Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir Edward Downes.
I - Allegro moderato: 0:00
II - Lento tranquillo: 17:07
III - Allegro scherzando: 29:41
IV - Lento - Allegro ma non troppo: 42:57
Lloyd's Symphony No.4 was composed between 1945-6, not being premiered until much later at the Cheltenham Festival on July 13 of 1981, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra. The composer served in World War II with the Royal Marines as a Bandsman. On board the cruiser HMS Trinidad on Arctic convoys he was one of the Bandsmen manning the Transmitting Station, which was situated deep in the hull of the ship. In 1942, during an engagement, the ship fired a faulty torpedo which travelled in a circular track and hit the ship, fracturing a large fuel oil tank. Many of Lloyd's shipmates were drowned in the fuel oil, and he was the last man to escape from the compartment.
Lloyd suffered severe mental and physical trauma from the shell shock, and was hospitalized before being discharged from the Royal Marines. When the war ended, his wife took him to Switzerland. After 4 years he was well enough to start composing again, through the devotion and love of his Swiss wife, Nancy. Lloyd stated the following about the symphony: "On the title page [...] I wrote '... a world of darkness, storms, strange colours and a far-away peacefulness.' That for me was the Arctic; during the winter of 1941-2 I had seen some of its terrifying aspects, its violence and immensity so overwhelming that even men's barbarity to each other seemed to become less horrifying than it was. In 1945 I started to try to compose again; my impressions and experiences in the Arctic had become something of an obsession and they gradually formulated themselves into a symphony... where the music, the sea, an orchestra, my own anguish, all became mixed up together."
The first movement is written in a large-scale sonata form. It begins with a portentous timpani roll, followed by a willful main theme shared between brass, strings and woodwinds, built on a rising and falling figure and with Lloyd's characteristic use of dotted rhythms. The music turns more dissonant and conflicted as the material unfolds, leading to a ferocious fortissimo climax. Then a serene and lyrical second theme provides great contrast, introduced in dialogues between strings and woodwinds. It grows into a passionate and expressive climax. The ensuing development opens with a brief reminiscence of the main theme, before the music turns increasingly agitated and tense, with a heroic brass fanfare peeking through the bleak landscape. An imposing and dissonant climax leads to the recapitulation of the main themes, separated by a bitter anticlimax. A brilliant return of the main theme ends the allegro with a victorious gesture in which the BACH motif can be heard.
The second movement is structured in ternary form, being inspired by the lanscapes of the Norwegian coast as far as the North Cape. It opens with a chilling pedal notes on strings, an ear-catching evocation of the frosty calm of the Arctic seascape, though the beauty of the place is just as forcefully conveyed as its alienating chilliness. The music gradually unfolds in an expressive manner with a melodic theme while remaining this glacial statis. Lloyd’s use of chromatic figures prevent the music from becoming too restful. The central part starts as clarinets present a lyrical second theme of romantic nature, which develops in an increasingly passionate manner until reaching a powerfully moving climax. Afterwards we return to the opening's melodic theme and its icing evocation of the arctic seas. A serene coda ends the lento.
The third movement is a scherzo in rondo form (A-B-A'-C-A''-B'-C'-A'''). It begins with an animated and rhythmic main theme, presented by strings with deft, abrupt changes of key and an absence of heavy brass. A more melodic and fantastical second theme is presented, underlined by the rhythmic momentum of the music. After a climax, the main theme is recapitulated in a varied manner. Then a deeply lyrical and cantabile third theme is introduced by woodwinds, featuring beautiful arabesques and creating effective contrast. The balletic main theme is then recapitulated once again with slight changes, followed by the second. The third theme is recapitulated as well, with solo violin performing the arabesques instead of woodwinds. A coda based on the main material ends the scherzo-like allegro with a resolute and life-affirming coda.
[Musical analysis continued in the comments section].
Picture: Upscaled version of "Routed North: Arctic Convoys Routed North in Summer, to the Edge of the Ice Pack, to Evade Aircraft Based in North Norway" (1972-8) by John Alan Hamilton.
Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2ceea6a9 and tinyurl.com/24bx7rvr
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir Edward Downes.
