We aim to present here a small selection of radio broadcast recordings to provide a context, in his work as a performer, for many of the musical principles taught by George Hurst. These are digital transfers from magnetic cassette tape and, as such, the sound quality is occasionally poor. As stated elsewhere on this site, it is hoped to obtain further material directly from the BBC’s archives, using funding provided by The George Hurst Foundation.
The orchestral performances selected here are broadly representative of the way he taught these works. The approach might be summarised as faithfulness to the score combined with musical imagination, clarity of line, the music breathing without losing direction and one idea moving naturally to another, revealing organic symphonic structure. That most essential unteachable element is also there: an instinctive sense of performance. The result is music that is not merely heard but felt by the orchestra and the audience.
All the main elements of George’s teaching are present here, including his meticulous approach to good orchestral balance, an extensive use of tempo rubato, careful attention to the printed dynamics, and a concern with quality of sound and length of notes. The Musical Approach page of this site explores these further.
N.B. At the time of this website’s release, we are still in the process of obtaining permission from the BBC to make use of such material. In the meantime, we are able to embed two performances which have been already added to YouTube, independently of The George Hurst Foundation — Dvořak’s Symphony No. 8 and Malcolm Arnold’s Symphony No. 2. We also provide an iconic performance of Berlioz’s Grande Messe des Morts, broadcast from Liverpool Cathedral in November 1962, and now available via Spotify.