straightforward. The 10th is the marginally more enjoyable of the two.

Francaix’s Symphony in G is a charming light and classically balanced work. The invention is engaging and the work is not a note too long. The scoring is light and airy, matching the invention perfectly.

Roberto Gerhard’s 1st Symphony is an impressive score. In three movements and lasting a little under 40 minutes. Gerhard creates a strange fractured sound world that is totally fascinating. The 1st movement is athletic and swift moving, with wave like passages that expand and contract the intervals. The 2nd movement contrasts strongly, being almost static and emotionally cold and seems to inhabit some dark corner of the human mind. The 3rd movement is by far the longest, it begins fairly swiftly with angry outbursts, before a broadening of note values in the same tempo brings a return to the world of the 2nd movement. The scurrying opening returns and the music is now more shadowy, before the symphony dissolves into a quiet eerie ending on string harmonics. The scoring is totally fascinating and very imaginative. This work is a tough demanding listen, but in my opinion thoroughly worth it.

Karl Amadeus Hartmann’s 6th Symphony is a two movement work. Like his previous symphonies, this partly relies on sections from an earlier work, in this case the first movement is from the Symphony L’Oeuvre of 1938. This movement is broad with expressive lines that builds to a powerful central climax. The newly composed 2nd movement contrasts strongly is very polyphonic with fugal textures and an intense driving momentum that never slackens. This movement also contrasts in scoring as percussion is used to accentuate the polyphonic writing.

The 7th Symphony of Janis Ivanovs is in four movements and lasts around 35 minutes. This is generally a broad and tonal work in a romantic idiom. The 2nd subject of the 1st movement is rather appealing and the slow 3rd movement is quite moving. The symphony as a whole though is not particularly memorable.

Lev Knipper’s Sinfonietta No 1 is scored for string orchestra. The outer movements are rather dry and academic, but at least free from the folksy Socialist Realism style that Knipper often turned to. The centrally movement is rather dull thematically but some of the string writing just occasionally recalls Britten, which surprised me.

Erland von Koch was a Swedish composer, who died in 2009 just short of his 99th birthday. His 4th Symphony is a three movement work of around 20 minutes duration. The 1st movement is rather pensive and dark, the 2nd begins in a rather melancholic pastoral manner before becoming more rhythmic and lively. The finale is more purposeful, building to an apparent optimistic conclusion, before ebbing away to end the symphony quietly. The writing is tonal and quite approachable, not that individual, but it does have a certain nobility.

The American Robert Kurka died tragically young at the age of 35 from leukemia. His 2nd Symphony is a promising work in three movements lasting around 20 minutes. The first movement has a solid muscularity and confidence about its writing, whilst the 2nd is processional like and quite moving. The finale has plenty of vivacious energy and spirit and throws up a lyrical idea that in sound and scoring seems to sound distinctly like it could come from a John Williams film score!

Martinu’s 6th and final symphony (though a number of scholars and others including myself consider ‘The Parables’ to be a symphony in all but name), is amongst his most fascinating scores. At onetime Martinu considered calling it his ‘New Fantastic Symphony’ and he very briefly alludes to the Berlioz twice near the end of the finale. There are also allusions to his enigmatic opera Julietta and there is little doubt that there is an underlying programme at work. The symphony is dominated by shifting textures and emotions which, combined with Martinu’s individual orchestration, create a score of tremendous fascination, that is among the finest of the decade.

Milhaud’s 5th Symphony lasts around 30 minutes and is a classically balanced work. The outer movements are dominated by Milhaud’s recognisable clean, athletic neo classical writing and deft counterpoint. The scherzo is a rather charming miniature. The gem of the work is the slow movement which comes 2nd. It is, as the composer marks it, slow and tender, with some elegant and quite beautiful invention which builds to a central climax, before returning to the tender world of the opening.

Robert Palmer was among many long-lived American composers, dying in 2010 at the age of 95. His 1st Symphony is a competent and well argued work. The outer movements are dominated by a determined rhythmic urgency, whilst the central slow movement is notable for its refined, slightly austere gravity. Palmer language is tonal and approachable, distinctly American in feel but with a degree of distinctive individuality.

Pettersson’s 2nd Symphony is a one movement work lasting over 45 minutes, and is work that demands concentrated listening. Here Pettersson is establishing a very distinctive sound world that will dominate many of his other symphonies. Though there are some quicker sections, overall the symphony is in a broad tempo and inhabits a dark almost claustrophobic, dreamlike world, that despite some angry outbursts, the music never escapes from. I find that the ear does yearn for greater contrast, but there is no doubt that this symphony makes a startling and very individual statement.

