The Australian symphony from Federation to 1960

Authored book


McNeill, Rhoderick. 2014. The Australian symphony from Federation to 1960. Farnham, Surrey. England. Ashgate Publishing Limited.
Book Title

The Australian symphony from Federation to 1960

Book CategoryAuthored book
ERA Publisher ID1202
Authors
AuthorMcNeill, Rhoderick
Number of Pages249
Year2014
PublisherAshgate Publishing Limited
Place of PublicationFarnham, Surrey. England
ISBN9781409441243
9781472403377
Web Address (URL)http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9781409441243
Abstract

The symphony retained its primacy as the most prestigious large-scale orchestral from throughout the first half of the twentieth century, particularly in Britain, Russia and the United States. Likewise, Australian composers produced a steady stream of symphonies throughout the period from Federation (1901) through to the end of the 1950s. Stylistically, these works ranged from essays in late nineteenth-century romanticism, twentieth-century nationalism, neo-classicism and near atonality. Australian symphonies were most prolific during the 1950s, with 36 local entries in the 1951 Commonwealth Jubilee Symphony competition. This extensive repertoire was overshadowed by the emergence of a new generation of composers and critics during the 1960s who tended to regard older Australian music as old-fashioned and derivative.
The Australian Symphony from Federation to 1960 is the first study of this neglected genre and has four aims: firstly to show the development of symphonic composition in Australia from Federation to 1960; secondly, to highlight the achievement of the main composers who wrote symphonies; thirdly, to advocate the restoration and revival of this repertory; and lastly, to take a step towards a recasting of the narrative of Australian concert music from Federation to the present. Symphonies by Marshall-Hall, Hart, Bainton, Hughes, Le Gallienne and Morgan emerge as works of particular value.

Keywordssymphony; Australian music; 20th century composition; composers
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020360302. Music composition and improvisation
470207. Cultural theory
360306. Musicology and ethnomusicology
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Byline AffiliationsSchool of Arts and Communication
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
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