ABSTRACT
At the time of my first involvement in the preparation of some of Havergal Brian’s symphonies for performance I had very little previous knowledge (in real musical sound) of his style. Naturally one used one’s aural imagination as in any other study but normally one usually has an unconscious recollection of other performances, or at least other works. With Havergal Brian, at that time, these were few. Generally speaking, Brian’s style seems to be one of incredibly condensed thought and yet there is a large inner ‘melos’ running through. The works, however, take some time to live with in order that both aspects become apparent.
