Paul Lewis (b.1943): English Suite for string orchestra (1966/1993)

English music for string orchestra is always popular. Great works in this genre include Hubert Parry’s Lady Radnor Suite, Edward Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro, Frank Bridge’s Suite for Strings and Benjamin Britten’s Simple Symphony. These are often heard on radio, in the concert hall and on multiple recordings. The very nature of these compositions seem to belong to the musical fabric of the country, perhaps looking back to the days of Purcell and his wonderful Chacony in G minor. It takes little research to uncover dozens more examples of the genre. A recent discovery for me was Paul Lewis’s English Suite. This was released on Naxos in 2000. (See below for details).  For me, this work epitomises the continuity of the medium as well as presenting a wonderful musical evocation of the English landscape. 

The composer explained to me that the present Suite was written back in 1966. It was devised for string quartet. Lewis was unhappy with the original third movement and subsequently withdrew the piece. He recalled that in 1991 some friends, who played in the Greenwich Quartet, told him that an English work had been requested for a forthcoming tour of Spain. The English Suite was recovered and a new third movement, a Jig, was written. Revisions were made to the other movements, including ‘the descending bell-like scales in the finale’. Lewis told me that ‘when the bell ringers in the church next door were making such a prolonged clamour that I could no longer think straight, so in a "If you can't beat them, join them" spirit I incorporated the bells into the music!’  The piece was apparently well received in Spain.

In 2002, Paul Lewis was approached by composer and record produced Philip Lane. He had been let down by the publisher of a work he had planned to include in Volume 4 of the Naxos English String Miniatures series. Lewis obliged him with the English Suite, which was rescored into the present string orchestra arrangement and had a double bass part added. The work has proved popular on classical music radio stations and has been performed by several string orchestras at home and abroad. Lewis tells me that it is particularly popular with American high school ensembles.

The English Suite is in four movements: ‘March’, ‘Meditation’, ‘Jig’ and ‘Jaunt’. The Naxos CD liner notes state that it ‘proudly stands at the end of the English pastoral tradition at its reflective and riotous best.’ The first movement is a march written in ternary form. The main theme ‘marcia con spirito’ is a playful melody that nods to folksong and is syncopated in places. The ‘trio’ tune, played cantabile on the first violins, is short and sweet, with echoes of Malcolm Arnold. 

The heart of this Suite is the second movement ‘Meditation’. This is signed Lento espressivo and ‘con sordino (with mutes).  It is introspective music with a solo violin introducing the main theme which is later reprised by solo cello and viola. Rhythmic variety is introduced by a little ‘pensivo’ figure on the cellos. Towards the end of this movement the lower strings play a gentle walking bass before the music comes to a hushed close.

The third movement is a ‘scherzo’. The tempo is ‘Con moto scherzando’ and the 6/8-time signature gives the music a fair bounce. This melody is predicated on English folk music without quoting a tune. Formally, this movement is a difficult to pin down. I guess that it is somewhere between ternary form and a rondo. The ‘jig’ themes is heard in unison on pairs of instruments and the two episodes contrast well with the refrain.  The use of portamento gives a wonderful sense of swing here.

The finale, a ‘Jaunt’, is vibrant. The listener can imagine an energetic trip in a horse and trap. The main ‘allegretto giocoso’ theme dominates this movement, with a little relaxation in the middle section. Interest is helped using 6/8 and 2/4-time signatures. There is a short coda, where the instruments imitate the pealing bells as mentioned earlier. The movement ends with some sharp, but hesitant. pizzicato chords. The entire work is characterised by a sympathetic understanding of the technical abilities of string players. 

Paul Lewis explained to me that the musicologist Christopher Palmer told him that he ‘was a composer of place, and English Suite with its folk-like melodies does indeed reflect [his] love of the English countryside’. It does not allude to any specific location but does create an intangible sense of place. 

Finally, Lewis has stated that every English composer should write a piece for string orchestra. Looking at the CD catalogues, many have heeded his advice past and present.

Paul Lewis’s English Suite was issued on Naxos 8.555070. Other works included on this disc are Peter Hope’s Momentum Suite, Frank Bridge’s Two Pieces, Valse and Intermezzo arranged by Paul Hindmarsh, Adam Carse’s Two Sketches, Ernest Tomlinson’s Graceful Dance, Gustav Holst’s A Moorside Suite and Fred Delius’s Two Aquarelles. The Northern Sinfonia is conducted by David Lloyd-Jones.

Both the string quartet and string orchestra version of the English Suite have been uploaded to YouTube.