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New CD release on Heritage
Symphonies 8, 9, 22 and 24 on Heritage under Myer Fredman
13 February 2023 more…
Brian at the Proms 2022
Premiere Proms performance of Legend, given by Alina Ibragimova
27 April 2022 more…
Brian at the English Music Festival 2022
A recital of songs by Havergal Brian will take place at this year's English Music Festival in Dorchester-on-Thames
11 February 2022 more…
Faust and Symphonies 3/17 CDs now available
Martyn Brabbins' two-disc set of Faust from Dutton and symphonies 3 & 17 under Stanley Pope on Heritage are now available.
11 February 2022 more…
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Articles about Brian and his music on the website
This page lists the articles on this website about Havergal Brian and his music. Where appropriate, a link appears under more than heading.
These articles are also referenced elsewhere on the site: e.g. articles about a symphony are referenced on that symphony’s title page, book reviews are referenced on the bibliography pages, and so on.
Shortcuts: • Specific • General • Brian • Performances • Recordings • Publications • Society
Icons: Currently available recordings Deleted recordings Unauthorised recordings Books by or about Brian Performances of Brian’s music Chronology event
Articles on specific compositions
Symphonies
Symphonies – in general
- Brian’s Use of Beams – Alan Marshall
- Comparing Brian’s symphonies – Philip Legge
- Introduction to the symphonies – Graham Saxby
Symphony 1
- Brian as Faust – Larry Alexander
follows up Brian as Faust article by Malcolm MacDonald - The Gothic Review – Mike Le Voi, 4MBS Concert Recording Team member
a personal review of the work based on what this layman hears - Music and meaning – Malcolm MacDonald (1978)
excellent piece relating the Gothic to its time of composition in the first world war - The conception of Part 2 – Colin G Davis (1978)
- Brian as Faust – Malcolm MacDonald (1980)
excellent wide-ranging article addressing the psychology of Brian particularly at the time of The Gothic - Havergal Brian’s last testament? – Lionel Pike (1981)
The tonal structure of the Gothic - Flawed masterpiece? – Jonathan Rutherford (1990)
Is The Gothic a masterpiece? What does this mean? - Brian – the Gothic voice – Pauline Slevin (1997)
- Havergal Brian – The Gothic voice – Pauline Slevin (1997)
- Creating the vocal score of the Gothic – 1 – Jeremy Marchant (2005)
How the vocal score has been computer-set (1) - Creating the vocal score of the Gothic – 2 – Philip Legge (2005)
How the vocal score has been computer-set (2) - Creating the vocal score of the Gothic – 3 – Jeremy Marchant (2005)
How the vocal score has been computer-set (3) - The Logistics of the Gothic symphony – 1 – Philip Legge (2006)
How to perform the Gothic with reduced forces (1) - The Logistics of the Gothic symphony – 2 – Philip Legge (2006)
How to perform the Gothic with reduced forces (2) - Beethoven, Berlioz, Brian (or Three Bs and more) – Jürgen Schaarwächter (2007)
- Choral Demands of the ‘Gothic’ – Jeremy Marchant (2008)
Defining how difficult it is to stage the chorus for the Gothic - Brian’s Choral Challenges in the ‘Gothic’ – 1 – Jeremy Marchant (2009)
Detailed analysis of the choral challenges
Symphony 2
- Analysis : First movement – Graham Saxby
- Analysis : Fourth movement and Conclusion – Graham Saxby
- Analysis : Second movement – Graham Saxby
- Analysis : Third movement – Graham Saxby
- Introduction – Graham Saxby
- The influence of Goethe’s ‘Götz von Berlingen’ (1) – Damian Rees
- The influence of Goethe’s ‘Götz von Berlingen’ (2) – Damian Rees
- The influence of Goethe’s ‘Götz von Berlingen’ (3) – Damian Rees
- Götz von Berlichingen and Brian’s second symphony – Graham Saxby (1981)
