Originally the prelude to an abandoned opera on Synge's Deirdre of the sorrows, commenced ?1947
FS completed 28 February 1948
Promoted to symphonic canon in 1967

3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons (1 doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, tambourine, cymbals, tam-tam, castanets, bass drum, 3 side drums, xylophone, glockenspiel, harp, strings

in one movement:  Allegro ma non troppo - Lento - Allegro vivace   17:35 [a]  19:35 [b]  17:33 [c]  19:34 [d]

[a] Robinson   [b] Fredman concert   [c] Taylor   [d] Fredman/Lyrita 

assigned to Schott and  Co, 1949
rights only assigned to Musica Viva, 1972
transferred 1985 to United Music Publishers Limited

Articles

Brian's Sinfonia tragica (1)  - Martin O'Leary
Brian's Sinfonia tragica (2)  - Martin O'Leary
Brian's Sinfonia tragica (3) - Martin O'Leary
Detailed analysis of this approachable symphony
The Sinfonia tragica in Hamilton - Paul Rapoport
An account of the trials and tribulations of mounting the first Brian symphony performance in Canada
Review of Royal Holloway/Matthew Taylor 1997 performance -  Lewis Foreman

Notes on Brian's 6th symphony

Observations on Brian's 6th symphony

Further reading

The symphonies of Havergal Brian - Malcolm MacDonald / volume 1 chapter 8 - see bibliography

Performances

16 January 1966  [first performance] / 21 September 1966 (BBC broadcast, Third Programme [now Radio 3]) . Maida Vale
26 February 1967. repeat broadcast (Third Programme [now Radio 3])
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, conductor Douglas Robinson

1 April 1973 (recording) / 18 June 1975 (BBC Radio 3 broadcast) . studio recording
London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Myer Fredman

Also broadcast in Brisbane and Sydney area (performance unknown)  6 Feb 76, 30 Jan 77, 26 Aug 77

3 October 1989 [first public performance] . Great Hall, Hamilton Place, Hamilton, Ontario
[first professional orchestral performance of any Brian work in North America]
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Boris Brott
The Sinfonia tragica in Hamilton - Paul Rapoport

4 October 1989 . Great Hall, Hamilton Place, Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Boris Brott

8 March 1997 . St John's Smith Square, London
Royal Holloway Orchestra, conductor Matthew Taylor
Review by Lewis Foreman

Commercial recording

10 April 1973 . Wandsworth Town Hall / Lyrita
London Philharmonic Orchestra, conductor Myer Fredman

Re-released on Lyrita CD, March 2008 SRCD295 coupled with Arnold Cooke's third symphony

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