Brian: Symphony No. 1 "The Gothic.".(Sound Recording Review)

Brian: Symphony No. 1 "The Gothic." Eva Jenisova, Dagmar Peckova, Vladimir Dolezal, Peter Mikulas, soloists; Ondrej Lenard, Slovak Opera Chorus, Slovak Folk Ensemble Chorus, Lucnica Chorus, Bratislava City Choir, Bratislava Children's Choir, Youth Echo Choir, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos 8.557418-19 (2-disc set).

Havergal Brian was one of those early twentieth-century English composers who refused to believe that the Romantic Age had ended and continued producing music in the Romantic manner until his death in 1972 at the age of 96. His First Symphony was not completed until 1927, when the man was already in his late fifties, and he was to write more than 30 more of them before he died. You might say he was dedicated; or compulsive.

His Symphony No. 1 is named "The Gothic" because it was partly inspired by the Gothic Age (1150-1560), the beginning of Enlightenment, and the massive and imposing structure of Gothic cathedrals in general. It was also inspired by Goethe's Faust, written in the early nineteenth century, so it owes a lot to previous generations. It also owes a lot to Bruckner and Mahler and probably a dozen other composers, as it borrows from everyone.

The Symphony has the distinction of being listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's "largest symphony," which is probably the only reason it's remembered today. Certainly, only a handful of Brian's other works are remembered. The First ...