BBC Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vernon Handley.

I - Tempo moderato - Poco più animato - Gay, but not hurried - Poco più mosso - Tempo I - Slow and expressive - Largamente molto - Andante con moto - Tempo I - Poco più mosso - Allegro molto - Tempo I - Come prima: 0:00

Bax's "The Garden of Fand" was composed in 1913-4 for solo piano while he was living in Dublin. As he did with several other pieces, he orchestrated it in 1916 as a symphonic poem. It was premiered on October 29 of 1920, performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Frederick Stock. It was then subsequently performed in Britain on December 11 of 1920, by the British Symphony Orchestra conducted by Adrian Boult. Bax himself considered it one of his finest works, and the last of his early style. It is the first in an unnoficial trilogy of symphonic poems along "November Woods" and "Tintagel", considered by many as Bax's masterpieces.

With the start of World War I, Bax began to gradually distance himself from the Irish influence that had grown on him ever since 1902, with his discovery of Yeat's poetry and subsequent travel to Ireland. In that year, Bax began to write works that reflected his fascination of Irish landscapes, mythology, traditional music and other elements of said culture, as he did in the "Éire" trilogy of symphonic poems. While these Irish influences never actually vanished, they were largely replaced by more Nordic ones, such as the poetry of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and Icelandic sagas, as well as the music of Grieg and Sibelius. "The Garden of Fand" not only reflects this last wave of Celtic influence but also a tormented and passionate affair with British pianist Harriet Cohen, which would endure until the end of the composer's life.

In Celtic mythology, the garden of Fand is the sea. The old saga "The Sick-bed of Cuchulain" tells of a hero, Cuchulain, who is seduced away from home and duty by the Lady Fand, wife of Manannan, lord of the ocean. Cuchulain's wife, Emer, pursues him and persuades Fand to release him. Manannan shakes his "Cloak of Forgetfulness" between Cuchulain and Fand, and each forgets the other completely. Bax did not depict the original story in his symphonic poem, but painted a picture of a ship, cast ashore on Fand's enchanted island. The crew are drawn into Fand's eternal world of dancing and feasting, as the rising sea overwhelms the island, and the garden of Fand is lost from sight.

The work is broadly structured in ternary form. It begins with shimmering figures on woodwinds, harps and strings. Its rising and falling motion is illustrative of the swell of the sea. The clarinet introduces a richly lyrical main theme, which unfolds with Bax's characteristic lavishing orchestration. The influence of Impressionism and Debussy's music, which permeate the entire piece, are also noteworthy, such as the parallel thirds that move by whole tones, and brass and woodwind detail which glints out of the surging, opulent orchestral sonority. A more dramatic transition leads us to a rhythmic and agitated second theme, representing the crew being drawn into Fand's enchanted island with its eternal dancing and feasting.

The middle section opens with woodwind figures that invoke a nocturnal setting, followed by the exposition of a voluptuous and romantic third theme first on solo viola, followed by flute and then joined in a duo with the English horn. It portrays Fand's love song, which rises to an intense and expressive climax on full orchestra. The rhythmic second theme returns in all its radiance, before it builds towards a tremendous climax on the main theme, which depicts the engulfing wave described in the programme. The dovetailing woodwind exchanges, which began the work, return at the end as "twilight falls, the sea subsides, and Fand’s garden fades out of sight".

Picture: "Shields, on the River Tyne" (1823) by the English painter J.M.W Turner.

Musical analysis partially written by myself. Sources: https://tinyurl.com/2aef6je6 and https://tinyurl.com/2cyn87dk.

To check the score: https://tinyurl.com/2br8redg