- Second quality? – Paul Kettle (1991)
Symphony 3
- A listener’s impressions – Martyn Becker (1985)
- Second thoughts – Christopher Kettle (1988)
- New vistas – Martyn Becker (1989)
- Early English atonality in the first movement – Martin O’Leary (1995)
Symphony 4
- Music at war – David J Brown (1995)
- Das Siegeslied and bad genes – Alan Dean Foster (2000)
Symphony 5
- Words for music, perhaps – Chris Kettle (1992)
Symphony 6
- Observations on Havergal Brian’s 6th symphony – Josef Schreier
- Brian’s Sinfonia tragica (1) – Martin O’Leary (1989)
- Brian’s Sinfonia tragica (2) – Martin O’Leary (1989)
- Brian’s Sinfonia tragica (3) – Martin O’Leary (1989)
- Notes on Havergal Brian’s 6th symphony – Anno Schreier (2003)
Symphony 7
- Once upon a time – David Jenkins
Symphony 11
- Thoughts on Brian’s eleventh symphony – Robert Matthew-Walker
Symphony 16
- Performing Brian’s music – James Kelleher
- Symphonies 16 to 19: Style and manner – Martin O’Leary
Symphony 17
- Symphonies 16 to 19: Style and manner – Martin O’Leary
Symphony 18
- Symphonies 16 to 19: Style and manner – Martin O’Leary
Symphony 19
- Symphonies 16 to 19: Style and manner – Martin O’Leary
Symphony 28
- In the mountains, there you feel free’ – David Hackbridge Johnson
Symphony 29
- In the mountains, there you feel free’ – David Hackbridge Johnson
Symphony 30
- In the mountains, there you feel free’ – David Hackbridge Johnson
- Some thoughts on the thirtieth – Rodney Stephen Newton (1978)
Symphony 32
- Attacca? – Alan Marshall (2006)
Other Orchestral Music
The battle song
- The battle song and 15 transcriptions – Malcolm MacDonald (1996)
Burlesque variations on an original theme
- Brian and variation form (1) – Malcolm MacDonald (1978)
Doctor Merryheart
- Introduction – David J Brown
Elegy
- The importance of Elegy – Malcolm MacDonald
English suite 1
- Introduction – David J Brown
English suite 4
- Introduction – Malcolm MacDonald
Fantastic variations on an old rhyme
- Introduction – David J Brown
- Analysis: Brian and variation form (3) – Malcolm MacDonald (1979)
- Introduction: Brian and variation form (2) – Malcolm MacDonald (1979)
Festal dance
- Introduction – Gerard Cunliffe
For valour
- Introduction – Gerard Cunliffe
In memoriam
- Introduction – Gerard Cunliffe
Overture
- Comment – Malcolm MacDonald (1981)
Soloists and orchestra
Symphony 5
- Words for music, perhaps – Chris Kettle (1992)
Soloists, chorus and orchestra
Soloists, chorus and orchestra – in general
- A pilgrimage to Odd Rode – Reginald Nettel
Psalm 23
- Psalm 23 - Early Brian or late? Some subjective observations – Malcolm MacDonald (1985)
A discussion on the dating of Psalm 23
Symphony 1
- Brian as Faust – Larry Alexander
follows up Brian as Faust article by Malcolm MacDonald - The Gothic Review – Mike Le Voi, 4MBS Concert Recording Team member
a personal review of the work based on what this layman hears - Music and meaning – Malcolm MacDonald (1978)
excellent piece relating the Gothic to its time of composition in the first world war - The conception of Part 2 – Colin G Davis (1978)
- Brian as Faust – Malcolm MacDonald (1980)
excellent wide-ranging article addressing the psychology of Brian particularly at the time of The Gothic - Havergal Brian’s last testament? – Lionel Pike (1981)
The tonal structure of the Gothic - Flawed masterpiece? – Jonathan Rutherford (1990)
Is The Gothic a masterpiece? What does this mean? - Brian – the Gothic voice – Pauline Slevin (1997)
- Havergal Brian – The Gothic voice – Pauline Slevin (1997)
- Creating the vocal score of the Gothic – 1 – Jeremy Marchant (2005)
How the vocal score has been computer-set (1) - Creating the vocal score of the Gothic – 2 – Philip Legge (2005)
