Two hermeneutical tools are
required to appreciate Benjamin Frankel’s Overture: May Day. Firstly,
his left-ward political leanings at this time and, secondly, the fact that when
this work was composed, Frankel had been writing film and radio music for some
years. This was an important part of his career which would continue until his
death. Dimitri Kennaway (2006) notes that Frankel was attracted to the ‘ideals
of Communism, along with many contemporary colleagues, seeing it as the
antidote to the advancing Nazis.’ Frankel finally joined the Party in 1941.
Fellow musicians who also became members included Alan Bush, Elisabeth Lutyens
and Bernard Stevens.
The Overture: May Day was completed in 1948, a couple of years before its premiere in 1950. Other works written by Frankel around this time included the String Quartet No.4, op.21, the Early Morning Music for oboe, clarinet and bassoon and the Three Poems for cello and piano. His masterpiece, the Violin Concerto ‘In memory of the Six Million’, op. 24 would be completed in 1951. There were several film scores dating from this time, including London Belongs to Me (1948), Trottie True (1949), and So Long at the Fair (1950).
The imperative of this Overture need to be resolved. It was well put by I.K. in his review of the then newly published miniature score by Augener. (Music and Letters, October 1950, p.374). He wonders if May Day is for the ‘workers’ or ‘mere lasses and lads.’ He thinks that this is ‘not clear from this robust and high-spirited hotch-potch, in which the instruments of the orchestra are flung about with joyous abandon.’ Certainly, the May-Day holiday is of ancient origin. Historically, it was observed on the first day of that month and was traditionally celebrated with ‘merrymaking and festivities.’ On the other hand, in 1899, 1st May was set aside to commemorate the Labour Movement in several countries around the world, including for some, the United Kingdom. Workers’ Day or International Workers’ Day celebrates the ‘historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labour movement.’ As a Communist, this would have been grist to Frankel’s mill. Listening to this Overture does not remind me of May Queens and Kings, floral garlands, and dancing round the maypole in the village green. Despite some humour, the tone of this music is serious and not rustic. I guess that the ‘call’ for the workers prevails.
The formal construction of the Overture has been described (Kennaway 2006) as being ‘kaleidoscopic’. Another adjective that suggests itself is ‘episodic.’ This ties in with the works subtitle ‘Panorama’ which indicates a sweeping filmic overview of the topic. There is no obvious first and second subjects, development, and recapitulation. Buxton Orr (1995) has noted ‘Frankel’s extraordinary ability to conjure up a wide variety of moods and descriptions in a few well-chosen bars.’ This ‘panorama’ presents ‘scenes bucolic, grotesque, urban and rural dances, the sentimental, the ironic, the sincere and deeply felt, all painted with ever changing orchestral colour.’ It is a work that will remind the listener of Frankel’s great achievements as a film score composer.
The Overture typically
presents a bustling mood often enhanced by fanfares for brass and percussion
and even the strings. Occasionally there are moments of tranquillity and
reflection. But the general mood seems to be of unresolved conflict. That said,
the conclusion of the piece does provide a mood of ‘ultimate calm and
reflection’ before concluding with a loud and positive up-swing in the
orchestra.
The aesthetic of this
work tends towards the ‘lighter’ end of the musical spectrum, without being
‘popular.’ Kennaway (2006) has described it as ‘occasional’. The same author reminds the reader that part
of this work originally featured in Frankel’s score for the naval wartime
documentary The Broad Fourteens.
Benjamin Frankel’s Overture: May Day was given its World Premiere by the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra on 17 January 1950. The orchestra was conducted by Hugo Rignold. Other music that evening included Richard Wagner’s Forest Murmurs, Robert Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, Paul Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Maurice Ravel’s orchestration of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The cellist was Enrico Mainardi.
The Liverpool Post (18
January 1950, p.3) dryly reported that Frankel’s work ‘is apparently a comment
on modern life in a modern idiom and has some striking orchestration, in which
the brass especially distinguished itself.’
The composer was in attendance.
An interesting critique of this concert appeared in Music Survey
(Spring 1950, p.276) H.B. Raynor noted that the Overture ‘gave an impression of
lively orchestration and vigorous cinematic romanticism…’
Kennaway, Dimitri, British Music Society Lecture-Recital on Saturday, 6th May 2006
Kennaway, Dimitri, Biography of Benjamin Frankel, www.benjaminfrankel.org (Wayback Machine)
Orr, Buxton. Liner Note CPO 999 240-2, 1995
Pages of The Times, Music Survey, Liverpool Post, The Stage, etc.
Discography:
Frankel, Benjamin, Overture: May Day, op.22, Symphony No.1, op.33; Symphony No.5, op.46 Queensland Symphony Orchestra/Werner Andreas Albert CPO 999 240-2, (1995). Included in the boxed set of the Complete Symphonies CPO 999 661-2 (2002) and on the compilation CD Discover New Worlds with Werner Andreas Albert CPO 999310 (1995).
To be concluded…
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