Bernard Keeffe with the New Philharmonia Orchestra
leader Desmond Bradley

The great Romantic Orchestra is a glorious expressive instrument. The colour of the sound becomes as important as the notes being played.
Bernard Keeffe shows how this instrument has developed since the days of Haydn and Mozart, and argues that, so far from dying, the orchestra still offers great opportunities for today's composers, like John McCabe who discusses his own use of the orchestra and introduces a movement from his First Symphony.
Illustrations also include excerpts from works by Beethoven, Berlioz, Wagner, Strauss, Debussy, Webern and Lutoslawski.

(Colour)