Simpson: Symphony No. 10

Most of those reading this will be familiar with all or part of Simpson’s epic symphonic canon. For those who have only heard some of them, I would encourage you to hear more. Who knows, you may even like them.

The Tenth Symphony by Robert Simpson is his longest symphony and a very difficult work to comprehend. For me, alongside the Eighth, it is perhaps his most complex symphony and challenging to listen to. I would never recommend anyone start at this one in the Simpson cycle; only those who have heard a significant amount should attempt it. Intellectually, No. 10 is a veritable masterpiece, yet it requires growing on – even more than usual with Simpson. Here, he is at his darkest, most concentrated and most dissonant. If the Ninth Symphony has a sense of Brucknerian grandeur, this one has Beethovenian roughness and intensity.

The interval of a minor third plays a major part in this symphony’s powerful construction and opens every movement (in the same key as well). The first movement is undoubtedly dissonant, rough, and hard. The contrapuntal textures and biting intervals are abundant.

The second movement is played entirely pianissimo. Yet, if one gives themselves time to become involved, the movement will soon envelope them. It reminds me very much (and the writer of the box-set booklet) of moths flickering around a pale light in the night-time darkness, the tonality changing every bar and a sense of forward direction identifiable with Simpson.

The third movement is long and expansive. It is in three parts – slow and fugal in the first and third and double tempo in the middle section which is almost like a scherzo. It is deeply mysterious and, at its best, engaging and compelling.

The finale is probably the movement that makes this symphony. It opens with that same interval, and leads a mysterious introduction which could almost be a movement itself in terms of its unity. The following allegro con brio is exhilarating. It is very Beethovenian, and the two sets of timpani have a field day. At times it even sounds like a timpani concerto! Yet the construction is genuinely masterly and powerfully fugal. The final chords of the piece still compel me; how can one end a symphony like that?

All those ready for a challenge and an inspiring musical experience dare not hesitate (especially Simpson fans). It is Simpson at his most dissonant and dark and may not appeal to all first time around, but it is a must hear for people like me. It is consistently original and profound and certainly does not represent any weakness in the canon.