Bax, Arnold

Bax, Arnold – Roscatha, Èire no. 3 (battle hymn) for orchestra

(b. Streatham, 8 November 1883 – d. Cork, 3 October 1953)

Èire no. 3

Preface
Arnold Bax was born and brought up in London in a wealthy and cultivated family. Showing early showed talent in music, he studied at the Royal Academy in London and in Dresden, where he first came across the music of Richard Strauss, Salome and Der Rosenkavalier in particular making a great impression on him. Despite being an excellent pianist he did not need to perform or teach to support himself, as he had an independent income. Instead, he could concentrate on composing. This was fortunate as he suffered from a heart defect which progressively restricted his energy levels and eventually led to his death. In addition to his musical vocation he had considerable literary interests and gifts. For many years he was absorbed by Celtic legends, frequently staying in the far West of Ireland, writing music inspired by Irish legends and also writing poetry, stories and articles under the pseudonym Dermot O’Byrne. In 1911 he married Elsita Sobrino, daughter of musicians, with whom he had two children. Bax left her for the pianist Harriet Cohen, who premiered many of his piano works. Later in life he had another relationship, with Mary Gleaves. Most of his compositions were written by 1938, in his last years only few works were created.

Bax was a prolific composer, particularly of orchestral works. The heart of his output is the cycle of seven numbered symphonies, though there are also two earlier unnumbered ones, a student work in F minor which he completed only in piano score and which was orchestrated in recent years by Martin Yates, and Spring Fire, which Bax described as ‘a kind of freely-worked symphony.’ There are also many symphonic poems, of which the best-known are The Garden of Fand, November Woods and Tintagel. The most important of his concertante works are Symphonic Variations and Winter Legends, each featuring a solo piano. There is also a good deal of chamber and piano music. …

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