Romanticism in Scotland Perhaps the most influential composer of the first half of the nineteenth century was the German Felix Mendelssohn, who visited Britain ten times, for a total of twenty months, from 1829. Scotland inspired two of his most famous works, the overture "Fingal's Cave" (also known as the "Hebrides Overture") and the "Scottish Symphony" (Symphony No. 3). On his last visit to England in 1847, he conducted his own "Scottish Symphony" with the Philharmonic Orchestra before Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Max Bruch (1838–1920) composed the "Scottish Fantasy" (1880) for violin and orchestra, which includes an arrangement of the tune "Hey
Overture to an Italian Comedy Overture to an Italian Comedy The Overture to an Italian Comedy for orchestra was composed in 1936 by Australian composer Arthur Benjamin; it was first performed in London on 2 March 1937, under the direction of Gordon Jacob. The piece opens "fortissimo", presenting its first main subject in the woodwinds against pizzicato strings and creating a lively mood.The second theme is much softer, and is presented by a solo horn.Following this is a gayer melody for two flutes playing in thirds; this is soon taken up by the trumpets, who are instructed in the score to play in a "vulgar"