Arthur Benjamin

[Christo]

He was Australian but lived in England.

Whereas most Australians happen to be English people who happen to live in Australia, isn't it.  Whatever, I love the symphony and all this talking about it makes me thirsty: will play it again tomorrow, this evening is reserved for Kodály.

[calyptorhynchus]

Whereas most Australians happen to be English people who happen to live in Australia, isn't it. 

I'm British born but have lived in Australia since 1991. I don't feel very British any more 
Recently I wrote to the Goldner String Quartet and asked them to consider playing the Benjamin SQ. The reply was fairly encouraging, so they might add it it to their repertoire (fingers crossed).

[André]

Cross-posted from the WAYL2 thread:



Benjamin's symphony is a serious, ruminative work written in the last year of WWII.

In the first movement a feeling of unease creeps in through the ambiguously undulating gestures from low strings and winds. They are made to sound ominous and powerful thanks to the resolute march rythm that made me think, of all things, of the music accompanying the discovery of the dinosaurs in the film Jurassic Park.

In the scherzo, low dynamics give its scurrying figurations a tiptoeing feeling where one might expect some good-natured rip-roaring banter instead (Benjamin's reputation was 'cursed' by his immense success as a composer of light music). The unease and anguish are given full voice in the Adagio appassionato slow movement, described in the excellent booklet notes as the work's expressive core. It is a deeply felt lament. The clouds clear in the finale and we finally get emotional relief in the form of a joyous celebratory romp.

Thanks to his masterful command of structure, Benjamin is able to harness this heavy material into a perfectly proportioned work of great emotional power and musical integrity. It is certainly on the same level as the finest symphonies of its time.

EDIT: another listening revealed the shark theme from Jaws lurking underwater (low strings ostinato) btw 3:30 and 4:30 in the first movement  .. John Williams must have known the score.

[vandermolen]

Cross-posted from the WAYL2 thread:



Benjamin's symphony is a serious, ruminative work written in the last year of WWII.

In the first movement a feeling of unease creeps in through the ambiguously undulating gestures from low strings and winds. They are made to sound ominous and powerful thanks to the resolute march rythm that made me think, of all things, of the music accompanying the discovery of the dinosaurs in the film Jurassic Park.

In the scherzo, low dynamics give its scurrying figurations a tiptoeing feeling where one might expect some good-natured rip-roaring banter instead (Benjamin's reputation was 'cursed' by his immense success as a composer of light music). The unease and anguish are given full voice in the Adagio appassionato slow movement, described in the excellent booklet notes as the work's expressive core. It is a deeply felt lament. The clouds clear in the finale and we finally get emotional relief in the form of a joyous celebratory romp.

Thanks to his masterful command of structure, Benjamin is able to harness this heavy material into a perfectly proportioned work of great emotional power and musical integrity. It is certainly on the same level as the finest symphonies of its time.

EDIT: another listening revealed the shark theme from Jaws lurking underwater (low strings ostinato) btw 3:30 and 4:30 in the first movement  .. John Williams must have known the score.

Must listen out for the 'Jaws' theme 

I really like the Symphony.