Haydn Wood: Manx Countryside Sketches

In 2011 I posted a short essay entitled ‘Haydn Wood: the Isle of Man Works’. In this note I listed Wood’s music inspired by this lovely island. At that time, three of these works had not been recorded. So, it was with great delight that I discovered the beautiful Manx Country Sketches (1943) on the recent Dutton Epoch CD of the composer’s Orchestral Suites.

It will be recalled that although Wood was born in Slaithwaite (not pronounced as it is spelt) in the West Riding of Yorkshire, he moved to the Isle of Man with his parents when still a schoolboy. He was later to work there for several years as musical director of the Palace & Derby Castle Company.

Marjorie Cullerne and Tony Clayden explain in the CD liner notes that the young Haydn Wood matured musically in the 1880s and 90s in Douglas, where a large number of holidaymakers, mainly from the north of England, were having a huge impact on musical taste on the Island. Wood was to understand the ‘popular’ aspirations of these visitors. On the other hand, he had a huge respect for the then-dying traditional Manx songs. At the same time the language was also disappearing (fortunately now being revived). In Wood’s day several songs had been collected and published. He was keen to use these ‘traditional tunes’ in his Manx-inspired music.

I have only been to the Isle of Man on a couple of occasions. Yet this present work strikes a chord with me. I recall walking on Spanish Head in the south of the island one summer’s night. It was nearly dark, and we could see all Six Kingdoms – Blackpool Tower and the Pleasure Beach (England), the Mull of Galloway lighthouse in Scotland, the glow of Larne in Ulster, the beacon light off Anglesey (Wales) and the Isle of Man itself. But then there was the sixth – the Kingdom of Heaven! – Not to mention anything about the realm of the fairies or folklore and ancient traditions. All this magic, I am sure, was in the thoughts of the composer as he wrote this lovely work.

The only problem with Manx Country Sketches is that it is too short. The opening piece, ‘A Manx Pastoral Scene’ lasts for a mere three and a half minutes. Yet the style and mood are that of a small but brilliantly crafted tone-poem that perfectly imagines the beautiful Manx countryside. The orchestration of this piece is a masterclass in creating a mood: ‘shimmering’ and ‘translucent.’ I do not know if this piece is based on an original folk tune. This idyll was inspired when the composer went on long, solitary walks.

The second of the two pieces, ‘A Manx Country Dance’ is based on the tune ‘Hunt the Wren.’ We will draw a veil over the less-than-environmentally correct origins of this tune and how it used to be used in celebrations. This pre-Christian, Pagan tradition, which occurs on Boxing Day (St Stephen’s Day) is now guaranteed not to harm any living creature! Haydn Wood has used the ‘energetic’ jig tune throughout the piece. The liner notes point out the ‘allegro moderato’ tempo of the music and suggests that the composer was ‘envisioning it for traditional circle dancing.’ It is a neatly orchestrated piece that is full of vibrancy and subtle humour.

From my reckoning, the only Isle of Man works now needed to complete the set are King Orry (1939) and A Pageant of the Isle of Man (1951). Fingers crossed!

Haydn Wood: Manx Countryside Sketches are recorded on Dutton Epoch CDLX 7357. The CD includes the Festival March, the Snapshots of London Suite, the Cities of Romance Suite and the Royal Castles Suite.