Bantock: Hebridean Symphony / English Scenes

The album "Bantock: Orchestral Works" brings together three orchestral works by Granville Bantock: the "Hebridean Symphony", the prelude to Euripides' "The Bacchae", and "English Scenes". In his music, Bantock combined the Romantic tradition of Richard Wagner with influences from English and Scottish folk music as well as inspiration from the music of the Orient. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra performs under the direction of Rumon Gamba.

Bantock studied at Trinity College and the Royal Academy of Music and began his career as a conductor. At the concerts at the New Brighton Tower in Cheshire, he expanded the orchestra's repertoire and championed numerous contemporary British composers. On the recommendation of Edward Elgar, he was appointed as the first principal of the Midland Institute School of Music in Birmingham and later took over Elgar’s professorship for music at the University of Birmingham, a position he held until 1934. Among the musicians who championed his works was Jean Sibelius.