Benjamin James Dale's brother, Henry, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1936.
Composition History
The Phantasy for Viola and Piano, Op. 4, was commissioned by Walter Wilson Cobbett, a retired businessman, as part of a project for eleven young British composers.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Benjamin James Dale's teacher, Frederick Corder, praised his sextet for its 'remarkable beauty, power and originality' and 'almost Beethovenish majesty and grandeur'.
Compositional Technique
For the Introduction and Andante for Six Violas, Op. 5, Dale extended the viola's range by instructing the sixth viola's C string to be tuned down to a G.
Composition History
The Suite for Viola and Piano in D major, Op. 2, was written by Benjamin James Dale for Lionel Tertis, a virtuoso and professor of viola at the Royal Academy of Music.
Historical Context
Benjamin James Dale was interned in Ruhleben, Germany, during World War I, which impaired his health and limited his later compositional output.
Recording & Production
This recording was made at the Royal Academy of Music, where many of the pieces were written almost a century ago, following a viola festival.
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