Frank Bridge (1879-1941) (GB) Summer, symphonic poem (1914)

Frank Bridge was born in Brighton on 26 February 1879 from a working-class family. Unlike Bax and Vaughan Williams he had to earn a living, at least until the 1920s when he met a millionairess benefactor and even then he continued teaching. The middle period of Frank Bridge's compositional career consists of four works, the first of which is the tone poem for orchestra, Summer (1915). Summer, is the epitome of the British pastoral school. Bridge's familiarity with the orchestra had greatly increased since he had begun to be invited to accept conducting engagements with such groups as the New Symphony Orchestra. He also was desired as a conductor of operas, appearing in this fashion at the Savoy Theatre and at Covent Garden. He was even asked to fill in at Promenade Concerts when the regular conductor, Henry Wood, was not able. Bridge was so skilled at score-reading and musical interpretation that he was available to accept conducting assignments on very short notice. Fittingly, Bridge himself conducted the first performance of Summer on March 13, 1916.

VIDEO: Frank Bridge (1879-1941) (GB) Summer, symphonic poem (1914) Dir : Richard Hickox