A complete set of all 38 Symphonies which I have written so far!

Many symphonies, many places, many moods, many sounds.

Symphonies

Symphony 1 'Yr Wyddfa’ - ‘Snowdon’ Opus 37

This was an adventure! To dare to write a Symphony! The initial inspiration came from Sibelius 7, with its recurring brass climax surrounded, as it were, by the foothills of thematic activity. Mountainous moments, which led me to think of my ‘own’ mountain,Yr Wyddfa. I was born in Llanberis. And so here similar moments emerge from the clouds, based on a three-note motif from an early organ-piece entitled ‘Viele Strassen’ (‘Many roads’). Like Sibelius 7, this tries to do everything in one movement. The music is complex and urgent, with a recurring driving ostinato, seemingly ever present, lyrical passages and periodic moments of geological violence from the brass using the three note motif.

Leudelange, Luxembourg, 1989
Dedicated to Ifor Jones

Printed score available here:  http://stores.lulu.com/dolbadarn

Symphony 1 'Yr Wyddfa - Snowdon'

Symphony 3 Opus 88
The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Symphonies form a natural group: their expression and evolution is connected and continuous. Uneasy music, followed by a movement of complex rhythmic patterns, and an idyllic adagio based on ever-assembling chords. Finally an aggressive, dark finale with moments of hope, light and consolation.
I recorded the 2nd and 3rd Symphonies with Musici de Praga in the State Opera House, Prague and the first performances came later in the Klementinum as well as in two Prague churches.
Mersch, Luxembourg, Christmas, 1995

Printed score available here:  http://stores.lulu.com/dolbadarn

Symphony 3: 4

Symphony 3 Opus 88

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Symphonies form a natural group: their expression and evolution is connected and continuous. Uneasy music, followed by a movement of complex rhythmic patterns, and an idyllic adagio based on ever-assembling chords. Finally an aggressive, dark finale with moments of hope, light and consolation.

I recorded the 2nd and 3rd Symphonies with Musici de Praga in the State Opera House, Prague and the first performances came later in the Klementinum as well as in two Prague churches.

Mersch, Luxembourg, Christmas, 1995

Dedicated to Ulrike Wiedenbach

Printed score available here:  http://stores.lulu.com/dolbadarn

Symphony 3: 3

Symphony 3: 2

Symphony 3 Opus 88

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Symphonies form a natural group: their expression and evolution is connected and continuous. Uneasy music, followed by a movement of complex rhythmic patterns, and an idyllic adagio based on ever-assembling chords. Finally an aggressive, dark finale with moments of hope, light and consolation.

I recorded the 2nd and 3rd Symphonies with Musici de Praga in the State Opera House, Prague and the first performances came later in the Klementinum as well as in two Prague churches.

Mersch, Luxembourg, Christmas, 1995

Dedicated to Ulrike Wiedenbach




Printed score available here:  http://stores.lulu.com/dolbadarn

Symphony 3: 1

Three movements, written on Christmas Eve 1995. In fact the 3rd Symphony followed three days later, and the 4th early in 1996. These three works form a natural group: their expression and evolution is connected and continuous. Here a sad, searching movement is followed by a strident lament. The 3rd movement is more active and motivic.

I recorded the 2nd and 3rd Symphonies with Musici de Praga in the State Opera House, Prague and the first performances came later in the Klementinum as well as in two Prague churches.

Mersch, Luxembourg, Christmas Eve, 1995
Dedicated to Ulrike Wiedenbach


Printed score available here:  http://stores.lulu.com/dolbadarn

Symphony 2: 3

Symphony 2 Opus 87 

Three movements, written on Christmas Eve 1995. In fact the 3rd Symphony followed three days later, and the 4th early in 1996. These three works form a natural group: their expression and evolution is connected and continuous. Here a sad, searching movement is followed by a strident lament. The 3rd movement is more active and motivic.

I recorded the 2nd and 3rd Symphonies with Musici de Praga in the State Opera House, Prague and the first performances came later in the Klementinum as well as in two Prague churches.

Mersch, Luxembourg, Christmas Eve, 1995
Dedicated to Ulrike Wiedenbach

Printed score available here:  http://stores.lulu.com/dolbadarn

Symphony 2: 2

Symphony 2: 1

Symphony 4 Opus 89

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Symphonies form a natural group: their expression and evolution is connected and continuous. In the 1st movement tritonal motifs dominate, followed by a wistful, restless scherzo. The slow movement builds quietly and gradually towards elegiac climaxes before the will o’ the wisp finale which becomes increasingly frenetic before stabilising towards the end.

Mersch, Luxembourg, January 1996


Printed score available here:  http://stores.lulu.com/dolbadarn

Symphony 4: 4

Symphony 4: 3

Symphony 4: 2

Symphony 4 Opus 89

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th Symphonies form a natural group: their expression and evolution is connected and continuous. In the 1st movement tritonal motifs dominate, followed by a wistful, restless scherzo. The slow movement builds quietly and gradually towards elegiac climaxes before the will o’ the wisp finale which becomes increasingly frenetic before stabilising towards the end.

