Symphony 6

Sinfonia Tragica

1948†, 19:00

Originally the prelude to an abandoned opera on Synge's Deirdre of the sorrows, commenced ?1947
FS completed 28 February 1948
Promoted to symphonic canon in 1967

3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons (1 doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, tambourine, cymbals, tam-tam, castanets, bass drum, 3 side drums, xylophone, glockenspiel, harp, strings

Allegro ma non troppo – Lento – Allegro vivace

assigned to Schott and Co, 1949
rights only assigned to Musica Viva, 1972
transferred 1985 to United Music Publishers Limited, and then to United Music Publishing Ltd in 2014. The score may be viewed online here: Symphony no. 6 'Sinfonia Tragica'

Timings

Robinson 1966Fredman 1973Fredman (Lyrita) 1973Taylor 1997Walker 2014Brabbins 2016
Allegro ma non troppo – Lento – Allegro vivace18:0219:1619:2517:0919:5719:22

Articles

• Brian’s Sinfonia tragica (1) – Martin O’Leary
• Brian’s Sinfonia tragica (2) – Martin O’Leary
• Brian’s Sinfonia tragica (3) – Martin O’Leary
• Notes on Havergal Brian’s 6th symphony – Anno Schreier
• Observations on Havergal Brian’s 6th symphony – Josef Schreier

Performances

16 January 1966 [first performance] BBC Maida Vale Studios, London
21 September 1966 Third Programme [BBC Radio 3], repeated 26 February 1967
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, conductor Douglas Robinson
1 April 1973 studio recording
18 June 1975 BBC Radio 3
London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Myer Fredman
10 April 1973 Wandsworth Town Hall
London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Myer Fredman
6 February 1976
Brisbane and Sydney area
30 January 1977
Brisbane and Sydney area
26 August 1977
Brisbane and Sydney area
3 October 1989 [first public performance; first professional orchestral performance of any Brian work in North America] Great Hall, Hamilton Place, Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Boris Brott
• The Sinfonia tragica in Hamilton – Paul Rapoport
4 October 1989 Great Hall, Hamilton Place, Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Boris Brott
8 March 1997 St John’s Smith Square, London
Royal Holloway Orchestra, conductor Matthew Taylor
• Review of Royal Holloway/Matthew Taylor 1997 performance – Lewis Foreman
20 May 2014 Studio 5, Russian State TV & Radio Company KULTURA, Moscow
New Russia State Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Walker
11 October 2016 BBC Maida Vale Studios, London
21 November 2016 BBC Radio 3
Before an invited audience, BBC Symphony Orchestra, conductor Martyn Brabbins

Recordings

Classical Recordings Quarterly Editions CRQ CD268 released November 2016
16 January 1966 [first performance] BBC Maida Vale Studios, London
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, conductor Douglas Robinson
Lyrita SRCD.295 released February 2008
10 April 1973 Wandsworth Town Hall
London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Myer Fredman
Naxos 8.573408 released March 2015
20 May 2014 Studio 5, Russian State TV & Radio Company KULTURA, Moscow
New Russia State Symphony Orchestra, Alexander Walker