Tippett's Symphony No. 1 was deeply affected by personal tragedies during World War II, including his piano losing its ivory in a bomb blast, the death of a close tenant, his father's death from an air raid, and the suicide of a woman he loved.
Performer Biography
Martyn Brabbins, the conductor on this album, has conducted hundreds of world premieres and made over 120 recordings, including more than fifty albums for Hyperion.
Notable Performances
The premiere of Tippett's Symphony No. 2 in 1958, conducted by Adrian Boult, broke down after a few bars and had to be restarted, possibly due to an early flute entry or re-grouped string parts.
Compositional Technique
Tippett's Symphony No. 2 was conceived after he heard a passage of Vivaldi with pounding Cs in the bass, which marked for him 'the exact moment of conception'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Tippett enrolled at the Royal College of Music not for innate musical aptitude, but with a determination to respond to political and psychological turmoil through art.
Composer Biography
Sir Michael Tippett's childhood was marked by trauma, including the First World War ruining his family's finances and sexual abuse during his schooling.
Composition History
Tippett was imprisoned for two months in Wormwood Scrubs in 1943 for refusing to accept the terms of his conscientious objection during World War II, and he mapped out his Symphony No. 1 while in prison.
