Edward Bairstow: Scherzo in A flat, (1906)

One of my recent discoveries is Edward Bairstow’s (1874-1946) Scherzo in A flat dating from 1906. Virtually everything known about this piece has been supplied by Francis Jackson in his monograph about the composer. 

Jackson (1997, p.253) quotes a programme note written by Bairstow stating that this is “a light and humorous piece in its broadest sense…”  He mentions that in an unguarded moment, Bairstow insisted that “It’s flick music” of “the kind of product he would [not] like to look back on during the more austere post war days.” I guess by “flick music” the composer meant something that would have been more appropriate played on a cinema or theatre organ rather than in a cathedral or parish church.

The Scherzo in A flat is well balanced. It opens with a dancing ‘allegretto’ 6/8 theme played on 8ft flutes. This consists of a gently falling set of intervals, balanced by a delightful rising phrase of two semiquavers and a crotchet. There follows a commentary on this material before the tune is recapitulated on the Great organ with a soft reed accompaniment.

The ‘trio’ section is a robust and firm diapason sound in complete contrast to the will o’ the wisp dance tune. In the recapitulation of the ‘minuet’ section, the solo oboe takes the counter melody.  Francis Jackson notes that the ‘coda’ takes up the whole of the final page of the score and is “playful and full of delightful surprises.” Peter Hardwick (2003, p.78) notes the “pathetic effect of the chromatic subdominant minor chord in the final cadence – a favourite of the composer in these early days of his career…as an illustration of harmonic adventurousness.”

Edward Bairstow’s Scherzo is a delightfully melodic piece of a lighter character. It deserves its place in any recital.

The Scherzo in A flat was published by Novello in 1906. It is the only piece by Bairstow to be published by this company. (Jackson, 1993 p. 253)

Bibliography:
Hardwick, Peter, British Organ Music of the Twentieth Century, (Scarecrow Press, 2003)
Jackson, Francis, Blessed City: The Life and Works of Edward C. Bairstow, (Sessions of York, 1996, rev.1997)

Discography:
In 1997, Francis Jackson issued a recording of The Complete Organ Works of Edward Bairstow on the Amphion Label (PHI CD 143). It had been previously issued on the Mirabilis Label (MRCD 902) in 1990.

There are several uploads of the Scherzo listed on YouTube. I recommend Daniel Cook using the Salisbury Cathedral Organ Sample-set via Hauptwerk.