Brent Smith received his education at the King’s School, Worcester, and was a chorister in Worcester Cathedral. He studied privately with Sir Ivor Atkins and became Atkins' assistant organist at Worcester Cathedral. Atkins remained a good friend encouraging Brent-Smith to maintain the flow of compositions at times when he might otherwise have forsaken composition. The music of Elgar, Parry and Stanford made a strong impression on the young composer.
In 1912 he was appointed Director of Music at Lancing College, Sussex, a position he held for 21 years. He was remembered as an enthralling lecturer and a brilliant organist. Peter Pears was among his pupils.
He left Lancing in 1934 and taught at Pate’s Grammar School in Cheltenham. He served as an enthusiastic member of the Three Choirs Festival committee, and composed works for the Festival programme.
His output includes 3 symphonies, 5 concertos and various orchestral suites and other works.
As a critic, Brent-Smith was of a conservative bent. Writing in the 1930s he denounced "all this Bartok and Schoenberg" as "damned rot".
Symphony in G minor - 1924
This work underwent numerous revisions. It was first performed at the Three Choirs Festival in 1924 but only it's last two movements were played. The first full performance was a year later in Eastbourne.
The first movement starts with a solo clarinet playing a melody firmly rooted in the english folk song revival.
This short introduction marked 'Lento' leads into a lively Allegro. This soon bursts forth into a bright D major section with another folk song inspired melody decorated by rippling woodwind.
SAMPLE: Symphony in G minor - 1st mov start
The development section is dominated with the return of the melody heard at the outset of this movement. It is heard on a solo horn first then divisi cellos join with a soft rhythmic string ostinato underpinning everything.
SAMPLE: Symphony in G minor - 1st mov middle
The coda seems to have been revised a few times. This sample shows the original full length ending to the movement.
SAMPLE: Symphony in G minor - 1st mov coda ending