Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Albany Symphony Orchestra conducted by George Lloyd.
I - Vivo: 0:00
II - Lento: 17:55
III - Leggiero e brillante: 26:51
IV - Grave: 35:26
V - Finale. Con esultazione: 43:25
Lloyd's Symphony No.11 was composed in 1985, being commissioned by the Albany Symphony Orchestra. It was premiered at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Troy, New York, performed by the aforementioned orchestra conducted by the composer. According to Lloyd, the piece was very well-received. Written in five movements of symmetrical proportion; two large movements surrounding two shorter slow ones, which surround a central scherzo. The piece is also scored for large orchestra, and alongside Lloyd's fifth and seventh symphonies, is a major statement in the postromantic symphonic tradition.
After over twenty years of neglect, Lloyd's music was rediscovered by the public at large after a 1977 BBC broadcast performance of his Symphony No.8. The composer tonal postromanticism, which was deemed a regressive by the English musical establishment, was appreciated by the public. In addition to the BBC, Lloyd found a steadfast champion in the form of the Albany (New York) Symphony Orchestra, which played his music and commissioned more, and in the Albany Record Company, one of America's more enterprising high-quality compact disc labels. This symphony was both commissioned by that orchestra and recorded and released by that label.
The first movement is structured in a large-scale sonata form. It begins with a dramatic series of motives, most notably a fast descending figure on woodwinds and horn calls in triplet rhythm. These are the roots the fierce and vivacious main theme is composed. Follows a martial and dissonant second theme built on a 12-tone row that is treated in a non-serial fashion. A diminuendo transition, dominated by a solo from the English horn, leads to a mysterious and darkly coloured third theme. It is sustained by fragments of the previous material, the theme growing more lyrical and expressive until reaching a climax that is suddenly cut off.
The development and transformation of the themes ensues, each seemingly battling for prominence. The music dissolves in another mysterious passage, before tension and dissonance begins to accumulate, starting a varied recapitulation of the material. A powerful climax is reached with the second theme, followed by another climax with a major-key return of the main theme. A diminuendo slows the music down, with brief reminiscences of fragments of the material, before the vivo ends with a meditative fade-out coda.
The second movement is written in form of an arch. It opens with an expressive and chromatic main theme on violins and supported by horn chords, almost mystical in tone. There is no contrasting motives or themes, but a continual development of the main material, unfolding with great lyricism with rich orchestration. A passionate and intense climax near the end is reached, reminiscent of Mahler. The music then returns to the opening poignancy, before the lento ends with a serene coda.
The third movement is a scherzo in expanded ternary form (A-B-A'-B'-A''-Coda). It begins with a rhythmic and animated main theme, somewhat Iberian in its dance-like rhythms. The trio section features a widely lyrical and cantabile second theme on bass clarinet, supported by harp and strings. The scherzo then resumes with the return of the main material, followed by the second one as well. Both themes are contrapuntally combined. A final return of the main material leads to a passionate and life-affirming climax. The music then slows down before the scherzo ends with a vigorous coda.
The fourth movement is structured in a simpler ternary form. It opens with harshly dissonant chords on full orchestra, reminiscent of the opening horn calls. A lyrical main theme is presented by strings and woodwinds over a marching rhythm on percussion and brass, as if echoes of a military band that may be a reference to Lloyd's service as a Marine bandsman during World War II. The menacing and dissonant martial rhythms return, before brass introduces an expressive, somewhat funereal second theme, with which the music reaches a passionate climax of tragic tone. The main theme is then recapitulated in all its lyricismsm, with a brief but dramatic disturbance with the return of the marching rhythms. The grave ends with a peaceful coda as the music dissolves in the silence.
[Musical analysis continued in the comments section].
Picture: "And the Saved World Remembers" (1985) by the Belarusian painter Mai Dantsig.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2ydy4b58 and tinyurl.com/23d4dtdx
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
Albany Symphony Orchestra conducted by George Lloyd.
