Havergal Brian: The Gothic Symphony
Susan Gritton (soprano), Christine Rice (mezzo), Peter Auty (tenor), Alastair Miles (bass), David Goode (organ)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Concert Orchestra, various choirs, Martyn Brabbins
Awards:
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Presto Recording of the Week, 28th November 2011
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Gramophone Magazine, February 2012, Editor's Choice
the best [recording] yet. There's an ongoing buzz of Proms atmosphere that grips from start to finish; and the recorded sound succeeds phenomenally at somehow fitting Brian's hugest climaxes...
Havergal Brian: The Gothic Symphony
Susan Gritton (soprano), Christine Rice (mezzo), Peter Auty (tenor), Alastair Miles (bass), David Goode (organ)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Concert Orchestra, various choirs, Martyn Brabbins
Purchase product
Awards:
-
Presto Recording of the Week, 28th November 2011
-
Gramophone Magazine, February 2012, Editor's Choice
the best [recording] yet. There's an ongoing buzz of Proms atmosphere that grips from start to finish; and the recorded sound succeeds phenomenally at somehow fitting Brian's hugest climaxes...
About
On 17 July 2011 over 800 performers gathered in London’s Royal Albert Hall to give a rare performance of Havergal Brian’s Symphony No 1 in D minor—‘The Gothic’. Tickets for this Prom sold out within 24 hours, and so it gives us great pleasure to make this live recording available to all.
It’s a pretty phenomenal work. Responding to the challenge set by Sir Henry Wood, the composer has thrown just about every known orchestral instrument into the mix, then adding a double chorus of over 500, plus children’s choirs, for an hour-long Te Deum—the church’s blazing Hymn of Thanksgiving—which makes up the symphony’s finale.
Whether or not you were lucky enough to be there on the night, this is a recording not to be missed.
Contents and tracklist
- Susan Gritton (soprano), Christine Rice (mezzo-soprano), Peter Auty (tenor), Alastair Miles (bass)
- BBC National Orchestra of Wales ; BBC Concert Orchestra, The Bach Choir ; Brighton Festival Chorus ; Côr Caerdydd ; CBSO Youth Chorus ; Eltham College Boys' Choir ; Huddersfield Choral Society ; London Symphony Chorus ; Southend Boys' and Girls' Choirs, The Bach Choir ; Brighton Festival Chorus ; Côr Caerdydd ; Huddersfield Choral Society ; London Symphony Chorus, The Bach Choir ; Côr Caerdydd ; CBSO Youth Chorus ; Eltham College Boys' Choir ; Huddersfield Choral Society ; London Symphony Chorus ; Southend Boys' and Girls' Choirs, BBC National Chorus of Wales
- Martyn Brabbins
Spotlight on this release
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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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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!
Awards and reviews
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Presto Recording of the Week28th November 2011
-
Gramophone MagazineFebruary 2012Editor's Choice
March 2012
the best [recording] yet. There's an ongoing buzz of Proms atmosphere that grips from start to finish; and the recorded sound succeeds phenomenally at somehow fitting Brian's hugest climaxes alongside the delicate scoring of other passages into a convincing perspective. Under Brabbins's forthright direction, even the work's poorer passages (and whatever Brian's fanatical supporters say, there are plenty) don't sprawl.
February 2012
Hyperion's release is a perfect one, of a great event, a magisterial work and an encapsulation of the enormous difficulties of the project as a whole...[Brabbins emphasises] the kaleidoscopic variety of speeds, textures and invention in the score. Aided by Hyperion's sensational sound, details which barely registered before become crystal clear...I cannot recommend it strongly enough.
January 2012
credit to Martyn Brabbins for overseeing a performance which emphatically does not play it safe: enabling the piece to be appreciated for a formal evolution as oblique and purposeful as is its emotional progression...the discreet but intent control exerted over the vast numbers leaves no doubt as to his conviction. That the capacity audience betrays so few sign of its presence says much in itself.
28th November 2011
This seems likely to become the top recommendation of this huge but strange symphony for many years to come...The BBC Proms is one of the few organisations which is capable of putting on a performance of this epic work, and I was thrilled to learn that Hyperion would be releasing it. It is well worth hearing.
2nd December 2011
As ideas tumble forth in Havergal Brian’s epic scheme, you cannot help admiring his fervour in getting it all down on paper. It remains one of the oddities of the English symphonic repertoire, but Martyn Brabbins and his legions of players and singers do it proud.
11th February 2012
Where to begin? This is a hugely impressive record of a great performance, but I’m not convinced that this is great music. But you can’t help feeling thankful that once in a generation we’re given the chance to hear something of this magnitude and judge the results for ourselves
