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Composizioni

Symphony No. 1, for orchestra (1932–5)

• Composition: Begun summer 1932. First three movements, and much of the fourth, completed by summer 1933. Fourth movement completed by August 1935. Revised very slightly for publication in 1936, and again in 1951.
• First Performances:
• First three movements only: 3 December 1934. Queen’s Hall, London. London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Hamilton Harty conductor.
• First complete performance: 6 November 1935. Queen’s Hall, London. BBC Symphony Orchestra, Sir Hamilton Harty conductor.
• Duration: About 43 minutes
• Movements:
I.   Allegro assai     [670 m.]
II.  Presto con malizia     [663 m.]
III. Andante con malinconia     [137 m.]
IV.  Maestoso – Allegro, brioso ed ardentemente – Vivacissimo – Maestoso     [521 m.]
• Dedication: “to the Baroness Imma Doernberg”
• Craggs Catalogue Number: C27
• Instrumentation: 2 flutes (second doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B-flat (doubling clarinets in A), 2 bassoons – 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in C, 3 trombones, tuba – 2 timpani, 2 percussion – strings, Percussion #1: cymbals, snare drum, Percussion #2: tam-tam
• Manuscript: Frederick R. Koch Collection. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Manuscript FRKF 593. Dated 1933 (‘MCMXXXIII’). Autograph full score in ink, including performance markings by Sir Hamilton Harty and Sir Malcolm Sargent. There is also an elaborate title page drawn by Rex Whistler, dated 1938. 178 pages.
William Walton Museum, Forio d’Ischia. Discarded sketches of a proposed fast central section from the third movement. Donated by pianist Angus Morrison.
Some early sketches are also in the possession of Diana Sparkes, daughter of Walton’s publisher, Hubert Foss.
• Publication:
Oxford University Press. Full score, 1936. Miniature score, 1936. Study score, 1946. Corrected full score, 1968, 019 3684152. Discontinued.
Oxford University Press. Edited by David Lloyd-Jones. William Walton Edition, Volume 9, 1998, 019 3684187. Study score, 019 3683253. Score and parts are available on hire.
[Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: Study score] [Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: William Walton Edition, Volume 9]
• Arrangements: Arranged for piano duet, by Herbert Murrill. Publication: Oxford University Press, 1937 (discontinued).
• Adaptations: The music for the First Symphony formed the basis of the following ballet:
Salome. Choreography by André Leclair. First Performance: 18 December 1971. Royal Flemish Opera House, Antwerp. Ballet van Vlaanderen. Royal Flemish Opera House Orchestra, Jan Valach conductor.
• Recordings:

Orchestra Conductor Year Compact Disc Timing
London Symphony Orchestra Sir Hamilton Harty 1935 Dutton CDAX 8003 40’43”
Philharmonia Orchestra Sir William Walton 1951 EMI Classics 5 65004 2 42’26”
Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma della RAI Herbert von Karajan 1953 EMI Classics 5 62869 2 42’09”
London Philharmonic Orchestra Sir Adrian Boult 1957 Precision PVCD 8377 43’55”
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Sir William Walton 1964 Bridge 9133A/B 43’14”
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Sir William Walton 1965 BBC Legends 4097-2 41’17”
London Symphony Orchestra André Previn 1966 BMG 74321 92575 2 43’17”
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Jascha Horenstein 1971 Suisa INCD 7231 48’42”
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Vernon Handley 1978 ASV Quicksilva 6093 43’53”
Philharmonia Orchestra Bernard Haitink 1981 EMI Classics 5 73372 2 51’00”
Scottish National Orchestra Sir Alexander Gibson 1983 Chandos CHAN 6570 43’18”
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra André Previn 1985 Telarc CD-82016 45’00”
London Philharmonic Leonard Slatkin 1987 Virgin Classics 5 62246 2 44’04”
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Vernon Handley 1988 EMI Classics 86596 42’35”
Philharmonia Orchestra Louis Frémaux 1989 Collins 10312 43’54”
London Philharmonic Orchestra Sir Charles Mackerras 1989 EMI Classics 5 75569 2 45’33”
London Philharmonic Bryden Thomson 1990 Chandos CHAN 8862 44’48”
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Vladimir Ashkenazy 1991 London 433 703-2 43’51”
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Sir Simon Rattle 1991 EMI Classics 7 54572 2
EMI Classics 5 56592 2		 44’03”
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Andrew Litton 1993 London 443 450-2 45’01”
BBC National Orchestra of Wales Tadaaki Otaka 1993 BBC Music Magazine II/11 46’02”
English Northern Philharmonia Paul Daniel 1994 Naxos 8.553180 46’08”
London Symphony Orchestra Sir Colin Davis 2005 LSO Live LSO0076 46’01”