How the vocal score has been computer-set (2) - Creating the vocal score of the Gothic – 3 – Jeremy Marchant (2005)
How the vocal score has been computer-set (3) - The Logistics of the Gothic symphony – 1 – Philip Legge (2006)
How to perform the Gothic with reduced forces (1) - The Logistics of the Gothic symphony – 2 – Philip Legge (2006)
How to perform the Gothic with reduced forces (2) - Beethoven, Berlioz, Brian (or Three Bs and more) – Jürgen Schaarwächter (2007)
- Choral Demands of the ‘Gothic’ – Jeremy Marchant (2008)
Defining how difficult it is to stage the chorus for the Gothic - Brian’s Choral Challenges in the ‘Gothic’ – 1 – Jeremy Marchant (2009)
Detailed analysis of the choral challenges
Symphony 4
- Music at war – David J Brown (1995)
- Das Siegeslied and bad genes – Alan Dean Foster (2000)
The vision of Cleopatra
- Cleopatra's Librettist – Reginald Nettel (1978)
- Havergal Brian's large-scale choral works: The Vision of Cleopatra (part 1) – Neil Starling (1985)
- Havergal Brian's large-scale choral works: The Vision of Cleopatra (part 2) – Neil Starling (1985)
- Havergal Brian's large-scale choral works: The Vision of Cleopatra (part 3) – Neil Starling (1985)
Chamber music
Legend
- Introduction – David Hackbridge Johnson
Piano music
Piano music – in general
- The fugues for piano – Peter Hill
Voice and piano
The birds
- A note on the dating of The birds and The land of dreams – Malcolm MacDonald
The defiled sanctuary
- A note on the dating of The birds and The land of dreams – Malcolm MacDonald
The land of dreams
- A note on the dating of The birds and The land of dreams – Malcolm MacDonald
Operas
Operas – in general
- Havergal Brian’s operas – Kate Baxter (1996)
- Opera in England, and the British opera composer – Kate Baxter (1996)
Agamemnon
- Agamemnon (1) – Textual analysis – Kate Baxter (1997)
- Agamemnon (2) – Musical analysis and conclusion – Kate Baxter (1997)
The Cenci
- My experiences of conducting The Cenci – James Kelleher
- The fanfares – Malcolm MacDonald
- The Cenci from within – Martin Anderson
- Two interpretations of The Cenci (1) – William Newman (1999)
- Two interpretations of The Cenci (2) – William Newman (1999)
- Two interpretations of The Cenci (3) – William Newman (1999)
- Two interpretations of The Cenci (4) – William Newman (1999)
- Two interpretations of The Cenci (5) – William Newman (1999)
Faust
- Dramatic structure and innovation in Brian’s Faust – Professor William E Grim (1997)
- Brian’s use of the German language in Faust – Jürgen Schaarwächter (1999)
The Tigers
- Investigating The Tigers (15) Trysting : Act 3, scene 2 (2) – Adrian Ure
- Investigating The Tigers (16) Chimes at midnight : Act 3, scene 3 and Finale – Adrian Ure
- Let the roar of the Tigers be heard in the land – Malcolm MacDonald
- Opera with attitude – Kevin Mandry
- Reward for rediscovery of Brian’s lost scores – press coverage
- Fanfare from The grotesques - Malcolm MacDonald (1977)
- The rediscovery of The Tigers – David J Brown (1977)
- Breaking the mirror… – Larry Alexander (1983)
- Investigating The Tigers (5) Masks : Prologue, scene 2 – Adrian Ure (1986)
- New maps for The Tigers – Penny Scantlebury (1986)
- Investigating The Tigers (6) The seeds of chaos : Act 1, scene 1 – Adrian Ure (1987)
- Investigating The Tigers (7) The dogs of war : Act 1, scene 2 – Adrian Ure (1987)
- Investigating The Tigers (10) Garden party : Act 2, scene 3 (1) – Adrian Ure (1999)
- Investigating The Tigers (11) Haymaking : Act 2, scenes 3 (2) and 4 (1) – Adrian Ure (1999)
- Investigating The Tigers (12) Called to account : Act 2, scenes 4 (2) and 5 – Adrian Ure (1999)
- Investigating The Tigers (13) Gothic echoes : Act 3, Gargoyles and Lacryma – Adrian Ure (1999)
- Investigating The Tigers (14) Chinese whispers : Act 3, scenes 1 and 2 (1) – Adrian Ure (1999)
