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arnold bax

Composer Arnold Bax wrote his Violin Concerto in 1937-38 for Jascha Heifetz. Heifetz, reportedly, was disappointed in the work. Bax himself didn't acknowledge the opus until he was asked to provide a new work in 1943 for violinist Eda Kersey. The work was reintroduced by the soloist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Henry Wood.

Bax was initially reluctant to compose music for film, but was persuaded to for the David Lean 1948 adaptation of Oliver Twist. Bax was not partial to Dickens' novel and felt he couldn't provide music appropriate to the subject. It was written quickly over the course of 10 weeks.

Three pieces for Small Orchestra date from 1912-13 when they first appeared as a set of four. Bax eventually abandoned the fourth and re-titled the others. The works are titled Evengling Piece, Irish Landscape and Dance in the Sunlight.

We'll hear these works on English Pastorale, Sunday at 9 am.