Introducing William Baines (1899-1922)

William Baines wrote over two hundred works in several genres, including a symphony, a piano concerto and chamber music. However, it is his piano solo compositions that are his most successful and enduring achievements. He worked better as a miniaturist rather than on larger canvases. Many of his piano pieces are impressionistic, others range through a variety of moods and styles. It is not fair to try to attach influences onto Baines, but the works of Scriabin were seminal. Add to this the unique but underrated achievement of Cyril Scott, and we have an idea of how Baines approached the timbres of the piano. He was able to fuse the style of the Russian with that of English Pastoralism and Romanticism. Baines’s music covered a range of emotion and styles; his harmonies could be rich or sparse. Grove’s Dictionary (2001/02) points out that the key to composer’s style is his Seven Preludes, composed in 1919. It is here that many of the aspects of his style are plain – “from virtuoso brilliance to rhapsodic contemplation, and from a lush Romanticism to sparse textures and acrid harmonies.” Frederick Dawson, Baines' music adviser and promoter, once wrote that the young composer had "an inexhaustible fancy and the enviable gift of translating into terms of sound his love of Nature and his joy in the beautiful"

Much of William Baines’s music was imbued with his love of nature, especially the countryside of East Riding and the seascapes of Flamboro' Head. 

Brief Biography of William Baines (1899-1922)

• William Baines was born at 11 Shepstye Road, Horbury, Leeds on 26 March 1899The young composer had some piano lessons from his father and composition study with Albert Jowett, at Yorkshire Training College of Music in Leeds.
• In 1916, the Baines family moved to 91 Albemarle Road in York, William remained in Horbury.
• The Symphony was completed in 1917.
• The same year, Baines had moved to York, and assisted his father as accompanist at the Fossgate Cinema.
• Baines was called up for military service in 1918. He was destined to be a batman in the Royal Air Force.
• Several days after arriving at Blandford Forum camp, Baines contracted septic poisoning, which coupled with his underlying tuberculosis led to him being invalided out of the military.
• During his recovery in York, he continued to compose and give piano recitals locally.
• In 1920, he enrolled in the British Musical Society.
• Baines played at the Bournemouth Pavilion under the auspices of Sir Dan Godfrey. He performed his piano piece The Tides.
• William Baines died in York on 6 November 1922 aged only 23 years.

Six Essential Works
William Baines’s catalogue of music is considerable, running from op.1 to op.216. Precious few pieces have been published, and even fewer recorded. I have selected six works that are currently available on CD – all of them for piano.

1. Paradise Gardens (1918-19)
2. Seven Preludes (1919)
3. Silverpoints: ‘Labyrinth in a Deep-Sea Cave,’ ‘Water-Pearls,’ ‘The Burning Joss-Stick’ and ‘Floralia’ (1920)
4. Tides: ‘The Lone Wreck’ and ‘Goodnight to Flamboro’’ (1920-21)
5. ‘The Naiad’ No.2 of Three Concert Studies (1920)
6. Coloured Leaves: ‘Prelude,’ ‘Valse,’ ‘Still Day,’ and ‘Purple Heights’ (1920)

Bibliography
There is only one major study of the composer. Goodnight to Flamboro’: The Life and Work of William Baines written by Roger Carpenter was published by the Triad Press in 1977. It was reprinted with revisions in 1999, by the British Music Society. This volume gives a detailed account of Baines’s life and music, as well as a complete works list, bibliography, and the then current discography. There are some evocative pen and ink sketches and decorations by Richard A. Bell.

Important essays include Peter Pirie’s ‘William Baines,’ (Music and Musicians, November 1972) and Fiona Richards’s ‘William Baines and his Circle’, (Musical Times, August 1989).

Earlier appreciations of Baines and his music include, Rutland Boughton’s ‘A Musical Impressionist’ (Musical Times, March 1926), Frederick Dawson’s ‘On the Interpretation of William Baines’s Music’ (Musical Opinion, December 1922), Katherine Eggar’s ‘The Music of William Baines’ (Music Teacher, December 1925). There are two important essays by A. Eaglefield Hull: ‘The Music of One William Baines’ (Musical Opinion, March 1920 and ‘A New Yorkshire Musical Genius’ (The Bookman, April 1922). There are the usual entries in Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Wikipedia, and further information in CD liner notes.  A few Webpages are devoted to William Baines.

