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- Joseph Horovitz
Jubilee Toy Symphony (1977)
- Novello & Co Ltd (World)
- 17perc (minimum).pf.str4tet, [db]
- 7 min
Programme Note
On the day of publication, November 15 1977, the Jubilee Toy Symphony was performed at a Musical Party, in aid of the Musicians' Benevolent Fund at St James' Palace, in the gracious presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.
The composer at the piano, and the Royal College of Music String Orchestra, were joined by a distinguished cast of Toy performers under the baton of Sir David Willcocks.
A minimum of 17 players is needed to play the toy instruments (including two to play the four glockenspiel notes in the score). It is advisable to increase the number of 'blowers' in proportion to the 'bangers'.
The police-whistle occurs only in the cadenza of the last movement, and can be played by a non-music-reader.
The work was commissioned by the London Celebrations Committee for the Queen's Silver Jubilee, especially for the Gala Concert given by Youth & Music at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden on 5 June 1977. Sir Robert Mayer, who founded Youth & Music, celebrated his 98th birthday on the same evening, and was present on the occasion.
The following artists took part in the first performance of the work.
Chime Bars Graham Johnson, Melvyn Tan
Cuckoos Marius May, Pierre Fournier
Quails Dorothy Tutin, Richard Baker
Nightingale Joseph Cooper
Crow Stuart Harling
Duck Humphrey Burton
Song-whistle James Blades
Police-whistle Fenella Fielding
Jingle-bells Ann Murray, Malcolm Williamson
Triangle John Dennison
Wood Blocks Nigel Kennedy
Castanets Linda Esther Gray, Richard Rodney Bennett
Maracas Dame Peggy Ashcroft, David Rendall, David Syrus
Tambourine Jack Brymer
Cymbals Steve Race
Drum Yehudi Menuhin
Piano Yitkin Seow
The Chillingrian String Quartet
Conductor Colin Davis
The composer at the piano, and the Royal College of Music String Orchestra, were joined by a distinguished cast of Toy performers under the baton of Sir David Willcocks.
A minimum of 17 players is needed to play the toy instruments (including two to play the four glockenspiel notes in the score). It is advisable to increase the number of 'blowers' in proportion to the 'bangers'.
The police-whistle occurs only in the cadenza of the last movement, and can be played by a non-music-reader.
The work was commissioned by the London Celebrations Committee for the Queen's Silver Jubilee, especially for the Gala Concert given by Youth & Music at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden on 5 June 1977. Sir Robert Mayer, who founded Youth & Music, celebrated his 98th birthday on the same evening, and was present on the occasion.
The following artists took part in the first performance of the work.
Chime Bars Graham Johnson, Melvyn Tan
Cuckoos Marius May, Pierre Fournier
Quails Dorothy Tutin, Richard Baker
Nightingale Joseph Cooper
Crow Stuart Harling
Duck Humphrey Burton
Song-whistle James Blades
Police-whistle Fenella Fielding
Jingle-bells Ann Murray, Malcolm Williamson
Triangle John Dennison
Wood Blocks Nigel Kennedy
Castanets Linda Esther Gray, Richard Rodney Bennett
Maracas Dame Peggy Ashcroft, David Rendall, David Syrus
Tambourine Jack Brymer
Cymbals Steve Race
Drum Yehudi Menuhin
Piano Yitkin Seow
The Chillingrian String Quartet
Conductor Colin Davis