▁new ▁opera , ▁Thomas ▁the ▁Rh ym er . ▁The ▁pre domin ant ▁works ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁were ▁his ▁three ▁last ▁sym phon ies . ▁The ▁sevent h — o fficial ly ▁un number ed , ▁and ▁titled ▁S inf onia ▁ant art ica — div ided ▁opinion ; ▁the ▁score ▁is ▁a ▁re working ▁of ▁music ▁V aug han ▁Williams ▁had ▁written ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁film ▁Scott ▁of ▁the ▁Ant ar ctic , ▁and ▁some ▁critics ▁thought ▁it ▁not ▁truly ▁sym ph onic . ▁The ▁E ighth , ▁though ▁w ist ful ▁in ▁parts , ▁is ▁pre domin antly ▁light heart ed ▁in ▁tone ; ▁it ▁was ▁received ▁enthus iast ically ▁at ▁its ▁premi ere ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁given ▁by ▁the ▁Hall é ▁Orchestra ▁under ▁the ▁dedic ate e , ▁Sir ▁John ▁Bar bi rol li . ▁The ▁N inth , ▁premier ed ▁at ▁a ▁Royal ▁Phil harm onic ▁Society ▁concert ▁conducted ▁by ▁Sir ▁Mal col m ▁S argent ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 8 , ▁puzz led ▁critics ▁with ▁its ▁som bre , ▁quest ing ▁tone , ▁and ▁did ▁not ▁immediately ▁achieve ▁the ▁recognition ▁it ▁later ▁gained . ▁ ▁Having ▁been ▁in ▁excellent ▁health , ▁V aug han ▁Williams ▁died ▁suddenly ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁hours ▁of ▁ 2 6 ▁August ▁ 1 9 5 8 ▁at ▁Han over ▁Terra ce , ▁aged ▁ 8 5 . ▁Two ▁days ▁later , ▁after ▁a ▁private ▁fun eral ▁at ▁Gold