Discography

There have been few records or CDs dedicated to William Baines. In 1972, Lyrita Recorded Edition released an LP devoted entirely to Baines’s music (SRCS 60). Eric Parkin included Silverpoints, Paradise Gardens, Coloured Leaves, Twilight Pieces, Tides, and the Seven Preludes on the record. It was re-released on CD in 2007 (SRCD.266) coupled with piano music by E.J. Moeran.

In 1990, Alan Cuckston issued a compact disc of Baines’s piano music entitled Goodnight to Flamboro’. This included Pictures of Light, Glancing Sunlight, Island of the Fay, Concert Study: “Exaltation,” Idyll (Nocturne), Elves, Paradise Gardens, and Tides. The CD (Swinsty Records Few 119CDr) also included Eugene Goossens’s remarkable Nature Poems.

In 1996, Eric Parkin recorded another selection of Baines’s piano works on the Priory label. (PRCD 550). This included The Chimes, Paradise Gardens, Seven Preludes, Coloured Leaves, Silverpoints, Idyll, Tides, The Naiad, Twilight Pieces, Pool-Lights, and the Etude in F# Minor. There is much overlapping with the Lyrita edition. A few other pieces by Baines have been included on various compilation albums.

Finally, the Symphony has been uploaded to YouTube. It is a recording of a live broadcast at Grassington Town Hall on 2 June 1991. The Airedale Symphony Orchestra was conducted by George Kennaway.

If you can only hear one CD...

Eric Parkin’s fine conspectus of the composer’s music on Lyrita is the ideal introduction. Baines’s Seven Preludes offers an overview of his musical achievement. These pieces, written in 1919 explore a wide range of moods and technical requirements. It is therefore surprising that there is a keen sense of unity and purpose about these Preludes when we consider the contrast. The listener finds a romanticism and sustained passion in the first, an ‘opiate tonality’ in the fifth. The fourth prelude is a ‘torrent of semiquavers without key or time signature.’ Yet, the second Prelude is deeply reflective. The set ends with a fine explosion of complex Rachmaninov-like octaves and pianism. The coda to this work leaves the listener ‘up in the air.’ It is Scriabin who is the most obvious influence here.

Tides is a work that epitomises William Baines’ art. This is music that tied to a location – Flamborough Head in the East Riding – yet is timeless. This is fine sea music that is both descriptive and reflective.

Coloured Leaves are an interesting set of ‘fancies’ and although they may not be a critical part of Baines’s catalogue, are certainly attractive, and reveal the composer’s technique and imagination to the full. The Twilight Pieces are advanced in their harmonic language. They are less romantic in nature than much that Baines wrote – in fact, there is a simplicity about these pieces that is almost hypnotic. All of them are quiet and reflective and are valedictory. The composer died the following year.

Silverpoints, which were composed in 1920/21, consist of four short tone poems. ‘Labyrinth’ is another highly effective sea–picture: a repetitive, almost monotonous piano figuration is used with significant effect. ‘Water pearls’ is a little waltz - but not in any way sentimental. ‘The Burning Joss Stick’ is atmospheric as it should be: the music moving in slow, soft chromatic chords, and we can feel the incense slowly rising. The last piece is ‘Floralia’ - which well suggests the voices of laughing children.

Finally, if you wish to hear just one work…
This must be Paradise Gardens. Willaim Baines wrote: "…there was a lovely view, overlooking the gardens of the Station Hotel in York. You looked through thick green foliage onto the grounds, which were beautifully laid out with flowers - and in the centre a little fountain was playing. A perfect blue sky, and the sun shining low - made indeed a grand picture."

He had watched as the sun set over York. It was on a summer’s day too - 2 June 1918: a few months before the Great War ended. The vision inspired him to compose his masterpiece. It is an attractive and beguiling tone poem that successfully balances impressionism with sheer romance. This is a technically difficult piece that exploits the resources of the piano. Baines makes use of three staves, and even then, one wonders if it is enough. There is a touch of ecstasy and passion about this work that makes it special.

Sadly, the much of the gardens has become a car park – but the music remains. It makes a fine introduction to Baines’ piano works.