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1953 continued from the above posting .....

Humphrey Searle’s 1st Symphony is a tough, demanding and uncompromising work. It lasts about 20 minutes and is in three movements. The material is based on an initial 12 note row. The 1st movement is aggressive with angry outbursts. The central slow movement is dark with a barely suppressed gloom and tension. The 3rd movement returns to the violent angry world of the 1st before fading away on to a single pedal note.

Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony will of course be familiar to most MBs and so I won’t dwell on it hear. Its emergence, 8 years after its predecessor and shortly after Stalin’s death are significant. The strength and pacing of this intensely moving work are masterly throughout and the joy at Stalin’s demise is barely contained in the finale.

The Finnish composer Kalervo Tuukkanen’s 3rd Symphony is scored for wordless soprano , tenor, chorus and orchestra. The work is romantic and quite atmospheric, but for the most part sounds like a rather anonymous film score.

Egon Wellesz’s 4th Symphony is a four movement work of around 27 minutes duration. The 1st movement opens moderato with a dogged striving idea that leads in to an almost Mahlerian main movement. The scherzo is short and energetic, whilst the 3rd movement recalls the late-romantic world of Mahler & Strauss. The finale begins with Wellesz showing off his command of polyphony and climaxes in a rich Mahlerian romantic idea, which surprisingly then returns the movement to the dogged idea from the opening of the 1st movement and short chord in the major to finish. Wellesz retains the tonal Austro-Germanic late romantic manner of his earlier symphonies here, though the tonality is often fairly free and fluid.

Finally William Wordsworth’s 3rd Symphony. This is a very powerful 3 movement work. The 1st movement is dominated by an athletic and terse polyphony of considerable ingenuity. The central movement seems is a dark and desolate movement that seems to come from the same world as the last movement of Vaughan Williams 6th Symphony. The finale is strident with a defiant no-nonsense feel and makes a strong conclusion. Wordsworth’s language though still rooted in tonality, is often harsh, but the Symphony is very impressive and worthwhile.

As usual any thoughts or comments on any of these works are most welcome.

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More from the journey through my symphonic collection:

1954

H Andriessen: Symphony No 4
Arnold: Sinfonietta No 1
Badings: Symphony No 7 ‘Lousiville’
Brian: Symphony No 10 in C minor
G Bush: Symphony No 1
Chavez: Symphony No 3
Chavez: Symphony No 5
Cowell: Symphony No 11 ‘Seven Rituals of Music’
Diamond: Symphony No 6
Enescu: Chamber Symphony
Furtwangler: Symphony No 3 in C sharp minor
Gram: Symphony No 3 in E minor
Hanson: Symphony No 5 ‘Sinfonia Sacra’
Holmboe: Sinfonia in Memoriam
D Jones: Symphony No 4 ‘In Memory of Dylan Thomas’
Persichetti: Symphony No 5 ‘Symphony for Strings’
Piston: Symphony No 5
Rota: Symphony No 3 in C major
Rubbra: Symphony No 6
R Simpson: Symphony No 1 (Actually composed in 1951!)
Skulte: Symphony No 1
Tubin: Symphony No 6

Andriessen’s 4th Symphony is a three movement work of about 25 minutes duration and is quite dynamic. A moderately paced, powerful and stern opening leads to a swift 1st movement proper. The central movement is slow and has the feeling of a dusk landscape in sound and is quite haunting. The finale begins in stormy fashion before a brief return to the world of the 2nd movement before returning to a powerful and stormy world. Andriessen’s language is tonal and approachable though distinctly of the 20th century.

Malcolm Arnold’s Sinfonietta No 1 is scored for pairs of oboes, horns and string orchestra. It is an entertaining little work lasting about 10 minutes, and its three movements are in turn, lyrical, eloquent and boisterous and balance each other perfectly.

Henk Badings 7th Symphony is an attractive work in four movements lasting about 23 minutes. The 1st movement has a slow introduction that leads to punchy and slightly Stravinskyian 1st movement proper. The short scherzo that follows has plenty of dance like energy. The slow movement which comes next is more dark in feeling with a type of grave austerity that haunts many slow movements in the mid 20th century. The finale lightens the mood and is the most immediately attractive movement, full of rhythmic dancing energy. This symphony is well worth investigating and is a good introduction to Badings symphonies.

Havergal Brian’s 10th Symphony is a compact little work in one continuous movement lasting only around 15 minutes. Though in one movement there are four distinct sections. The first a typical jagged Brian march that concludes by dissolving into an exceptionally beautiful and haunting still landscape. A short whirlwind of a scherzo section then interrupts before the calm third section with its solo violin. The finale also begins in march like fashion, though this march has a dogged determination, but even this dies away to leave the symphony ending quietly.

