The William Walton Trust - Musica sinfonica

• 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”

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