Sullivan, A.: Pineapple Poll / Symphony in E Major, "Irish"

Featuring

David Lloyd-Jones
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Arthur Sullivan

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Composer Biography

Sullivan was knighted in 1883 and was Queen Victoria's favorite composer, alongside Mendelssohn.

Composition History

Sullivan's Symphony in E, later known as the 'Irish' Symphony, originated during a holiday in Northern Ireland when he was 21, with the first movement coming to him during a jolting car ride.

Composition History

The idea for the ballet Pineapple Poll, which transforms Gilbert and Sullivan operetta music into a symphonic ballet score, originated with Charles Mackerras while he was playing in an orchestra for a Gilbert and Sullivan season in Australia.

Notable Performances

The 'Irish' Symphony, a rarity for a young English composer at the time, was warmly received at its 1866 premiere at the Crystal Palace, conducted by August Manns, and was a triumph at a subsequent performance.

Critical Reception

A critic from The Times praised Sullivan's youthful 'Irish' Symphony as 'the best musical work... for a long time produced by an English composer,' noting its large form and beautiful thoughts.

Composer Biography

Arthur Sullivan, the composer, was considered a prodigy in his youth, receiving the first Mendelssohn Scholarship at age fifteen to study at the Royal Academy of Music and Leipzig Conservatory.

Performer Biography

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the oldest concert-giving organizations in the world, dates back to 1840 and was the first organization to be granted the freedom of the City of Liverpool in 1991.