- Investigating The Tigers (2) Costers : Prologue, scene 1 (1) – Adrian Ure (1999)
- Investigating The Tigers (3) Coppers : Prologue, scene 1 (2) – Adrian Ure (1999)
- Investigating The Tigers (4) Gentry : Prologue, scene 1 (3) – Adrian Ure (1999)
- Investigating The Tigers (8) Uneasy slumbers : Act 2, scene 1 – Adrian Ure (1999)
- Investigating The Tigers (9) On parade : Act 2, scene 2 – Adrian Ure (1999)
Turandot, prinzessin von China
- Tour d’horizon autour de Turandot – Malcolm MacDonald (1995)
Arrangements
The battle song
- The battle song and 15 transcriptions – Malcolm MacDonald (1996)
Minuet and funeral march
- A note on the Minuet and Funeral march – Graham Hatton
General articles on Brian’s music
- A personal odyssey – Martyn Becker
- A personal view – Donald Macauley
- An inter-wars’ reference – Peter Coussee
- Gothic grandeur: the triumph of Havergal Brian
- HB and why I believe in his music -Damian Rees
- How many masterpieces make a master? – John Aldridge
- Introduction
- Programming Brian – Havergal Brian Society
- Havergal Brian and the percussion section – Rodney Stephen Newton (1977)
- Havergal Brian and the bare fifth – Rodney Stephen Newton (1978)
- Brian and the psychologists – Malcolm MacDonald (1979)
Freudian and Jungian insights - Brian, Mahler and Shostakovich – Christopher Kettle, Larry Alexander (1982)
- The Brian revival – Robert Simpson (1984)
- A sense of discrimination – PJ Taylor (1988)
- Brian’s productive discontinuity – John Pickard (1988)
- …takes your breath away – Larry Alexander (1988)
- Brianus ellipsus – Martyn Becker (1989)
- Melodic originality – David Perrins (1989)
- Preconceptions and the anti-symphony – Owen Toller (1990)
- A homage from Germany – Dr Josef Schreier (1995)
- Brian and Holbrooke – Kevin Mandry (1996)
- Brian and the alternative English musical renaissance – Keith Warsop (1996)
- Salons of steel – David Hackbridge Johnson (2003)
- Reflections over 45 years – Martin Grossel (2008)
Articles on Brian, the man
- A pilgrimage to Odd Rode – Reginald Nettel
- Brian’s working class origins – Brown, Goodsell, Stevenson
- Havergal Brian and Elgar – Philip Scowcroft
- Havergal Brian as I knew him (1) – Harold Truscott
- Havergal Brian as I knew him (2) – Harold Truscott
- Havergal Brian as I knew him (3) – Harold Truscott
- Introduction
- Residences
- Solitude and creation – Kevin Mandry
Kevin’s article tackles the difficult issue of the composer’s own sense of his isolation - The psychology of Brian – Robert Timlin
More Jungian insight - Friendship with Havergal Brian - 1916(?)-1972 – Walter Allum (1978)
A touching reminiscence of a long friendship with Havergal Brian - Brian and the psychologists – Malcolm MacDonald (1979)
Freudian and Jungian insights - The influence of Brian’s social enviroment on his musical style – Godfrey Berry (1981)
- A case of hyper-intelligence? – Godfrey Berry (1983)
Finds an explanation of many of Brian’s personality characteristics - Brian’s dark journey – Kevin Mandry (1992)
Important article addressing why and how Brian came to be the composer he was
Articles about performances
- A view from the audience – Roger Moseley
- A view from the back desks – David Hackbridge Johnson
Playing violin in Symphony 2 - Havergal Brian and Leslie Head – Lewis Foreman
- Newstone and Mackerras interpretations compared – David Jenkins
- Recording Brian with the Philharmonia – Rodney Stephen Newton
- Recording The Gothic in Brisbane – Mike Le Voi, 4MBS Concert Recording Team member
Trials and tribulations of recording the Gothic symphony in Brisbane - Review – Peter Coussee
- Review of RLPO/Mackerras premiere – John Pickard
- Review of RLPO/Mackerras premiere – Richard Whitehouse
- Review of RLPO/Mackerras premiere and recording – David J Brown
