by Ben Hogwood

To mark the 1st of November, here is the highly atmospheric tone poem that Sir Arnold Bax completed in 1917. November Woods is one of his most effective works, though in spite of its evocative title Bax said it “may be taken as an impression of the dank and stormy music of nature in the late autumn, but the whole piece and its origins are connected with certain rather troubled experiences I was going through myself at the time….”

You can enjoy it below in a performance with the Ulster Orchestra conducted by Bax specialist, the late Vernon Handley:

Published post no.2,705 – Saturday 1 November 2025