Symphony No. 1 "The Gothic" (Brian)
The Symphony No. 1 in D minor (also known as The Gothic) by Havergal Brian was composed between 1919 and 1927, and partly owes its notoriety to being perhaps the largest symphony ever composed (described thus by the Guinness Book of Records, though Sorabji's unperformed No. 2 and Dimitrie Cuclin's unperformed No. 12 are claimed as longer). Along with choral symphonies such as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony or Mahler's 8th Symphony, it is one of a few works attempting to use the musically gigantic to address the spiritual concerns of humanity. With an elaborate key-scheme which begins in D minor and works round eventually to a close in E major, the work is a notable example of progressive tonality.
Read more about Symphony No. 1 "The Gothic" (Brian): Structure, Composition, Instrumentation, The Music, Performances and Reception
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