(1876 - 1972)
Havergal Brian (born William Havegal Brian) acquired a legendary status at the time of his rediscovery in the 1950s and 1960s for the many symphonies he had managed to write. By the end of his life he had completed 32, an unusually large number for any composer since Haydn or Mozart. More remarkably, he completed 14 of these symphonies in his 80s, and seven more in his early 90s. He is also notable for his creative persistence in the face of almost total neglect during the greater part of his long life. Even now, none of his works can be said to be performed with any frequency, but few composers who have fallen into neglect after an early period of success have continued to produce so many ambitious works so long after any chance of performance would seem to have gone for good.
Havergal Brian Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Gothic Symphony
6 Timpani + 14 Percussion + Celeste
6 Timpanists, (32/30/28/25 x 2, 32/30/28 x 4)
2x bass drums, 3x snare drums, 2x tambourines, 6 x large pairs clash cymbals, tam-tam, long drum, tubular bells, low tuned bells in C, D and E, thunder machine (not thunder sheet), small chains, bird scarer, football ratchet, xylophone
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Symphony 30
Timpani + 9 percussion
1) glockenspiel, 2) xylophone, 3) tubular bells + G3, triangle, 4) snare drum, suspended cymbal, 5) snare drum, 6) snare drum, 7) clash cymbals, castanets, 8) orchestral bass drum, 9) tam tam, tambourine
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