Edgar Bainton’s Australian symphonies

Edgar Bainton’s Australian symphonies

Dr Edgar Bainton (1880-1956) was an established British composer at the time of his appointment as Head of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music in 1934. He then spent 22 years in Sydney, retaining the post of Head of the Con until his retirement in 1945 and then composing, conducting and examining during his last years. Bainton made a significant contribution to Australian musical life and, amongst other works, composed two symphonies which were given their world premieres in 1941 and 1957 respectively. Both works demonstrate Bainton’s skill in handling a musical idiom not dissimilar to that of Bax, but with a more convincing sense of musical continuity than his more famous contemporary. This paper will place Bainton’s 2nd and 3rd symphonies into its larger British and Australian symphonic context. The Third Symphony emerges as the last substantial Romantic/Impressionist symphony of the British composers from his generation.

Unpublished. No evidence of copyright restrictions. This material will provide a portion of a chapter in author's book on Australian Symphonies from Federation to 1960.