Die britische Sinfonik ist erst in jüngster Zeit ins allgemeine Interesse gerückt. Ein Überblick über die sinfonische Entwicklung im Vereinigten Königreich seit den Anfängen im 18. Jahrhundert bis ins 20. Jahrhundert blieb aber bis heute ein Desideratum. Der hier vorgelegte Überblick zeigt, wie sich die Identität einer britischen Sinfonik über mehr als hundert Jahre entwickelte, geprägt durch Einflüsse vom europäischen Kontinent und von dem Bedürfnis, eigene Wege zu finden. Gegen Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts nahm das sinfonische Schaffen in Großbritannien stark zu, brachte jedoch erst mit Edward Elgar einen prominenten Vertreter von internationalem Rang hervor. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt dieser Publikation liegt auf jenen Werken, die zu einem gewissen Grade von anderen überschattet wurden, unveröffentlicht oder unaufgeführt blieben. Das Ergebnis ist das Bild einer vielgestaltigen sinfonischen Landschaft Großbritanniens, das die ästhetischen Perspektiven der einzelnen Komponisten wie auch ihre soziokulturellen Kontexte erhellt. Ein umfangreiches Verzeichnis aller bekannten Werke und eine ausführliche Bibliographie laden zu weiterer Erkundung des Sujets ein. Only in relatively recent times has any real attention been given to British symphonies. So a comprehensive survey, showing what exists and how the situation in the United Kingdom developed, from the beginnings in the 18th century until well into the 20th century, is long overdue. The preliminary survey presented here shows how a British symphonic identity gradually took shape over more than a century, through influences from abroad and, at home, enterprising attempts to find new ways of expression. By the end of the 19th century, British symphonists had produced an impressive body of work, yet only with the appearance of Elgar’s two symphonies in the following decade did this flourishing school find a champion of international renown. In this publication, light is shone on those works that have to some extent been overshadowed, as well as on those that have remained unpublished or unperformed. The result is a multi-faceted panorama of British symphonism, offering many insights into the composers’ thinking and their socio-cultural contexts. A comprehensive catalogue of all known works and an extensive bibliography invite readers to delve further into the subject.

The organ is one of the oldest instruments in Western music, and its sound has inspired many of the greatest composers from the past half a millennium from Bach through to Messiaen. The full possibilities of the instrument, however, have often been overlooked. Orchestration textbooks tend to mention the organ only in passing, with little practical advice for the composer to latch onto. Many organ books will explain technical jargon and how the organ is designed, but do not discuss what should actually be written in the score. This book, on the other hand, offers a practical guide for composers on how to write idiomatically for the instrument with the aim of helping them exploit the instrument's full timbral and technical potential. It provides in depth advice not only on notation but also the full resources of the modern organ, including dedicated chapters on registration, writing for manuals and pedals, and using the organ in ensembles, among others. Multiple musical examples are quoted from across the history of organ repertoire, with a particular focus on contemporary composers and music. There is advice tailored to non-classical musicians, such as guidance on virtual instruments. The online companion website to this book provides video demonstrations, chapter summaries, sample organ stop-lists and other useful further resources. In summary, the goal of this book is to show not just what organ music was, or what it is, but what it can be.

This updated second edition is an in-depth exploration of Elgar's compositions and of writings by and about the composer and his music. The past 16 years have seen a steady increase in scholarly publications and the emergence of The Elgar Society Journal, as well as further discoveries of the composer's MSS and letters, and the new edition incorporates this latest research. The compositions are examined in a work-by-work catalog, in chronological order, in which each entry gives a complete census and collation of manuscript, proof, text, biographical, printed edition and bibliographical sources for each item. The listing also includes unfinished sketches and details of much unpublished material. The bibliography section covers selected established literature as well as details of reviews and articles contained in the European periodicals at the climax of Elgar's career. Christopher Kent was nominated unanimously by the Scrutiny Panel of the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Research Centres for the 2014 C.B. Oldman Prize for the most outstanding reference resource published in 2014. He received the award at their Annual Conference held at the University of Aston, Birmingham in April.

This updated second edition is an in-depth exploration of Elgar's compositions and of writings by and about the composer and his music. The past 16 years have seen a steady increase in scholarly publications and the emergence of The Elgar Society Journal, as well as further discoveries of the composer's MSS and letters, and the new edition incorporates this latest research. The compositions are examined in a work-by-work catalog, in chronological order, in which each entry gives a complete census and collation of manuscript, proof, text, biographical, printed edition and bibliographical sources for each item. The listing also includes unfinished sketches and details of much unpublished material. The bibliography section covers selected established literature as well as details of reviews and articles contained in the European periodicals at the climax of Elgar's career.