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🎶 Rediscovering Sir Charles Villiers Stanford: A Symphonic Week at 1 PM (July 28 – Aug 1)
Why We’re Listening
From Monday through Friday, every day at 1 PM, we’re dedicating a full hour to Sir Charles Villiers Stanford’s symphonies. These works remain unjustly rare in concert halls and on airwaves—this week offers a chance to experience five of his orchestral masterpieces.
🎼 About the Composer
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852–1924) was an Anglo‑Irish composer, conductor, organist, and renowned teacher of the late Romantic era. Born in Dublin into a musical family, he studied at Cambridge, Leipzig, and Berlin before becoming a founding professor at the Royal College of Music and later Professor of Music at Cambridge He composed broadly—over 200 works, including seven symphonies, choral music, operas, and concertos. His students included Holst and Vaughan Williams, and he was a firm believer in classical forms, often critical of modernist trends.
đź“… Playlist & Symphony Backgrounds
Monday, July 28 – Symphony No. 2 in D minor “Elegiac” (1882)
Performed by the Ulster Orchestra under Vernon Handley.
Despite the “Elegiac” subtitle, this symphony is not tragic but suffused with poignant yet optimistic themes. Stanford prefaced it with a quote from Tennyson’s In Memoriam, inspiring reflective textures punctuated by Romantic vitality.
Tuesday, July 29 – Symphony No. 3 in F minor “Irish”, Op. 28 (1887)
Performed by the Bournemouth Symphony under David Lloyd‑Jones.
Nicknamed the “Irish Symphony”, it incorporates folk‑inspired themes and embraces both lyrical and dramatic contrasts. Composed at the crest of his creative maturity, it demonstrates Stanford’s national identity and orchestral finesse.
Wednesday, July 30 – Symphony No. 4 in F major, Op. 31 (1888)
Performed by the Ulster Orchestra under Vernon Handley.
Following the success of the Third, No. 4 refines his symphonic voice. Its lingering slow movement is emotionally rich and introspective, revealing Stanford’s depth of expression.
Thursday, July 31 – Symphony No. 6 in E‑flat major “In Memoriam G. F. Watts”, Op. 94 (1905)
Performed by the Ulster Orchestra under Vernon Handley.
Written in remembrance of the painter G. F. Watts, this mature work blends tribute and elegy with Stanford’s late‑Romantic orchestral language. It evokes solemn grandeur tinged with heartfelt homage.
Friday, August 1 – Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 124 (1911)
Performed by the Ulster Orchestra under Vernon Handley.
Stanford’s final symphony is his most expansive and contemplative. It melds dramatic weight with refined melody, summoning the culmination of his symphonic journey.
🧠Why This Matters
Stanford was a central figure in the British musical renaissance of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, alongside Parry and Mackenzie. Despite his leadership and prolific output, his reputation was eclipsed by Elgar and some of his distinguished pupils. Today, his symphonies are seldom heard, though recent recordings have begun to revive appreciation.
These symphonies showcase his mastery of orchestral structure, lyrical gift, and the infusion of Irish character into grand Romantic forms. They deserve a wider audience—and this week, you’re part of that discovery.
đź“» Tune In
Join us each day at 1 PM, July 28 through August 1, to hear these underplayed gems brought to life by passionate performances. Let’s champion the listener experience Stanford intended.