Music review: BBC SSO & Martyn Brabbins

Martyn Brabbins and the BBC SSO ended their enlightening survey of Michael Tippett’s symphonies with one that had not seen the light of day since it was written in the 1930s. Tippett created what was effectively his first symphony in 1932 (the one we call the First Symphony was composed 13 years later), revising it twice before withdrawing it as work to be neither published nor, consequently, further performed. Thursday’s performance was billed as the first performance since 1935, and the world premiere of the 1938 revision.