Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir Edward Downes.
I - Tranquillo - Allegro: 0:00
II - Largo: 18:28
III - Vivace: 32:38
Lloyd's Symphony No.8 was composed in 1961, being orchestrated in Spring of 1965. The piece was premiered in a BBC broadcast in 1977, performed by the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Edward Downes. This broadcast attracted much attention and brought Lloyd to public light after over 20 years of musical obscurity. The symphony then received its first public performance at Southwell Minster in May 1978, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra (conductor also unknown). This was followed by another performance at the Royal Festival Hall, also with the Philharmonia, in 1980.
Like the seventh symphony, the eight is scored for large orchestra and divided in three large movements. Unlike the seventh, however, it carries no extramusical elements and is much more bright and optimistic in tone. Lloyd himself states this: "When I started this work I wanted to write something vivacious, with brilliant colouring and no particular program; this would be in contrast to my previous occupation with the Proserpine legend that had turned into my Seventh Symphony and had become one of my most deeply felt."
The score was written at a time of neglect for Lloyd's music. His early success in the thirties was cut short by his service in World War II and a horrible accident that left the composer recovering for decades. In the fifties Lloyd attempted to restart his compositional career, but by then his postromantic style was no longer appreciated, as modernism and serialism had taken over as predominant styles. Unwilling to change his language, eventually he gave up and became a market gardener, only writing music on his spare time, confined to a shelf with no hope of performance. It wasn't until the broadcast of Lloyd's Symphony No.8 that his music was rediscovered by the public at large.
The first movement is loosely structrued in sonata form. It begins with a substantial slow introduction, with a six-note motive on flutes at the very outset which is the foundation of the entire movement. The tranquillo is mostly composed on increasingly expressive variations on this motive, before a sudden and loud dissonance begins the main allegro. A rhythmic and angular main theme is presented, followed by a more graceful and dance-like second theme shared between strings and woodwind. A more lyrical idea is also introduce, but not fully exposed until a romantic climax on full orchestra.
Much of the music is built up by the bold use of washes of contrasting colour, the repetition of decorative figures, and the sequential working of the material. After a crescendo transition, the development of the material starts with fragments of the themes, quickly leading to a dramatic and passionate climax. After another transition, a varied recapitulation of the material begins, reaching another grand climax. The movement ends with a slow and contemplative coda that recalls the very introduction, ending with a gentle fade-out.
The second movement is written as a rondo. It opens with a mysterious harp ostinato, a muted horn call and darkly coloured woodwind phrases, which gradually reveal an expressive and melancholic main theme. Strings fully expose it before being taken by woodwinds. The rhythm of a slow, almost funereal march is adopted by percussion, as the material unfolds. Interjected there are innocent and brief allegretto interludes, offering contrast. An intense if short-lived climax is reached with fateful brass calls, before the main material continues to be developed and reaches a bitterly dissonant climax. An expressive recapitulation of the theme leads to a passionate climax on full orchestra. Eventually, after the allegretto has again reappeared, a solo cello leads to the quiet and wistful coda.
The third movement is rather free in form. It begins with a rhythmic and vivacious main theme, taing the shape of a tarantella. Lloyd himself recognized he was influenced Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony in this part of the symphony. Other motives and ideas either contribute to the rhythmic momentum or offer brief contrast, without being fully fleshed out. Lloyd's orchestration truly excells in this movement, being the most colourful an richly scored. A massive climax is reached near the middle, followed by a kind of development of the various motives as well as the main theme. As the music moves towards the end, the percussion is increasingly used; rattling xylophone, chiming glockenspeil and bells. A haunting brief Lento interlude reminds us of the opening of the largo, before a fast march leads to a boisterous coda with a triumphal chord.
Picture: "Arcadian Landscape" (1935) by Dutch painter Carel Willink.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/23rgu34o, tinyurl.com/2dpfbuol as well as the recoring's booklet.
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Sir Edward Downes.
