Coleridge-Taylor's talent was recognized by his choirmaster, Colonel Herbert Walters, who funded his enrollment at the Royal College of Music.
Composition History
Coleridge-Taylor's Violin Concerto had a troubled history, with the composer initially incorporating American folk tunes like 'Many Thousand Gone' and 'Yankee Doodle,' which were later removed.
Critical Reception
Maud Powell, the dedicatee of Coleridge-Taylor's Violin Concerto, felt it was difficult to categorize, suggesting it was 'not quite a full-grown concerto, nor is it yet a suite'.
Composer Biography
Julius Harrison, another composer featured on this album, initially pursued a conducting career but turned to composition after gradual deafness ended his conducting.
Composition History
The full score and parts for Coleridge-Taylor's Violin Concerto sank with the Titanic, requiring a new set to be sent to the Litchfield Festival for its premiere.
Composer Biography
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, born in London in 1875, was the son of a white woman and a black medical student from Sierra Leone.
Compositional Technique
Julius Harrison's 'Bredon Hill' is scored for a much larger orchestra than Vaughan Williams' 'The Lark Ascending,' including full brass, cor anglais, harp, and bells.
