G major-Mahler's Symphony No.4 In G Major was written at the turn of the century between 1899 and 1901. It is comprised of four movements for a small orchestra which last around one hour (The shortest of the symphonies composed by Mahler). This work features on the 2010 A Level Syllabus. First performed on November 25th 1901 in Munich and first recorded in May 1930 by the New Symphony Orchestra of Tokyo.

Beethoven's Symphony #4, like #5, portrays the transition from darkness to light. Despite being scored for a small ensemble and its classical structure the work is brimming with originality and grace - 'a slender Greek maiden' as described by Robert Schumann. / Orchestre

Score-Carlos Surinach's Sinfonia Chica for Orchestra. Full score.The title Sinfonia Chica is derived from the derogatory label 'genero chico' which was first given to Spanish folk musicby the Italian musicians and their Spanish adherents who dominated all art music in Spain during the first half of the 18th century.The work represents a fusion of the traditional rhythms and melodic patterns of the Spanishtonadillas (early zarzuelas) and the stylistic characteristics of 20th century harmony structure and instrumentation.Duration: 16 minutes

Richard Rodney Bennet’s Symphony No. 3 commissioned for the 1987 Three Choirs Festival by the Elgar Foundation with additional funds from West Midlands Arts is now published in a facsimile study score.In contrast with his first two symphonies which were rather extrovert display pieces Symphony No. 3 is quite thoughtful and lyrical in nature more or less monothematic and has a strong feeling of tonality particularly at the opening and closing of the score. The more moderate orchestration (2 Flutes Oboe Cor Anglais 2 Clarinets in B flat Bassoon 2 Horns in F Percussion 1 (small Triangle Tam-tam 3 suspendedCymbals) Percussion 2 (side Drum tubular Bells) Timpani Piano Harp and Strings) also reflects this. Performance time of the three movements is ca. 22 minutes.Sir Richard Rodney Bennett was an English composer of film TV and concert music and also a jazz pianist. He was based in New York City from 1979 until his death there in 2012.

Commissioned jointly for Colin Currie by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Borletti-Buitoni Trust. First performance on 14th May 2008 at Symphony Hall Birmingham by Colin Currie (percussion) and the City ofBirmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins.NOTE FOR PERFORMANCEIn table top the unpitched solo percussion part in the 9th movement the scoring was initially left open. The present full score showsa suggested instrumentation  which was devised by Colin Currie in conjunction with the composer. Soloists  should attempt to match the timbres used but should not feel constrained by the  exact choice ofinstruments.COMPOSER’S NOTEThe percussion instruments used in a table of noises in some ways represent the odd things that were on my great uncle Ash’s parlour table that fascinated me as a child. There is even abottle; there was always a milk bottle with the silver top pushed in surrounded by other essentials for his life. From birth he was quite severely handicapped in one of his legs and couldn’t walk too far without his trusty crutch.He kept everything he needed within arm’s length. In the list of instruments for the solo part there’s everything from deep log drum sounds to very high metallic chime sounds. Wood glass metal and a whistle. Mostlysmall-scale things with a large gong behind used sparingly. I think that we managed to keep below 30 instruments in all which I was keen to do. I didn’t want scores of things that are only played once they have to earn theirkeep. I didn’t want to use a marimba but thought that trying to make the xylophone sound in a more expressive way would be more of a challenge. The percussionist sits for much of the time on a Cajon a flamenco instrument which isessentially a wooden box. The player hits the front of the box in various ways rather as you play a conga. There are guitar strings inside and bells to add to the overall colour. I would like to thank Colin Currie for the

Score-This work is perhaps best described by the composer Tan Dun: 'About five years ago I went to an exhibition on the works of painter Paul Klee at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. I was extremely moved and wanted to write asymphony. This became a discussion a diologue between myself and Klee's painting but not in any sense a musical description of any particular paintings. Although constructed of many small sections my symphony is imagined as acomplete continuous work.'

Par RHEINBERGER JOSEF GABRIEL. Rheinberger's concert overtures are completely beholden to the tradition of the genre established at least since the 1820s. The spread of this genre was favored in equal measure by the growth of bourgeois musical culture and the overwhelming model of Beethoven's nine symphonies, which sowed a certain perplexity and discouragement among composers of the next generation and led them to turn increasingly to the smaller single-movement genre in their orchestral music. Soon a generic distinction arose between two types of overture. One was the autonomous overture, whose character results from its specific introductory function. Rheinberger's Academic Overture follows in thissame line of tradition. The other type was the overture with subject-matter, in which the romantic inclination to recreate extra-musical material in music found an expecially fruitful field of exploration. Having originated as the opening item of an opera or play, the overture had, after all, long been accustomed to accommodating the contents of the work that followed. The concert overture on an extra-musical subject is in turn associated in particular with the works of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. Rheinberger too, closely modeled his opp. 11 and 110 on Mendelssohn's overtures./ Répertoire / Orchestre