Symphony no.10 in C minor (1954)*
Adagio e solenne – Adagio – Allegro con fuoco – Lento espressivo

English Suite no.3 (1919-21)
i. Ancient Village (Andante tranquillo)
ii. Epithalamium (Giocoso)
iii. Postillions (Vivace – Lento)
iv. The Stonebreaker (Andante ma sempre maestoso – Allegro)†
v. Merry Peasant (Allegro molto)

Concerto for Orchestra (1964)
Maestoso – Allegro moderato – Maestoso – Andante cantabile – Animato
– Allegretto scherzando – Lento

Symphony no.30 in B flat minor (1967)
i. Lento –
ii. Moderato comodo e leggiero

† David Bednall (organ)
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Martyn Brabbins (conductor)

World premiere recordings, except *

Recorded: RSNO Centre, Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow, 15-16 September 2010

This is Dutton Epoch’s first modern Havergal Brian programme, recorded by the brilliant Royal Scottish National Orchestra and conducted with sympathy and powerful projection by Martyn Brabbins. The large array of percussion in Symphony No.10 is caught in demonstration-worthy sound, as are the mighty climaxes and Brian’s quiet, atmospheric Sibelian interludes. In contrast, the gentler textures of Brian’s delightfully tuneful English Suite No.3, heard here on CD for the first time, are sympathetically conveyed in a rewarding acoustic. This is involving music on a large scale, which addresses a far wider audience than many more specialist Brian programmes. The two complete discoveries are the dramatic Thirtieth Symphony and the brilliant Concerto for Orchestra. Both are well worth investigation, and the performances by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under Brabbins place them memorably in Brian’s still emerging achievement of his time. This is a CD for all music lovers who respond to powerful orchestral scores in a tonal but individual idiom.

"Four rarely heard and welcome works by Havergal Brian figure on this release: one from his middle years, and three from late in life - the Symphony no.30 from his 90s"
"Brabbins brings to them [the works] elegant phrasing, clarity to all parts, and a refined ear for orchestral blend."
"... the tonal beauty of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra is a decided plus, and Brabbins's conducting does much to establish the strange and inexplicably right-sounding world of Brian's music."
"I have no hesitancy in recommending this disc ..."
Barry Brenesal, Fanfare, September/October 2011

CDLX 7267