The Great War Symphony

The Great War Symphony is a choral symphony by the British composer Patrick Hawes written to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.[1]

The Great War Symphony
Studio album by
Patrick Hawes
Released2018 (2018)
Recorded2018
StudioAbbey Road, London
GenreClassical
Lengthc. 60:00
LabelClassic FM
ProducerAndrew Sunnucks

The symphony, for choir, orchestra and soloists (soprano and tenor), is in four movements with each movement depicting a year of the war – Praeludium (1914–1915), March (1915–1916), Elegy (1916–1917) and Finale (1917–1918). The music is set to the affecting words of war from poems, diaries and epitaphs including Wilfred Owen’s 1914, Siegfried Sassoon’s diary entry Hell Let Loose, Margaret Cole’s The Falling Leaves, as well as lesser known words from Sydney Bolitho’s Gallipoli and Moina Michael’s We Shall Keep The Faith (the first reference to the symbolism of the poppy).

Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, on its release in Sept 2018 the recording went straight in at No.1 in the Specialist Classical Charts[2] and was recorded with National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Louise Alder soprano, Joshua Ellicott tenor with Hawes as conductor.

The work received its World Premiere at the Royal Albert Hall in London on 9 October 2018[3] and its US premiere at Carnegie Hall in New York on 11 November 2018 (Armistice Day).[4]

Instrumentation

This circa 60-minute work is scored for SATB choir and soloists (soprano and tenor) and orchestra comprising two flutes (2nd doubling piccolo), two oboes (2nd doubling cor anglais), two clarinets (2nd doubling bass clarinet), two bassoons, four horns, three trumpets (1st & 2nd doubling cornet, two tenor trombones, one bass trombone, one tuba, one timpanist (five drums), percussion (Tubular Bells, Cymbals, Bass Drum, two Snare Drums, Gong in E, Tam Tam, Triangle, Glock, Thunder Sheet), one harp and strings.

References
  1. Hewett, Ivan (20 April 2015). "The Great War Symphony: how music can honour the fallen". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  2. "Official Specialist Classical Chart Top 30 - Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  3. "Classic FM Live: The Great War Symphony in pictures". Classic FM. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  4. "Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) presents The Great War: Commemorating 100 Years in Review - New York Concert Review, Inc". Nyconcertreview.com. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
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