ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the influence of electronic music on the orchestration of the symphony, as well as Robert Gerhard's use of certain instrumental sounds, techniques and colours to bestow a clear sense of form on the work. As Gerhard commented in a letter to Homs: Gerhard is considered the first composer to provide electronic music for a stage work in Britain. Gerhard is considered the first composer to provide electronic music for a stage work in Britain. This work was the incidental music for the play The Prisoner, by Bridget Boland. He composed the incidental music for this stage play by Bridget Boland produced at the Globe Theatre, London. The level of intellectual stamina needed to complete an orchestral piece of this originality is considerable, and it is all the more remarkable that it was achieved at a time when Gerhard's health was so fragile as a result of his heart problems.
