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  31:20

  Mendelssohn's Symphony No 4 ‘Italian’

  Mendelssohn's Symphony No 4 ‘Italian’

  The sound of Italy.

  Felix Mendelssohn was an avid traveller. He spent nine months or so in Italy in 1830-31 where he jotted down ideas that would make their way into his Symphony No. 4, ‘Italian’. Writing to his sister, Fanny, from Rome in February 1831, he commented, ‘I have once more begun to ...

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  31:14

  Grieg's Symphonic Dances

  Grieg's Symphonic Dances

  The dazzlingly orchestrated Symphonic Dances by Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) were composed in 1896-8. This was a time when many European composers looked to their respective folk traditions in the search for a distinctive national style (examples include Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies and Dvořák’s Slav...

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  56:14

  Schubert's Symphony No.9 'The Great'

  Schubert's Symphony No.9 'The Great'

  Franz Schubert's Symphony No 9 in C, 'Great', initially rejected for its length and complexity, finally premiered in 1839, showcasing Schubert's innovative composition with an iconic 8-bar horn theme. The symphony unfolds through a dynamic range of movements, from the intricate interplay of strin...