Latest stories
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Martyn Brabbins on The Dream of Gerontius (and Havergal Brian)
5th Feb 2026
The conductor discusses his new recording of Elgar's masterpiece with Huddersfield Choral Society, and reflects on how he became such an enthusiastic ambassador for the music of Havergal Brian (whose 150th birthday fell last week).
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The Choral - Reflections on Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius
12th Nov 2025
As Alan Bennett and Nicholas Hytner's film about a Yorkshire choral society performing Elgar's masterpiece during World War One hits UK cinemas, artists including Edward Gardner, Roderick Williams and opera director Stephen Langridge unpack what makes the piece so special for them...
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Orchestral transcriptions of Bach's organ works by Andrew Davis
1st Aug 2025
The late conductor demonstrates his love of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach with a series of orchestral transcriptions of the composer’s organ works, the recording of which was completed by Martyn Brabbins after Davis’s death last year.
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Martyn Brabbins on Michael Tippett's New Year
12th Mar 2025
The conductor discusses the world premiere recording of Tippett's final opera, a 'space-aged fairytale' from 1989 which centres on a troubled child psychologist's transformative encounter with time-travellers from the future.
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Vaughan Williams Symphonies from Martyn Brabbins and the BBC Symphony Orchestra
10th Jan 2020
Martyn Brabbins continues his Vaughan Williams cycle with the sharply-contrasted Third and Fourth symphonies, as well as the première of a newly-restored work for tenor, chorus and orchestra.
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Martyn Brabbins conducts Elgar's Caractacus
29th Mar 2019
Martyn Brabbins conducts the Huddersfield Choral Society and the Orchestra of Opera North in a stirring new recording of Elgar's rarely-performed cantata, Caractacus.
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Tippett Symphonies from Martyn Brabbins
29th Dec 2017
James enjoys commanding accounts of the two first symphonies by Sir Michael Tippett from Martyn Brabbins and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.
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Havergal Brian’s Gothic Symphony
28th Nov 2011
Hyperion release a live recording of the British composer’s gargantuan first symphony, captured at a rare performance at the BBC Proms this summer and featuring an orchestra of over 200 and a choir of 600!
