

Heroic Overture Op.43
This concert overture is an evocation of the spirit of heroism associated with Blenheim and the illustrious names of Marlborough and Churchill. The slower middle section is a contemplation of history at a distance of time – nostalgic and perhaps regretful of the passing of former glories.
In form it is neither strictly of the classical French nor Italian styles but it is an amalgam of the two, approximating more to Minuet and Trio form, it has a slow introduction followed by an allegro which is interrupted by a more contemplative middle section. After this, the material of the allegro is recapitulated and the work ends with a brief coda based on the opening.