New Russia State Symphony Orchestra conducted by Alexander Walker.

I - Allegro risoluto: 0:00
II - Allegro moderato e grazioso - Giocoso - attacca: 7:13
III - Allegro assai: 12:18

Brian's Symphony No.26 was written in the first half of 1969, but never lived to hear it performed. The work was premiered on 13 May 1976 with the North Staffordshire Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nicholas Smith. While the symphony as a whole has something of the character of a divertimento, it is substantial and, by late Brian standards, quite expansive.

The sketch for the symphony clearly indicates a work in three movements. The full score dispenses with the numbering for the third movement and there is no double bar at the end of the second, so he clearly saw the two as being connected.

The first movement is written in a modified sonata form. It opens with an energic and pompous main theme. The second lyrical theme comes suddenly, presented by the wood, of a more contrasting pastoral nature. The development is lively, with the typical contrapuntal writting of Brian and the marcial rhythms roaming in the background. The main theme is then recapitulated, but instead of the second theme, a new development comes, based on that lyrical theme. The coda concludes the movement in a forceful way.

The second movement is structured as a very free theme and variations. It begins with a slow, rhythmic theme as a kind of minuet. The variations are connected between themselves, with a general playful and light mood. One variation features some dissonant orchestral outbursts, followed by some lyrical contrast. The music grows more dissonant and with marcial motifs, but suddenly comes a delicate solo from the flute, reminding us of the original minuet-like theme. The music leads directly to the final movement.

The third movement is a rondo. It opens with a cheerful variation of the main theme of the first movement, which recurs twice in a clearly recognisable way and a third time in a more allusive form. In between come contrasting episodes, the first one is lyrical, with the brief presence of the violin. The mood remains playful as the main theme is recapitulated, with some small dissonances.

The third contrasting section is more energic and marcial, in the form of a powerful march. The tonic key of the symphony (F) is destabilised by swirling figuration in A minor (with prominent G sharp leading-note) and in a sudden angry gesture the music plunges towards the key of C and the work abruptly ends. It is perhaps significant that his next symphony was to explore the same key of C (minor) and would be a very serious work indeed.

Picture: "Mr and Mrs Andrews" (circa 1750) by the English painter Thomas Gainsborough.

Analysis partially written by myself, source: [ Ссылка ]

Unfortunately the score is not freely available.

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