An illuminating journey through the rich landscape of English symphonic music, from the pre-Elgarian era to the innovative voices of the post-war period. Over eleven engaging sessions, Matthew Taylor will guide you through nearly three centuries of symphonic achievement, exploring the works that have defined and redefined the English musical tradition.
This comprehensive survey examines the evolution of the English symphony, from its early flowering in the 18th century through to the distinctive voices that emerged after World War II. We’ll explore how English composers forged their own symphonic identity, breaking free from continental dominance to create works of profound beauty and originality.
All lectures take place at 10am at Blackheath Halls unless otherwise stated.
Weekly Schedule
Mon 5 Jan Before Elgar: Symphonies by Boyce, Sullivan and Stanford
Discover the symphonic pioneers who laid the groundwork for England’s musical renaissance.
Mon 12 Jan Elgar Symphony No. 1
Experience the triumph that announced England’s return to the symphonic stage.
Mon 19 Jan Elgar Symphony No. 2
Explore Elgar’s most personal and introspective symphonic statement.
Mon 26 Jan Elgar Symphony No. 3
Examine the unfinished masterwork and its posthumous completion.
Mon 2 Feb Havergal Brian and the ‘Gothic’ Symphony
Encounter one of the most ambitious and extraordinary symphonies ever written.
Mon 9 Feb Survey of the Vaughan Williams Symphonies (Part 1)
Begin exploring the diverse symphonic world of England’s pastoral master.
Mon 23 Feb, Charlton House Survey of the Vaughan Williams Symphonies (Part 2)
Continue through Vaughan Williams’s remarkable symphonic journey.
Mon 2 Mar Walton and Bliss
Compare two contrasting voices of English mid-century modernism.
Mon 9 Mar Britten and the Symphony
Investigate how opera’s master approached the symphonic form.
Mon 16 Mar Leading Post-War Symphonists (Part 1): Tippett and Rubbra
Discover two distinctive voices in the post-war English symphony.
Mon 23 Mar Leading Post-War Symphonists (Part 2): Arnold and Simpson
Conclude with two composers who carried the English symphonic tradition forward.
Lectures £17 each / Whole Series £170
Try It And See: Freebie for First Timers
Students half price
Contact: Richard Perks 07957 749438 / rfperks@gmail.com