Just on the premiere date, this symphony was actually first performed at Queen's College, Oxford on 4 June 1886, where the autograph score is still held. The Crystal Palace performance alluded to here was on 27 February 1887 (there was no 29th!)
The horn solo in the second movement stays with me long after the work has ended. Prout's music is worth a hearing, uneven though he may be at times. His Third Symphony in F - and this one too - would certainly be worthy vehicles for a good youth symphony. He is, after all, a large part of our musical heritage with his theoretical works especially.
Thank you for sharing this. I was searching Ebenezer Prout due to his lovely hymn tune Hurstmonceaux. I hear Tchaikovsky in this symphony...bits that sound like the Nutcracker Suite. Playful, fanciful, sweet.
A good piece, but it really does show Ebenezer Prout's refined language. He certainly didn't have much originality, but his music is always worth listening to.
A thoroughly enjoyable very "British" symphony (his last). Apparently he christened his son Louis Beethoven Prout. Now who would call their son Beethoven?? Well, better than Ebenezer I suppose :-)
I was surprised to read about the Beethoven connection as I read, in one addition of Grove aroun the late 1950s I think, that he particularly hated Beethoven's Second symphony (as do I) and considered classical music had taken a wrong turning after Mozart. His own stated aim was to start off again where Mozart left off and develop a new direction along strictly classical lines, His 4th Symphony might represent the culmination of that ambition; it is certainly quite different from anything else composed around this time or before and deserves to be performed more often.
@@mikejarman9354 Your comment is very interesting. Thank you. Without studying the score, I would say that this symphony leans more towards early Beethoven than it does late Mozart.But that's a matter of opinion. It still has a Britishness about it, something that Hubert Parry managed to move forward a lot quicker during this period, and with greater effect, than Prout achieved. Good to exchange views. Stay safe and well. David A.
@@mikejarman9354 he's certainly right, all of beethoven's "grand" pieces are quite poorly composed. His earlier pieces which followed a formula were great however, cementing his spot as a "great composer". I think however he didn't truly understand form like his predecessors.
The younger Prout studied music but abandoned it for entomology; he eventually became a leading authority of Geometer Moths of all things. Louis Prout died sometime during the Second World War, 1943 or so, in his 80's. Little biographical information is available about him. One can only wonder what he thought of how the world went so horribly wrong - going as he did from the relative security of the Victorian era up to the Blitz and the Holocaust.
Just on the premiere date, this symphony was actually first performed at Queen's College, Oxford on 4 June 1886, where the autograph score is still held. The Crystal Palace performance alluded to here was on 27 February 1887 (there was no 29th!)
The horn solo in the second movement stays with me long after the work has ended. Prout's music is worth a hearing, uneven though he may be at times. His Third Symphony in F - and this one too - would certainly be worthy vehicles for a good youth symphony. He is, after all, a large part of our musical heritage with his theoretical works especially.
Very rare and most enjoyable - thank you. Nice photo of Piccadilly circus and the statue of Eros!
Ted
Thank you for sharing this. I was searching Ebenezer Prout due to his lovely hymn tune Hurstmonceaux. I hear Tchaikovsky in this symphony...bits that sound like the Nutcracker Suite. Playful, fanciful, sweet.
He wrote countless music textbooks. You can still buy them online rather inexpensively.
Almost as impressive as Julius Röntgen's writing ten or so symphonies within the space of two years.
Countless textbooks and great insights into harmony and form !
@@hectorbarrionuevo6034 Yes, they're good!
@@bomcabedal it's not impressive when the symphonies are terrible
The Final beginns earlier! ;-)
A good piece, but it really does show Ebenezer Prout's refined language. He certainly didn't have much originality, but his music is always worth listening to.
He was an academic and concerned with perfect construction above all. He hasn't much to say, but he says it clearly.
A thoroughly enjoyable very "British" symphony (his last). Apparently he christened his son Louis Beethoven Prout. Now who would call their son Beethoven?? Well, better than Ebenezer I suppose :-)
I was surprised to read about the Beethoven connection as I read, in one addition of Grove aroun the late 1950s I think, that he particularly hated Beethoven's Second symphony (as do I) and considered classical music had taken a wrong turning after Mozart. His own stated aim was to start off again where Mozart left off and develop a new direction along strictly classical lines, His 4th Symphony might represent the culmination of that ambition; it is certainly quite different from anything else composed around this time or before and deserves to be performed more often.
@@mikejarman9354 Your comment is very interesting. Thank you. Without studying the score, I would say that this symphony leans more towards early Beethoven than it does late Mozart.But that's a matter of opinion. It still has a Britishness about it, something that Hubert Parry managed to move forward a lot quicker during this period, and with greater effect, than Prout achieved. Good to exchange views. Stay safe and well. David A.
@@mikejarman9354 he's certainly right, all of beethoven's "grand" pieces are quite poorly composed. His earlier pieces which followed a formula were great however, cementing his spot as a "great composer". I think however he didn't truly understand form like his predecessors.
The younger Prout studied music but abandoned it for entomology; he eventually became a leading authority of Geometer Moths of all things. Louis Prout died sometime during the Second World War, 1943 or so, in his 80's. Little biographical information is available about him. One can only wonder what he thought of how the world went so horribly wrong - going as he did from the relative security of the Victorian era up to the Blitz and the Holocaust.
A Dickensian name...music not to bad