The Hebrides (overture) The Hebrides (overture) Felix Mendelssohn's concert overture The Hebrides (; ) was composed in 1830, revised in 1832, and published the next year as his Op. 26. Some consider it an early tone poem. It was inspired by one of Mendelssohn's trips to the British Isles, specifically an 1829 excursion to the Scottish island of Staffa, with its basalt sea cave known as Fingal's Cave. It is not known whether Mendelssohn set foot on the island, the cave being best visible from the water, but the composer reported that he immediately jotted down the opening theme for his composition. He
John Gardner (composer) minor sensation. Many major commissions followed and Gardner was suddenly able to call himself "a composer". He resigned the job at the Opera House and there followed a remarkable period of creativity. "Cantiones Sacrae", Op. 11, "Variations on a Waltz of Carl Nielsen", Op. 13 and the ballet "Reflection", Op. 14, were all written in 1951 and 1952 and first performed during 1952. He re-wrote "A Scots Overture", previously a military band piece, for the 1954 season of Promenade Concerts in 1954. In May 1957 Sadler's Wells put on the opera "The Moon and Sixpence", which they had commissioned, and