Introduction
Most critics and commentators
agree that Peter Racine Fricker’s Wind Quintet, op.5 composed in 1947 was his first
composition to make a major impact on the musical world. This work was taken up
by the legendary Dennis Brain who was a boyhood friend of the composer at St.
Paul’s School, London. Francis Routh has suggested that this ‘fortuitous fact’
allowed the quintet to gain ‘wider acceptance than would otherwise have been
the case.’ In spite of this caveat, I believe this is a work worthy of revival
and should have a secure place in the repertoire.
Fricker’s recent compositions had
included the Sonata for Organ, op.3 (1947) which was not heard until a recital
given by Philip Dore on 9 June 1951 at All Souls’, Langham Place. The Two Madrigals, op.4 were settings of
Walter de la Mare’ verse. Around this period he wrote a Symphonietta for
orchestra (1946-7) which was (seemingly) never performed and has remained in
manuscript. Earlier works included Three
Preludes for piano, op.1 (1943-5) and Four Fughettas for Two Pianos, op.2
(1946).
Genesis
The story of the work’s genesis is given in Gamble and
Lynch (2011). The Brain Wind Quintet flautist, Gareth Morris gave a recorded
interview to Gamble (1 March 2006):
“It’s
got a terrific badinerie in it. I used to play the Badinerie of Bach [the final
movement of the B minor suite for flute and strings, BWV 1067] an awful lot. He
[Fricker] said to me, ‘Would you like another badinerie for the Wind Quintet?’
I said, ‘That would be nice, yes.’ Some badinerie, isn’t it? A good piece. We
played it quite often.”
A
‘badinerie’ literally means ‘teasing, playfulness and frivolity.’ It is
sometimes given as ‘badinage’ by 18th century French and German
composers. This was used for light, playful pieces often in 2/4 time. ‘Modern’
examples include those by Cyril Scott and John Foulds.
After
the Wind Quintet was completed during June 1947, Fricker sent the score to
Dennis Brain for his comments. Some
months later, the composer was astonished to open his copy of the Radio Times and discover that the work
was scheduled for broadcast. It was the
first time that Fricker had a work performed on the BBC. (Pettit, 1989)
Fricker’s Quintet won the 1947 Alfred
J. Clements Prize of £20 (about £500 at 2016 prices). The adjudicators of this
competition were Alan Bush, Howard Ferguson and Richard H. Walthew. Clements (1858-1938) was organiser and
secretary of the weekly South Place Sunday Concerts between 1887 and 1938. After his death, a prize was established in
his name. .
Performance
The premiere of the Quintet was
on 3 January 1949 during a BBC Third Programme broadcast. The recital was
recorded at Studio 3, Maida Vale and featured the Brain Wind Quintet: Gareth
Morris (flute), Leonard Brain (oboe), Stephen Waters (clarinet), Dennis Brain
(horn) and Thomas Wightman (bassoon). Jacques Ibert’s Trois pièces brèves (1930) were also presented.
The first public performance of
Fricker’s Quintet was also by the Brain Wind Quintet during a South Place
Concert at the Conway Hall on 27 February 1949. Other works heard at this
premiere included Beethoven’s Quintet, op.16 and Mozart’s Divertimento, K.270
for two oboes, horn and bassoon arranged for quintet by Anthony Baines. The
Quintet were joined
by Mr. George Malcolm when the piano was required. This was immediately
followed by another recital at the Chelsea Town Hall at one of Boyd Neel’s
Monday Night Concerts. Dennis Brain was partnered on this occasion by members
of the Boyd Neel Orchestra.
The Times (1 March 1949) reviewer considered that ‘there was
evidence of serious thought behind all its four movements, with some skilful
counterpoint in the canonic variations of the third [movement] and some
imaginative instrumentation in the scherzo-like Badinerie and Musette preceding
it.’
The Brian Wind Quintet would play Fricker’s Quintet many
times over the following decade. It was featured at the 1951 West Berlin
Festival and was heard at the Venice Festival on 12 September 1956.
Analysis
Peter Racine Fricker, Wind Quintet, op.5
I Moderato
II Badinerie: Vivace. Musette: Moderato e sostenuto
III Canonic Variations: Tema: Poco allegro. Canon I (at 4th):
Adagio.
Canon II (at 5th): Poco andante. Canon III (at 2nd): Poco scherz.
Canon IV
(at 6th): Vivo. Canon V (at 7th): Adagio
IV Finale: Vivo
The opening movement is divided
into two parts: a ‘moderato’ written in 4/4 time is followed by an ‘allegro
moderato’ in 3/4 time at bar 20. The
main theme of this movement is stated in the opening two bars.
Peter Evans, in
the sleeve notes for the Argo recording of this Quintet, observes a gift for
‘delicate textures’ especially in the ‘fluttering second subject [of the ‘allegro
moderato’] or the ‘badinerie.’’
The second
movement is presented complete with ‘conventional’ repeats followed by a
musette (which does not really have the expected drone sound of the medieval
bagpipe). The movement is concluded with a reprise of the ‘badinerie’.
The technicality
of the five canonic variations and the fugal opening of the finale give some
credence to the charge of ‘academicism’ often applied to this work. However, to
any listener not equipped with the miniature score, Fricker’s contrpuntalism
seems more like a partnership or dialogue between instruments rather than a dry
as dust procedure. It really does not
occur to the listener to worry about the theoretical nature of canon at the 4th,
5th, 2nd, 6th or 7th: it all sounds
natural and not contrived.
The finale is
written mainly in 12/8 time which is sub-divided into 3/8, 3/4 and 3/8, thus
presenting considerable rhythmical vitality. The opening theme is reprised,
giving a strong sense of unity to the work.
The Wind Quintet
exhibits the influence of Paul Hindemith and Béla Bartok without descending
into parody.
Publication
The score of the
Wind Quintet, op.5 was published by Schott & Co. Ltd., in 1951. It was reviewed in Musical Opinion (September 1951) ‘This composer lacks nothing in
technical equipment and his inventive powers are of a very high order. It is
only in warmth of feeling, - a much despised commodity with our younger
composers, - that he seems to be lacking.’
This is an estimation that seems to have lost its force when the work is
heard 67 years later. Certainly there is
an acerbic feel to some of this music, however there are moments when affability
seems to be the dominant emotion. The reviewer concludes by suggesting that ‘…all
[movements] demand playing of utmost neatness in detail and balance.’
The Chesterian (April 1952) usefully
suggested that the score would have been better served if it had shown the
actual sound of the wind instruments rather that their transpositions. Colin
Mason writes there that the ‘very independent part-writing shows as full
realisation of the different capabilities of the five instruments, and the
constantly changing distribution of the parts prevents monotony of timbre.’
Interestingly he suggests that Fricker has not attempted to ‘sharply
[differentiate] instrumental characterisation’ or further the ‘pursuit of
harmonic and instrumental sonorities for their own sake.’
To be continued...
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