Geoffrey Bush’s 1st Symphony is a highly engaging 3 movement work of around 27 minutes duration. The 1st movement opens with a sombre molto moderato, before the movement proper gets underway. Unusually this movement is in ritornellos form with a distinctly Waltonian main idea. The slow movement was written first and is a tribute to one of the composer’s heroes Constant Lambert. There is a haunting bluesy quality to its main idea. The finale opens with a condensed version of the symphony’s opening before launching into an engaging movement full of high spirits, with a rather catchy main idea. This symphony is very enjoyable and well worth listening to.

Carlos Chavez completed two symphonies in 1954. The 3rd is his demanding symphony from a listening point of view. It is a 4 movement work lasting around 30 minutes. The 1st movement is more of an introduction and contains the material from which the whole work derives. There is an element of Mexican Native American music in some of the material, but this is used more harshly than in the popular 2nd Symphony. Much of the writing is angular and often rather quirky but at the same time rather absorbing.

Chavez’s 5th Symphony is scored for strings alone at is the most overtly neo-classical of Chavez’s symphonies and has something of the clean linear writing of Stravinsky’s Apollo about it. The slow movement ends in an unusual manner on string harmonics and the finale had some highly athletic string writing.
Henry Cowell’s 11th Symphony is in 7 short movements. The symphony utilises many aspects of Cowell’s style, from plain folksy writing to influences from Eastern music and actually comes off quite well making it one of the most rewarding of Cowell’s later scores.

David Diamond’s 6th Symphony comes 9 years after his previous two symphonies (nos 3 & 4), his 5th Symphony was not to be completed until 1964 (after his 8th). The world Diamond inhabits in his 6th Symphony is a far tougher one than in his earlier symphonies, though still recognisably the work of the same composer. The language is uncompromising and highly chromatic and makes for demanding listening. The central movement is particularly icy and austere.

Enescu’s Chamber Symphony is among his final works and is scored for 12 instruments. The work is very satisfying and has a lovely natural flow and uses the 12 instruments very effectively. The language is tonal but harmonically fluid. Well worth getting to know.

Furtwangler completed his 3rd Symphony just before his death the same year. It is a large sprawling four movement work of about 70 minutes duration. It is composed in the late romantic manner of Mahler, Bruckner & Strauss, although here and there Furtwangler adds a little harmonic spice. The symphony is mainly sombre in tone but with a more optimistic finale. The work though is far too long for its material and rather unmemorable, the slow movement in particular is rather tedious and dull.

The 3rd Symphony was one of the Danish composer Peder Gram’s last works and was composed nearly 30 years after its predecessor. The symphony is in three movements and tonal with modal and occasional folk like touches. The 1st movement is occasionally reminiscent of Sibelius and the finale is quite catchy and dance like.

Howard Hanson’s 5th Symphony is a compact little one movement work of about 15 minutes duration, and was inspired by the Christ’s crucifixtion and resurrection as narrated by St John. It is composed in the composer’s recognisable and very individual romantic manner. The work is very appealing and quite moving and makes a fair impression.

Holmboe composed no numbered symphonies between his 8th in 1952 and his 9th in 1968, though for a short time Holmboe did consider calling this Sinfonia in Memoriam his 9th Symphony but decided against it. The Sinfonia in Memoriam is a 3 movement work lasting a little under 30 minutes and it is a powerfully moving work. The 1st movement has an austerely sombre but determined manner about it. The central movement is fairly swift with Holmboe maintaining a continual momentum. The 3rd movement has a processional feel and gradually gains in optimism and reaches a sonorous conclusion.

The 4th Symphony is Daniel Jones’s most impressive symphony so far and one of his most approachable and satisfying works, it is in three movements lasting around 30 minutes. The 1st movement is marked by a highly expressive restlessness and searching. The 2nd movement is slightly unconventional in having a slightly humorous scherzo sections that surrounds a central theme & variations. The finale begins enigmatically on pizzicato strings and is a restless, striving and animated movement. The coda begins in anguish but then concludes enigmatically as at the opening of the movement in a questioning manner.

Vincent Persichetti’s 5th Symphony is scored for string orchestra and is a three movement work of about 20 minutes duration. It is a solidly crafted work and is among the composer’s best known compositions. It a tonal and approachable work, but lacks the dynamism and individuality of William Schuman’s Symphony for Strings (also his 5th Symphony) and here and there the influence of Schuman’s masterly composition can be felt in this work.

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