I - Vivo: 0:00
II - Lento: 17:55
III - Leggiero e brillante: 26:51
IV - Grave: 35:26
V - Finale. Con esultazione: 43:25
Lloyd's Symphony No.11 was composed in 1985, being commissioned by the Albany Symphony Orchestra. It was premiered at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall on Troy, New York, performed by the aforementioned orchestra conducted by the composer. According to Lloyd, the piece was very well-received. Written in five movements of symmetrical proportion; two large movements surrounding two shorter slow ones, which surround a central scherzo. The piece is also scored for large orchestra, and alongside Lloyd's fifth and seventh symphonies, is a major statement in the postromantic symphonic tradition.
After over twenty years of neglect, Lloyd's music was rediscovered by the public at large after a 1977 BBC broadcast performance of his Symphony No.8. The composer tonal postromanticism, which was deemed a regressive by the English musical establishment, was appreciated by the public. In addition to the BBC, Lloyd found a steadfast champion in the form of the Albany (New York) Symphony Orchestra, which played his music and commissioned more, and in the Albany Record Company, one of America's more enterprising high-quality compact disc labels. This symphony was both commissioned by that orchestra and recorded and released by that label.
The first movement is structured in a large-scale sonata form. It begins with a dramatic series of motives, most notably a fast descending figure on woodwinds and horn calls in triplet rhythm. These are the roots the fierce and vivacious main theme is composed. Follows a martial and dissonant second theme built on a 12-tone row that is treated in a non-serial fashion. A diminuendo transition, dominated by a solo from the English horn, leads to a mysterious and darkly coloured third theme. It is sustained by fragments of the previous material, the theme growing more lyrical and expressive until reaching a climax that is suddenly cut off.
The development and transformation of the themes ensues, each seemingly battling for prominence. The music dissolves in another mysterious passage, before tension and dissonance begins to accumulate, starting a varied recapitulation of the material. A powerful climax is reached with the second theme, followed by another climax with a major-key return of the main theme. A diminuendo slows the music down, with brief reminiscences of fragments of the material, before the vivo ends with a meditative fade-out coda.
The second movement is written in form of an arch. It opens with an expressive and chromatic main theme on violins and supported by horn chords, almost mystical in tone. There is no contrasting motives or themes, but a continual development of the main material, unfolding with great lyricism with rich orchestration. A passionate and intense climax near the end is reached, reminiscent of Mahler. The music then returns to the opening poignancy, before the lento ends with a serene coda.
The third movement is a scherzo in expanded ternary form (A-B-A'-B'-A''-Coda). It begins with a rhythmic and animated main theme, somewhat Iberian in its dance-like rhythms. The trio section features a widely lyrical and cantabile second theme on bass clarinet, supported by harp and strings. The scherzo then resumes with the return of the main material, followed by the second one as well. Both themes are contrapuntally combined. A final return of the main material leads to a passionate and life-affirming climax. The music then slows down before the scherzo ends with a vigorous coda.
The fourth movement is structured in a simpler ternary form. It opens with harshly dissonant chords on full orchestra, reminiscent of the opening horn calls. A lyrical main theme is presented by strings and woodwinds over a marching rhythm on percussion and brass, as if echoes of a military band that may be a reference to Lloyd's service as a Marine bandsman during World War II. The menacing and dissonant martial rhythms return, before brass introduces an expressive, somewhat funereal second theme, with which the music reaches a passionate climax of tragic tone. The main theme is then recapitulated in all its lyricismsm, with a brief but dramatic disturbance with the return of the marching rhythms. The grave ends with a peaceful coda as the music dissolves in the silence.
[Musical analysis continued in the comments section].
Picture: "And the Saved World Remembers" (1985) by the Belarusian painter Mai Dantsig.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2ydy4b58 and tinyurl.com/23d4dtdx
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