I - Allegro moderato: 0:00
II - Lento tranquillo: 17:07
III - Allegro scherzando: 29:41
IV - Lento - Allegro ma non troppo: 42:57
Lloyd's Symphony No.4 was composed between 1945-6, not being premiered until much later at the Cheltenham Festival on July 13 of 1981, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra. The composer served in World War II with the Royal Marines as a Bandsman. On board the cruiser HMS Trinidad on Arctic convoys he was one of the Bandsmen manning the Transmitting Station, which was situated deep in the hull of the ship. In 1942, during an engagement, the ship fired a faulty torpedo which travelled in a circular track and hit the ship, fracturing a large fuel oil tank. Many of Lloyd's shipmates were drowned in the fuel oil, and he was the last man to escape from the compartment.
Lloyd suffered severe mental and physical trauma from the shell shock, and was hospitalized before being discharged from the Royal Marines. When the war ended, his wife took him to Switzerland. After 4 years he was well enough to start composing again, through the devotion and love of his Swiss wife, Nancy. Lloyd stated the following about the symphony: "On the title page [...] I wrote '... a world of darkness, storms, strange colours and a far-away peacefulness.' That for me was the Arctic; during the winter of 1941-2 I had seen some of its terrifying aspects, its violence and immensity so overwhelming that even men's barbarity to each other seemed to become less horrifying than it was. In 1945 I started to try to compose again; my impressions and experiences in the Arctic had become something of an obsession and they gradually formulated themselves into a symphony... where the music, the sea, an orchestra, my own anguish, all became mixed up together."
The first movement is written in a large-scale sonata form. It begins with a portentous timpani roll, followed by a willful main theme shared between brass, strings and woodwinds, built on a rising and falling figure and with Lloyd's characteristic use of dotted rhythms. The music turns more dissonant and conflicted as the material unfolds, leading to a ferocious fortissimo climax. Then a serene and lyrical second theme provides great contrast, introduced in dialogues between strings and woodwinds. It grows into a passionate and expressive climax. The ensuing development opens with a brief reminiscence of the main theme, before the music turns increasingly agitated and tense, with a heroic brass fanfare peeking through the bleak landscape. An imposing and dissonant climax leads to the recapitulation of the main themes, separated by a bitter anticlimax. A brilliant return of the main theme ends the allegro with a victorious gesture in which the BACH motif can be heard.
The second movement is structured in ternary form, being inspired by the lanscapes of the Norwegian coast as far as the North Cape. It opens with a chilling pedal notes on strings, an ear-catching evocation of the frosty calm of the Arctic seascape, though the beauty of the place is just as forcefully conveyed as its alienating chilliness. The music gradually unfolds in an expressive manner with a melodic theme while remaining this glacial statis. Lloyd’s use of chromatic figures prevent the music from becoming too restful. The central part starts as clarinets present a lyrical second theme of romantic nature, which develops in an increasingly passionate manner until reaching a powerfully moving climax. Afterwards we return to the opening's melodic theme and its icing evocation of the arctic seas. A serene coda ends the lento.
The third movement is a scherzo in rondo form (A-B-A'-C-A''-B'-C'-A'''). It begins with an animated and rhythmic main theme, presented by strings with deft, abrupt changes of key and an absence of heavy brass. A more melodic and fantastical second theme is presented, underlined by the rhythmic momentum of the music. After a climax, the main theme is recapitulated in a varied manner. Then a deeply lyrical and cantabile third theme is introduced by woodwinds, featuring beautiful arabesques and creating effective contrast. The balletic main theme is then recapitulated once again with slight changes, followed by the second. The third theme is recapitulated as well, with solo violin performing the arabesques instead of woodwinds. A coda based on the main material ends the scherzo-like allegro with a resolute and life-affirming coda.
[Musical analysis continued in the comments section].
Picture: Upscaled version of "Routed North: Arctic Convoys Routed North in Summer, to the Edge of the Ice Pack, to Evade Aircraft Based in North Norway" (1972-8) by John Alan Hamilton.
Musical analysis mostly written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2ceea6a9 and tinyurl.com/24bx7rvr
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
