The Great War Symphony reaches No.1 following its world premiere

14 October 2018, 18:55 | Updated: 15 October 2018, 11:17

The world premiere recording of Patrick Hawes' The Great War Symphony has reached No.1 in the Classic FM Chart following its world premiere live performance at the Royal Albert Hall this week.

Patrick Hawes, Classic FM's former Composer in Residence, conducted his epic new work The Great War Symphony for the first time at the Royal Albert Hall this week Classic FM Live. The piece was written to mark the centenary of the end of World War One.

The recording of the work has now soared to Number 1 in the Classic FM Chart, it was revealed on air by John Brunning at 7pm.

See all the photos from Classic FM Live: The Great War Symphony here >

The Symphony is an epic work involving a vast number of musicians. The recording is conducted by the composer himself and includes musicians of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Invictus Games Choir, the National Choir of Great Britain, the Berkshire Youth Choir, the State Trumpeters and Band of the Household Cavalry, the Fanfare Trumpeters of the Royal Air Force, and the Corps Drums and Bugles of the Royal Marines. Soprano Louise Alder and tenor Joshua Ellicott were the soloists.

You can buy The Great War Symphony here >

Among the violinst on stage was one very special instrument – one that formerly belonged to a Soldier who fought at the Somme. The violin was played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra leader Clio Gould.

Listen to the broadcast of the live performance here >

Here she is showing us exactly how this piece of history sounds:

The Great War Symphony has knocked Einaudi's much-loved album Islands off the top of the chart. You can see the whole chart here.