The National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine, formerly the Ukrainian State Symphony Orchestra, was formed in November 1918 by the Ukraine Council of Ministers.
Compositional Technique
Symphonies Nos. 20 and 25 mark a return for Brian to a more 'classical' three-movement form, departing from his previous practice of writing one-movement symphonies.
Composition History
Havergal Brian's "Fantastic Variations on an Old Rhyme" originated from a larger satirical work called "A Fantastic Symphony" based on the nursery rhyme "Three Blind Mice."
Compositional Technique
Brian's "Fantastic Variations" takes a simple tune, "Three Blind Mice," and subjects it to sophisticated modern harmony and orchestration, similar to Dohnányi's "Variations on a Nursery Rhyme."
Performer Biography
Andrew Penny, the conductor on this album, has made over 35 recordings for Naxos and Marco Polo labels, focusing on British Music, and his Arnold symphony cycle was BBC Music Magazine's top recommendation.
Composer Biography
Havergal Brian dedicated his Symphony No. 20 to his daughter Elfreda and her husband, who had been staying with him and his wife in Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex.
Notable Performances
The first public performance of "Fantastic Variations" was a condensed version in 1921 in Brighton, which was so successful it was repeated five times, with Brian himself conducting some performances.
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