Joseph Street (1841-1908)

Very little is known of Joseph Street. He was a prominent member of the Marine Underwriting Syndicate founded by his uncle Joseph Street at Lloyd's of London and so it is likely he helped finance the publication of his music.

 We know that he had a fine counter-tenor voice and was a member of the Bach Choir under Otto Goldschmidt in the 1880s and also King Edward VII's Coronation Choir (1902)

As well as being a Fellow of the Philharmonic Society he was also Secretary to the prestigious Madrigal Society (founded in 1741 and based in London) from July 1871, being appointed President of the Society in November 1905 following recent incumbents Sir Arthur Sullivan (1899), Lord Alverstone (1901) and Sir Frederick Bridge (1904).

He wrote two symphonies and an overture "Two Gentlemen of Verona".

Symphony No 2 in D major (1862)

The first symphony dates from five years earlier and is very much a student work. This work, although conservative in style, comes across as a more competent work and has an interesting quirkiness about it.

The first movement is in 6/8 time and the main theme, although heard twice at the outset hardly recurs in full until the recapitualtion. 

However, a short rhythmic idea appears constantly and drives the music onward.

 

SAMPLE: 1st mov - start

The development exploits fragments of the theme and there are a number of pauses which breaks up the flow of the music. 

 

 

A fortissimo tutti from the whole orchestra heralds the recapitulation.

 

SAMPLE: 1st mov - middle

 

Fragments of the main theme with the little rhytmic motif push the music to its close.

 

SAMPLE: 1st mov - end