Exploring Franz Reizenstein‘s Oboe Sonatina, Op.11 (1937) Part 1

Introduction: It is unfortunate that the on-line Franz Reizenstein archive has several important pages still ‘under construction.’ I welcomed this webpage in a post on The Land of Lost Content in 2011. Potentially, the most useful element missing is the ‘Performance History’. This would have been helpful in the study of the present Oboe Sonatina. I understand that the work was written as far back as 1937 but was put aside until it was premiered and published in 1942. It is not possible to find out any compositional history of this piece. By luck, I uncovered a couple of references to the Sonatina’s premiere performance in contemporary newspapers.

Franz Reizenstein (1911-68) was 26 years old when he composed his Oboe Sonatina. He had left Berlin in 1934 and arrived in London. There he studied composition at the Royal College of Music with Ralph Vaughan Williams and piano privately with the pianist Solomon. At the outbreak of the Second World War, Reizenstein was interred as an ‘alien’ but with the advocacy of Vaughan Williams he was released and subsequently spent the war years as a railway clerk with the opportunity of performing at many public concerts.

Programme Notes: The Oboe Sonatina has three short movements: ‘Allegretto’, ‘Cantilène-andante’ and ‘Vivace’ and lasts for about 12 minutes. It was dedicated to the music critic and editor of Tempo magazine, Ernest Chapman: he was later honorary secretary and concerts manager of the Macnaghten Concerts.

Margaret Reizenstein (Liner Note, Continuum CCD 1024), giving a succinct overview of the work, noted ‘the rich melodic invention and unflagging rhythmic movement…’ and considered that ‘the [Sonatina is] short, tuneful, and good humoured, with an immediate appeal.’  The Sonatina is neo-classical in its formal construction. I consider that the harmony is piquant rather than 'astringently twentieth-century’ (op.cit.

The opening ‘allegretto’ is written in modified sonata form. The first theme (oboe) is a cheerful little tune (Fig.1) with the contrasting second subject being more reflective and expressive.  The development section is compressed, but full of interest. The movement ends thoughtfully.  

Figure 1

The slow lilting ‘Cantilène’ written in 3/8 time, is the heart if the work. After a long piano introduction, where the main theme is stated, the oboe joins in to explore this idea.  The example (Fig.2) below shows the repeat of the theme before the movement comes to an end with a reflective coda. It is in these pages that the listener may ‘pick up’ on the fact that Reizenstein studied with Ralph Vaughan Williams:  

Figure 2

 Formally, the finale, ‘Vivace’ is a little rondo. The ‘refrain’ is presented as a wide-ranging melody played over a toccata-like semiquaver pattern given out by the right hand on the piano (Fig.3):

Figure 3

As the movement progresses, contrasting episodes are heard, including a ‘tranquillo’ section where the oboe is supported by tremolo chords on the piano. The main impact of this movement is that of a ‘perpetuum mobile’.

Reizenstein has created a fine balance between soloists and displays a profound understanding of the oboe's characteristics. The entire Sonatina calls for superb technical dexterity – and not only from the oboist. 

The Premiere and Reception:The Oboe Sonatina, op.11 was premiered at the Wigmore Hall during an afternoon concert on Saturday 14 March 1942. The main events at this recital were Igor Stravinsky’s neo-classical Concerto for two pianos (1935) and Ernest Bloch’s String Quartet No.1 (1916). Other music heard included Poulenc’s Ronsard Songs (1924/5) and Priaulx Rainier’s Three Greek Epigrams (1937), which are settings of Greek poems by the female Arcadian poet Anyte of Tegea, translated by Richard Aldington. The performers at the recital were Peter Graeme, oboe, Myra Verney (singer), Franz Reizenstein and Noel Mewton-Wood (pianos), Gerald Moore accompanist, and the Griller String Quartet.

The Liverpool Daily Post (16 March 1942) reported on the recital: ‘There was another of those adventurous concerts at the Wigmore Hall yesterday (q.v.) afternoon. A chapter of accidents had transformed the programme, but although we would have wished to hear the new string quartets of [Benjamin] Britten [String Quartet No. 1 in D major, op.25 (1941)] and [Arthur] Bliss [String Quartet No.1 B flat major (1941)] the occasion is sure to present itself soon, and meanwhile the concert was not lacking in novelty.’  Turning to Reizenstein’s Oboe Sonatina, the critic reminded readers that the composer was a pupil of Paul Hindemith. This present work ‘relaxes a little from the austerity of his schooling [and] provided one was prepared to accept the modern idiom, it was distinctly light-hearted and pleasing.’ I guess that even in 1942, the ‘idiom’ was hardly advanced for the audience at that event.

There is a similar assessment in The Scotsman (16 March 1942) which reports that the Sonatina ‘…[showed] unmistakable signs of his master Hindemith, in this work, there are stretches of less strenuous writing than one associated with some of his [Reizenstein’s] other work, and there is much to be enjoyed on a first hearing.’  

The Times (15 January 1943) carried a review of the score. The critic wrote that the Sonatina ‘aims at…directness and simplicity’ in form. It features ‘astringent’ harmony, but ‘avoids the fault of pitting the tenuous cantilena of the oboe against an overloaded harmonic piano part.’ Finally, he thinks that ‘the themes are distinct and purposeful and the rhythmic movement unflagging.’

E.R. (Edmund Rubbra), evaluating the score for Music and Letters (July 1943), thinks that ‘this is undoubtedly no more than a piece d'occasion, thrown off for a reason best known to the composer. It should not therefore be judged from higher standards. Yet need the composer have been so…[meagre]…of warmth, or have built up such a bakelitish texture? It is all dexterous and polished, but the final emotional effect is nil. One can admire the nicely oiled machinery, but not the article it produces.’ Bakelite was an early form of synthetic plastic introduced around 1909.

Certainly, this was the direction of thought in E.H.H’s belated assessment of the score in Music and Letters (January 1960). He states that ‘Franz Reizenstein's Sonatina is a thoroughly professional composition, in which the oboe can be heard at its best’. I am not sure if this critique implies that the ‘professional’ aspect of ‘the piece may have cast its shadow over inspiration. Finally, E.H.H. notes that the original copyright was 1942 (to Boosey and Hawkes) but was reassigned to Lengnick in 1958.

Franz Reizenstein wrote several other pieces for wind ensemble including the Wind Quintet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn op. 5 (1934), the Three Concert Pieces for oboe and piano, op.10 (1937), the Duo for Oboe and Clarinet, op. 38 (1963) and the Trio for Flute, Clarinet and Bassoon, op. 39 (1963).

In a subsequent post I will examine the only recording of this work currently available. Meanwhile, Franz Reizenstein’s Oboe Sonatina has been uploaded to YouTube: Allegretto, Andante and Vivace.

Acknowledgement: Sonatina For Oboe and Piano op.11: Composed by Franz Reizenstein © Copyright 1942 Complete Music Limited. Printed by Permission of Hal Leonard Europe Limited