Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by George Lloyd.
I - Allegro: 0:00
II - Adagio: 8:08
III - Vivace: 14:24
Lloyd's Symphony No.6 was composed in 1956, not being premiered until October 12 of 1980, performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra under Ted Downes. Soon after it was performed in a Promenade Concert on July 21 of 1981, with the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Edward Downes. After recovering from a horrible accident during his service in World War II, Lloyd attempted to restart his compositional career in the UK. Unfortunately, by then his postromantic style was no longer appreciated, as modernism and serialism largely took over the musical institutions of the West.
On returning to this country he was commissioned to write an opera for the Festival of Britain in 1951 along with Britten and Vaughan Williams. The resulting opera "John Socman" was plagued with problems. After hearing a shambolic performance, Lloyd vowed that he would never set foot in an opera house again. Unwilling to change his language, eventually he gave up and became a market gardener, only writing music on his spare time. It wasn't until a 1977 BBC broadcast performance of his Symphony No.8 that Lloyd reappeared on the music scene and his compositions began to be discussed again. Lloyd's Sixth is a model of formal perfection and emotional restraint. Whilst it is not on the epic scale of its neighbours, the symphony is by any standards a fine symphonic achievement and is easily the best of Lloyd s small-scale orchestral works.
The composer wrote the following about the piece: "Like my first three symphonies, the Sixth is comparatively short. The aim is to be concise, bright and lively with a minimum of development. After I had finished the score, I showed it to one or two people who condemned it as having no contemporary significance; I suppose they thought it was not serious enough for a symphony. Perhaps I was a little naive, but I believe it should once again be possible to say something true, that grew up out of the main traditions of Western music. It also had to have plenty of tunes, because I like music that sings and moves along in a flowing way..."
The first movement is monothematic in form. It begins with a rhythmic main theme presented by staccato strings and low woodwinds, composed of multiple figures; a stalking, syncopated rising figure on lower strings, bassoons and bass clarinet, countered by another on first violins covering two octaves, followed by an effective but naively simple melody. There's no second theme nor contrasting material, as one would expect from a sonata-like first movement. The ensuing development is light and straightforward, mostly focusing on timbrical variance and concluding with an expressive and dissonant climax. A slow transition then leads to a varied recapitulation of the material. The allegro then ends with a gentle coda.
The second movement is structured in ternary form. It opens with a lyrical and expressive main theme in F minor, full of an affecting gentle melancholy. The central section features a broad and equally lyrical second theme, introduced by the clarinet and then unfolded in counterpoint with the main material. The main theme is then recapitulated with a varied orchestration. A serene and reflective coda closes the adagio.
The third movement combines the scherzo and finale in a loose sonata structure, something Arnold Bax frequently did in his symphonies as well. It begins with an animated and elfin main theme presented by flute and pizzicato strings, calling to mind Cornish legend. A willful and resolute second theme then appears with full vigour. It is contrasted by a playful and folkish third theme. Follows a development of this material, mostly subdued in dynamics but rich in orchestral colour. A crescendo leads to a more dramatic and intense recapitulation of the themes, a hair-raising flutter-tongued trumpet trill ushering in the final tutti restatement of this folk-like tune. The brilliant coda is brief and climactic without being overblown or outstaying its welcome.
Picture: "The Towpath" by British artist Simon Palmer.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2ymhdyba and tinyurl.com/2y26voya
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by George Lloyd.
I - Allegro: 0:00
II - Adagio: 8:08
III - Vivace: 14:24
Lloyd's Symphony No.6 was composed in 1956, not being premiered until October 12 of 1980, performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra under Ted Downes. Soon after it was performed in a Promenade Concert on July 21 of 1981, with the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Edward Downes. After recovering from a horrible accident during his service in World War II, Lloyd attempted to restart his compositional career in the UK. Unfortunately, by then his postromantic style was no longer appreciated, as modernism and serialism largely took over the musical institutions of the West.
On returning to this country he was commissioned to write an opera for the Festival of Britain in 1951 along with Britten and Vaughan Williams. The resulting opera "John Socman" was plagued with problems. After hearing a shambolic performance, Lloyd vowed that he would never set foot in an opera house again. Unwilling to change his language, eventually he gave up and became a market gardener, only writing music on his spare time. It wasn't until a 1977 BBC broadcast performance of his Symphony No.8 that Lloyd reappeared on the music scene and his compositions began to be discussed again. Lloyd's Sixth is a model of formal perfection and emotional restraint. Whilst it is not on the epic scale of its neighbours, the symphony is by any standards a fine symphonic achievement and is easily the best of Lloyd s small-scale orchestral works.
The composer wrote the following about the piece: "Like my first three symphonies, the Sixth is comparatively short. The aim is to be concise, bright and lively with a minimum of development. After I had finished the score, I showed it to one or two people who condemned it as having no contemporary significance; I suppose they thought it was not serious enough for a symphony. Perhaps I was a little naive, but I believe it should once again be possible to say something true, that grew up out of the main traditions of Western music. It also had to have plenty of tunes, because I like music that sings and moves along in a flowing way..."
The first movement is monothematic in form. It begins with a rhythmic main theme presented by staccato strings and low woodwinds, composed of multiple figures; a stalking, syncopated rising figure on lower strings, bassoons and bass clarinet, countered by another on first violins covering two octaves, followed by an effective but naively simple melody. There's no second theme nor contrasting material, as one would expect from a sonata-like first movement. The ensuing development is light and straightforward, mostly focusing on timbrical variance and concluding with an expressive and dissonant climax. A slow transition then leads to a varied recapitulation of the material. The allegro then ends with a gentle coda.
The second movement is structured in ternary form. It opens with a lyrical and expressive main theme in F minor, full of an affecting gentle melancholy. The central section features a broad and equally lyrical second theme, introduced by the clarinet and then unfolded in counterpoint with the main material. The main theme is then recapitulated with a varied orchestration. A serene and reflective coda closes the adagio.
The third movement combines the scherzo and finale in a loose sonata structure, something Arnold Bax frequently did in his symphonies as well. It begins with an animated and elfin main theme presented by flute and pizzicato strings, calling to mind Cornish legend. A willful and resolute second theme then appears with full vigour. It is contrasted by a playful and folkish third theme. Follows a development of this material, mostly subdued in dynamics but rich in orchestral colour. A crescendo leads to a more dramatic and intense recapitulation of the themes, a hair-raising flutter-tongued trumpet trill ushering in the final tutti restatement of this folk-like tune. The brilliant coda is brief and climactic without being overblown or outstaying its welcome.
Picture: "The Towpath" by British artist Simon Palmer.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/2ymhdyba and tinyurl.com/2y26voya
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
