Best British Symphonies: 6. "Cheltenham" Symphonies

 

The Regency spa town of Cheltenham is, of course, very well known for its annual horse racing festival. However, from 1945 until present it plays, every summer, host to the Cheltenham Music Festival, known initially as the "Festival for Contemporary British Music", and it was for this event, mainly during the 1950s and 60s, that it established a major platform for a group of moderately-modern British composers, who staged many a first performance here. Support grew steadily, as the festival attracted such regular performers as Sir John Barbirolli and his Hallé Orchestra.

Pitville Pump Room in Cheltenham

Known as the "Cheltenham Symphonists" this group of composers represented a musical style which was quintessential still British, often tonal and conventional (most symphonies have the traditional 3 or 4 movements), whilst, on the other hand, moving away from the Edwardian splendour of Elgar & co., and from the rural complacency of the Folk Song movement. Yet, whilst equally distancing themselves from any post-modern, avantgarde or serialist tendencies of their time, there were many similarities with their continental counterparts, the likes of neoclassicist Stravinsky, Prokoviev or Hindemith (note the all-Italian tempo markings in the listing below!). In brief, if a listener enjoys pieces such as Ralph Vaughan Williams' 4th or 6th Symphonies, Hindemith's Mathis der Maler, or Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms, for example, he or she would be equally enjoying any work by the "Cheltenham Symphonists". Unsurprisingly, Elisabeth Lutyens, a champion of serialism, who had previously condemned the "cowpat music" of the Folk Song composers, went on to attack the Cheltenham group with equal fervour.

So, who are the main representatives of this group? If we consider both the reputation and importance of each composer, and the availability of recordings of those Cheltenham symphonies - whether on CD, vinyl, YouTube or streaming - the following pieces, which have all being premiered at the Festivals, are well worth listening to:

• Cheltenham Festival 1950:

Peter Racine Fricker (1920 - 90) - Symphony No. 1, op. 9 (1948-49) :

I. Alla breve | II. Adagio con molto passione | III. Tableau and Dance | IV. Finale. Moderato - Allegro

CHANDOS: Symphony No. 1, Op. 9: I. Alla breve - YouTube 

• Cheltenham Festival 1953:

Ian Hamilton (1922 - 2000) - Symphony No. 2 (1951)

I. Lento - Allegro | II. Presto | III. Adagio | IV. Finale. Con moto

Iain Hamilton (1922-2000) : Symphony No. 2 (1951) - YouTube

William Wordsworth (1908 - 88) - Symphony No. 3 in C, op. 48 (1950-51)

I. Allegretto scioltamente | II. Andante espressivo | III. Allegro deciso

Lyrita: Symphony No. 3 in C Major, Op. 48: I. Allegretto scioltamente - YouTube

• Cheltenham Festival 1954:

Geoffrey Bush (1920 - 98) - Symphony No. 1 (1954)

I. Molto moderato - Allegro deciso | II. Poco lento e con malinconia | III. Molto moderato - Allegro di molto

Lyrita: Geoffrey Bush (1920-1998) : Symphony No. 1 (1954) - YouTube

• Cheltenham Festival 1957:

Robert Simpson (1921 - 97) - Symphony No. 2 (1956)

I. Allegro grazioso | II. Largo cantabile | III. Non troppo allegro, ma con brio

Hyperion | Robert Simpson: Symphony no.2 (NPO/Horenstein) - YouTube

Arthur Butterworth (1923 - 2014) - Symphony No. 1, op. 15 (1957)

I. Allegro molto | II. Lento molto | III. Allegretto con moto | IV. Vivacissimo e furioso

Lyrita & Dutton | Arthur Butterworth "Symphony No.1" - YouTube 

• Cheltenham Festival 1961:

Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921 - 2006) - Symphony No. 5, op. 74 (1961)

I. Tempestuoso | II. Andante con moto - Adagio | III. Con fuoco | IV. Risoluto -Lento

CHANDOS & EMI | Malcolm Arnold: Symphony No 5 [Arnold-BBC NSO] - YouTube

• Cheltenham Festival 1962:

Benjamin Frankel (1906 - 73) - Symphony No. 2, op. 38 (1962)

I. Adagio - Tranquillo | II. Alla marcia: Moderato | III. Adagio

cpo | Benjamin Frankel: Symphony No 2, Op 38 (1962) [Benjamin Frankel] - YouTube

• Cheltenham Festival 1964:

Alan Rawsthorne (1905 - 71) - Symphony No. 3 (1964)

I. Allegro | II. Alla sarabanda (Andantino) | III. Scherzo (Allegro molto) | IV. Allegro risoluto

NAXOS: Alan Rawsthorne: Symphony No.3 (1964) - YouTube

• Cheltenham Festival 1969:

Sir Lennox Berkeley (1903 - 89) - Symphony No. 3, in one movement, op. 74 (1968-69)*

Allegretto moderato - Un poco meno vivo - Tempo I - Piú lento - Lento - Allegro

Lyrita & CHANDOS | Lennox Berkeley (1903-1989) - Symphony Nº 3 in one Movement Op. 74 (1969) - YouTube

• Cheltenham Festival 1981:

George Lloyd (1913 - 98) - Symphony No. 4 'Arctic' (1945-46)

I. Allegro moderato | II. Lento tranquillo | III. Allegro scherzando | IV. Lento - Allegro ma non troppo

CHANDOS & Lyrita | George Lloyd: Symphony No. 4 in B minor 'Arctic' (1946) - YouTube

* See also this detailed introduction to Berkeley's 3rd Symphony's First Performance, 1969.