Mersch, Luxembourg, January 1996

Printed score available here:  http://stores.lulu.com/dolbadarn

Symphony 4: 1

Symphony 6 Opus 100 

Written for string orchestra, in 5 movements, opening with slow, meditative contrapuntal music with ever increasing intensity, followed by a quirky and at times bi- or polytonal dance-like movement. A troubled 3rd movement, lyrical upper strings with aggressive, pizzicato counter-theme in cello and bass. A further almost Beethovenian slow movement follows, strong chord progressions contradicted by restless and at times hysterical high violins. The 5th movement offers night music, lower string tremolandi, bleak chords in the upper strings, an austere dialogue, uncompromising and questioning.

Buschdorf, Luxembourg, 1997
Dedicated to Ulrike Wiedenbach

Symphony 6: 4

Symphony 6: 3

Symphony 6: 2

Symphony 6: 1

Symphony 5 ‘Spring' Opus 97

This symphony marks a turning point, reflecting a significant change in my life in 1996 and reflected in this happier, more consonant music. It opens with an ostinato, much like the opening of the 1st Symphony but now supporting a triumphant, energy-filled A major chord. Brightness, life and light! A questioning and restless ‘second subject’, a chorale variant of the same interrupts before the eventual return of the opening which gives a victorious conclusion. A somewhat Brahmsian scherzo follows, then an elegiac 3rd movement building towards a significant climax just before the end. Another ostinato texture and a broad theme, first given to the horn, open the finale. Momentum and intensity increase step by step, with gathering chords preceding each new phase.

Buschdorf, Luxembourg, 1996

Dedicated to Ulrike Wiedenbach and the Spring of 1996

Symphony 5 'Spring': 4

Symphony 5 'Spring': 3

Symphony 5 'Spring': 2

Symphony 5 'Spring': 1

Dafydd Bullock was born in  Llanberis, Gwynedd, Cymru (Wales).

A composer, he graduated in Music (University of Manchester and the Royal Northern College of Music, 1971 - 1976) where he studied with George Hadjinikos, and took a Master's Degree in International Relations (University of Sussex, 1981 - 1983). In 1993 and 1994 he won first prizes at the National Eisteddfod of Wales, and in 1995 he was honoured in Wales by admission to the highest Order of the Gorsedd of Bards. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2005.

His compositions include 39 symphonies, 19 symphonic poems, 2 operas, 2 Requiems, 2 Mass settings, a Missa Brevis, an oratorio, 40 string quartets, 9 trios and other chamber music and many songs and pieces for piano. He has written scores for 2 films. 

Works have been published in the British Isles by Oriana Publications, Cwmni Gwynn, Curiad and Bardic Edition, in Belgium by Alain Van Kerckhoven Editeur, in the USA and in Luxembourg by Luxembourg Music Publishers, Music Enterprise and Double You. He has made 41 CDs to date, with SAIN (Wales), AVK (Belgium) and LakeSound. His music has been performed and listened to and broadcast in over 140 countries, including Japan, China, USA, Brazil and Colombia as well as widely within Europe.  

Dafydd Bullock has a particular relationship with Prague: his Second Symphony was given its world premiere by Musici de Praga during the 1996 Prague Spring Festival and the Third Symphony, again in Prague, on St. Valentine's Day, 1997. The third and fourth String Quartets were also recorded in Prague (Becher Quartet) as were the complete works for Cello and Piano (Jindrich Ptacek) and five Trios. More recently, Virtuosi di Basso, the twelve solo celli of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra have recorded and performed music especially written for them. Recently he premiered his Requiem for Jan Palach in Luxembourg and in Prague.

Dafydd Bullock wurde in 1953 in Llanberis, Gwynedd, Cymru (Wales) geboren. Er studierte an der Universität Manchester und am Royal Northern College of Music (Professor George Hadjinikos) von 1971 bis 1976, wo er sein Examen in Musik ablegte. Weiterhin studierte er Politikwissenschaft mit dem Schwerpunkt ‘Internationale Beziehungen’ von 1981 bis 1983 an der Universität Sussex. Dieses Studium schloß er mit der Magister Prüfung ab. Er arbeitet als Komponist. 1993 und 1994 gewann er erste Preise im Fach Komposition an der National Eisteddfod of Wales. Im Jahre 1995 wurde er in Wales durch Verleihung des höchsten Grads der Gorsedd of Bards geehrt und in 2005 wurde er Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. 

Zu seinen Kompositionen gehören 39 Sinfonien, 19 sinfonische Dichtungen, 2 Opern, 2 Messen, 2 Requiem, 40 Streichquartette, 9 Trios und weitere Kammermusik und viele Klavierwerke. Er hat 2 Filmmusiken komponiert.
Verschiedene Werke werden von Oriana Publications, Bardic Edition, Cwmni Gwynn und Curiad in Großbritannien, von Alain van Kerckhoven Editeur in Belgien, und von  Luxembourg Music Publishers, LakeSound, Music Enterprise und Double You in Luxemburg veröffentlicht. Bis jetzt hat er 41 CDs unter anderen bei den Firmen SAIN (Wales) und AVK (Belgien) und LakeSound gemacht.  Seine Musik wurde in mehr als 140 Ländern gehört, gesendet und aufgeführt einschließlich in Japan, China, USA, Brasilien und Columbien, sowie in Europa.