I - Tranquillo - Allegro: 0:00
II - Largo: 18:28
III - Vivace: 32:38
Lloyd's Symphony No.8 was composed in 1961, being orchestrated in Spring of 1965. The piece was premiered in a BBC broadcast in 1977, performed by the BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Edward Downes. This broadcast attracted much attention and brought Lloyd to public light after over 20 years of musical obscurity. The symphony then received its first public performance at Southwell Minster in May 1978, performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra (conductor also unknown). This was followed by another performance at the Royal Festival Hall, also with the Philharmonia, in 1980.
Like the seventh symphony, the eight is scored for large orchestra and divided in three large movements. Unlike the seventh, however, it carries no extramusical elements and is much more bright and optimistic in tone. Lloyd himself states this: "When I started this work I wanted to write something vivacious, with brilliant colouring and no particular program; this would be in contrast to my previous occupation with the Proserpine legend that had turned into my Seventh Symphony and had become one of my most deeply felt."
The score was written at a time of neglect for Lloyd's music. His early success in the thirties was cut short by his service in World War II and a horrible accident that left the composer recovering for decades. In the fifties Lloyd attempted to restart his compositional career, but by then his postromantic style was no longer appreciated, as modernism and serialism had taken over as predominant styles. Unwilling to change his language, eventually he gave up and became a market gardener, only writing music on his spare time, confined to a shelf with no hope of performance. It wasn't until the broadcast of Lloyd's Symphony No.8 that his music was rediscovered by the public at large.
The first movement is loosely structrued in sonata form. It begins with a substantial slow introduction, with a six-note motive on flutes at the very outset which is the foundation of the entire movement. The tranquillo is mostly composed on increasingly expressive variations on this motive, before a sudden and loud dissonance begins the main allegro. A rhythmic and angular main theme is presented, followed by a more graceful and dance-like second theme shared between strings and woodwind. A more lyrical idea is also introduce, but not fully exposed until a romantic climax on full orchestra.
Much of the music is built up by the bold use of washes of contrasting colour, the repetition of decorative figures, and the sequential working of the material. After a crescendo transition, the development of the material starts with fragments of the themes, quickly leading to a dramatic and passionate climax. After another transition, a varied recapitulation of the material begins, reaching another grand climax. The movement ends with a slow and contemplative coda that recalls the very introduction, ending with a gentle fade-out.
The second movement is written as a rondo. It opens with a mysterious harp ostinato, a muted horn call and darkly coloured woodwind phrases, which gradually reveal an expressive and melancholic main theme. Strings fully expose it before being taken by woodwinds. The rhythm of a slow, almost funereal march is adopted by percussion, as the material unfolds. Interjected there are innocent and brief allegretto interludes, offering contrast. An intense if short-lived climax is reached with fateful brass calls, before the main material continues to be developed and reaches a bitterly dissonant climax. An expressive recapitulation of the theme leads to a passionate climax on full orchestra. Eventually, after the allegretto has again reappeared, a solo cello leads to the quiet and wistful coda.
The third movement is rather free in form. It begins with a rhythmic and vivacious main theme, taing the shape of a tarantella. Lloyd himself recognized he was influenced Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony in this part of the symphony. Other motives and ideas either contribute to the rhythmic momentum or offer brief contrast, without being fully fleshed out. Lloyd's orchestration truly excells in this movement, being the most colourful an richly scored. A massive climax is reached near the middle, followed by a kind of development of the various motives as well as the main theme. As the music moves towards the end, the percussion is increasingly used; rattling xylophone, chiming glockenspeil and bells. A haunting brief Lento interlude reminds us of the opening of the largo, before a fast march leads to a boisterous coda with a triumphal chord.
Picture: "Arcadian Landscape" (1935) by Dutch painter Carel Willink.
Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: tinyurl.com/23rgu34o, tinyurl.com/2dpfbuol as well as the recoring's booklet.
Unfortunately, the score isn't freely available.