- Reviews of the 1973 Kensington SO/Leslie Head performances – John Falding, Max Loppert
- At Victoria Hall, Hanley, 1978 – David J Brown (1978)
review of the vast amateur performance - Mounting the Gothic: The Schmidt performance, 1980 – David J Brown (1980)
- Skøn kæmpe-musik uden flip / Lofty musical colossus no freak: the Schmidt performance, 1980 – Jørgen Falck (27 May 1980)
Danish view of the 1980 performance - Brev fra London / Letter from London: the Schmidt performance, 1980 – Peter Wivel (June 1980)
Danish view of the 1980 performance - Symphonia brevis at the Royal Festival Hall – Malcolm MacDonald (1983)
- The ‘Planets for pleasure’ orchestra performance – Ted Heaton (1985)
- Play it backwards – Larry Alexander (1987)
- Review of Composers’ Platform WM SO/Venn performance – David J Brown (1987)
- Choirworks and Musical encounters – David J Brown (1995)
contains an interview with Ole Schmidt on the 1980 performance - Review of Royal Holloway/Matthew Taylor 1997 performance – Lewis Foreman (1997)
- The Sinfonia tragica in Hamilton – Paul Rapoport (1999)
- Contemporary thirties criticism of Brian performances – Norman V Dagg
- Review of premiere – Malcolm MacDonald
includes a brief description of the work - A view from the rostrum – James Kelleher (1995)
- The case of the two Havergals – Lewis Foreman (1997)
- A latter day Ysaÿe – Martin Anderson interviews Marat Bisengaliev on Classical Net
- Preparing Psalm 23 for performance – Elizabeth Hanmore
Preparations for the 1988 performance in Worthing - Review of Litchfield performance – David J Brown
- Contemporary review of premiere (16 October 1909)
An insightful review from 1909 by a Southport resident - Review of premiere – Norman V Dagg
- Fearful and monstrous – Martin Anderson
Articles about commercial recordings
- A German view
- Brian and theurban pastorale – PJ Taylor
- Introduction to the Marco Polo CD – Malcolm MacDonald
- MarcoPolo CD of symphonies 4 & 12
- Newstone and Mackerras interpretations compared – David Jenkins
- Review – Anthony Payne in the Daily Telegraph
- The Marco Polo cycle – David J Brown
- Thoughts on ASD3486 – Ted Heaton (1978)
- Recording »The Gothic« in Bratislava – David J Brown (1989)
David’s detailed report on the Marco Polo sessions recording part 2 - Review of Adrian Leaper/Marco Polo CDs – Malcolm MacDonald (1993)
- First impressions – Larry Alexander (1996)
- Review of Marco Polo 8.223447 – Martin Anderson (1996)
- Review – John Grimshaw (1999)
- Review of City of Hull Youth SO CDs – David J Brown
- Review of Hull Youth SO recording – Lewis Foreman (1982)
- A latter day Ysaÿe – Martin Anderson interviews Marat Bisengaliev on Classical Net
- Review of Brian Rayner Cook/Roger Vignoles recording – Godfrey Berry (1983)
- Elgar & The English Choral Tradition
- Psalm 23 on CD
- Recording Brian in Liverpool – Lewis Foreman
- Review of Reid/Barrow recording of Legend – Martin Anderson
The second recording - The Complete Piano Music: 2 reviews – Rob Barnett, David Wright
Articles about published books
- A late harvest – Ronald Stevenson
- All seeing eye: review of HB on music, volume 1 – Lewis Foreman
- Review of Havergal Brian on music, volume 1 – Steven Schwarz
- Review of Nettel: The man and his music – David J Brown
- The making of a composer – Malcolm MacDonald
- »HB: Aspects of Havergal Brian« Contents – Dr phil Jürgen Schaarwächter
- Paul Rapoport Opus est – David J Brown (1976)
contains observations about The Gothic - Ordeal by music … and after – Reginald Nettel (1976)
- Review of The symphonies of Havergal Brian, volume 2 – David J Brown (1978)
- Review of The symphonies of Havergal Brian, volume 3 – Martin Anderson (1984)
- The significance of Brian the journalist – Malcolm MacDonald (1986)