Eric Coates: Coquette (1920)

One of Eric Coates’s most charming orchestral miniatures is the little-known Coquette, often described as either a ballet sketch or an entr’acte. Completed on 12 May 1920, it remains unpublished and its first performance undocumented. Nevertheless, Coquette is believed to be one of three ballet sketches Coates wrote around this time. According to Michael Payne (2012), this piece may have been the second number in the sequence, although the other two works have been lost, or even never written, and their titles remain unknown.

The word “Coquette” usually refers to a woman who flirts playfully, often to attract admiration without serious intent. Originating from the French, it evokes charm, teasing, and light-hearted seduction. The term also names a vibrant hummingbird species, known for its vivid plumage and lively display - aptly mirroring the word’s spirited, attention-seeking essence.

Scored for a large orchestra including piccolo, trumpets, and triangle, the piece opens with a mischievous motif that sets the tone for a light-hearted musical narrative. Its three part structure suggests a vignette - a brief scene from an imaginary ballet - envisaging an engaging dancer teasing and twirling across the stage. The music alternates between cheeky woodwind interjections and sweeping string passages, creating a sense of theatrical motion and personality.

Though not part of a full ballet, Coquette evokes the spirit of dance with its vivacious rhythms and flirtatious character, true to its title, it has elegance and vivacity that characterise Coates’s style, blending Edwardian grace with early 20th-century wit.

It shares stylistic traits with his other orchestral miniatures written around this time, such as Summer Days and Wood Nymphs Valsette, which similarly conjure vivid imagery through concise musical storytelling.

Coquette is a snapshot of Coates’s gift for melody and orchestration. It captures the spirit of a bygone era - refined yet whimsical - and stands as a testament to his ability to craft music that dances even without dancers. For enthusiasts of British light music, it is a charming gem worth reviving.

You can listen to Eric Coates’s Coquette on YouTube, here. The BBC Concert Orchestra is conducted by John Wilson, and the recording was released on the ASV Record label, CD WHL2107 (1997).

Bibliography

• Lace, Ian. In Town Tonight: A Centenary Study of Eric Coates, Thames Publishing, 1986.
• Payne, Michael. The Life and Music of Eric Coates, Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2012.