Symphony No.32 in A flat major - Havergal Brian
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ก.ย. 2024
- RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Adrian Leaper.
I - Allegretto: 0:02
II - Adagio: 5:39
III - Allegro ma non troppo: 11:20
IV - Allegro moderato: 15:42
Brian's Symphony No.32 was composed in 1968. He wrote it at the unusual age of 92, being his last work in the genre. It does not seem designed as a testament or summing-up, he had another four years to live, and the fact that he wrote no further works seems partly due to problems with his eyesight and to a final drying-up of inspiration. "It is the last I do believe", he wrote to a friend just after his 93rd birthday, "for I’ve had no thoughts of music since and have enjoyed and still enjoy silence". It was premiered in 28 January 1971, performed by the Kensington Symphony Orchestra conducted by Leslie Head.
Nevertheless, in the way it continues to explore Brian’s inner world and find new landscapes of the mind, and in its characteristic compound of dark, difficult thoughts and defiant affirmation, Symphony No.32 in the same key as the First Symphony of Brian’s lifelong hero Elgar, represents a satisfying termination of his creative output. This is a curious symphony, in four movements, almost classical in its formal design, and anything but in its actual working-out. Brian lived four more years after finishing his last symphony, but did not write any work. He retained his mental vigor and always seemed to be able to return to composition. He finally died on November 28, 1972 in Shoreham-by-Sea, as a result of a fall.
The first movement is written in sonata form with great freedom. The main theme is almost Brahmsian in spirit, using a complex counterpoint. The second theme is more lyrical, introduced with a solo from the flute over the harp. The development is very polyphonic, with the music rising in a climax in form of a short march. Then comes an inverted recapitulation, with the second featuring several solos from the woodwinds, with a characteristic violin solo. Follows the main theme, which leads to a climax. It ends with a calm coda.
The second movement is written in ternary form. It opens with a melodic theme introduced by the strings, which metamorphoses, develops and grows more complex and anxious. A funeral march appears, the last one written by Brian, that increases until its climax. It blends with the musical materials previously presented. The music transforms in a hopeful way, leading to a climax. After another one, the music stops, leading to a brief recapitulation of the initial main theme. It ends enigmatically, with no coda.
The third movement is a scherzo. It opens with a moderate, dance-like theme in a loping 6/8 metre. The development is light and festive, contrasting with the more serious tone of the previous movements. There is no trio, instead, in the central part there is a slightly orchestrated dance, alternating the strings with solos of the wood. Then reappears the scherzo theme with a new development. After a potent climax, a calm brief coda takes us to the end of the movement.
The fourth movement is written in a free sonata form. It begins with a lively and optimistic main theme, quickly followed by a more pompous second one, in the form of a march. The development is open-ended, continuously-evolving structure whose ceaseless flow of freely-developing polyphony has a vivacity altogether remarkable in a man of 92. Both main themes reappear continuously. A fanfare from the brass emerges from this contrapuntal sea, leading us to a noble coda in which the main tone is reaffirmed.
Picture: "Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps" (1812) by the British painter J. M. W. Turner.
Sources: bit.ly/3cxr7Ss and bit.ly/3Rb8uCu
Unfortunately the score is not freely available.
Many thanks for having collected all the symphonies of this almost unknown giant of composer, making them available for all listeners!
Thank you for uploading all of his Symphonies!
Thank you! This was a great journey full of great music!
finally made it! great musical journey
Extraordinarily acute sense of sonority-as an even more obscure symphonist I’m envious. The development of ideas and sonorities in the finale is remarkable, if I could perhaps do with more places to breathe and contemplate. I may well work my way through his entire symphonic output at some point (I haven’t heard my recordings of 1 or 3 for ages, so I may as well start at the beginning). Thank you for making this available.
Wonderful to be able to hear all the symphonies.
Such a wonderful symphonic journey!
Its done! Thanks again, this is such great music.
it was hard to find recordings of all the symphonies, but it was worth it
Sergio Cánovas Early October a new Naxos CD, containing symphonies 8, 21, and 26, will be released. Thus, all the Brian symphonies will be available on CD.
Thanks for the notice. I saw it in the prestoclassical website: www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Naxos/8573752#listen
It seems obvious to me that the Sixth and Seventh Symphonies of Sibelius had an enormous effect on Brian's formal procedures.
I read somewhere that the reason Brian wrote no further music in his last years was because a fall damaged his right hand, and the pain prevented him from holding a pen.
Another fascinating symphony by Brian, his last lacks the vigor, even ferocity, of some of his others, but is quite satisfying nonetheless. I couldn't help thinking that it sounds like a strange combination of Reger and Ives.
I can see the resemblace with Reger because of counterpoint, even if I whink Reger is in a completely different level, but I'm curious about why Ives. I mean, his music is very experimental most of the times, while Brian's music is mostly tonal and experiments more on structure than in harmony.
@@SergioCánovasCM You should listen to the third symphony by Ives and maybe you will see the link; I immediatly think of Ives too listening to the 31th symphony of Brian.
Brian's N°1 is the one I don't swallow easily, too long and choral