Romance and Reverie: Holst and his Contemporaries

The publicity for this CD states that the repertoire “is based on chamber works written or arranged for violin with either voice or another instrument, by Holst himself and four composers who were contemporary with him – with a focus on neglected works but including a new arrangement of one very popular piece.”

Appropriately for the sesquicentennial anniversary of Gustav Holst’s birth, three of his works are given here. All are in slightly different versions from what many listeners will be used to. Invocation was originally conceived for cello and small orchestra in 1911. He later arranged it for cello and piano. The present edition for violin and piano was devised by Hannah Roper. Even though Holst was employed on his Rig Veda settings at that time, the overall impression is one of Englishness – and possibly ascending larks! Invocation was originally titled A Song of Evening, which suggests that it may have been deemed a companion piece to A Song of the Night (1905), also heard in this recital. Originally this latter work was conceived for violin and small orchestra but is heard here rescored for violin and piano. I do not know if this version is in Holst’s hand. It does not offer an evocation of England, but something more mystical and nodding to India.

The final track is an arrangement of Holst’s Lyric Movement for viola and small orchestra (1933). This was one of his final compositions and was dedicated to the violist Lionel Tertis. Once again, it has been arranged by Hannah Roper for violin and piano. This nocturnal piece presents shifting harmonies, clear textures, and soaring melodies. It is not austere, but neither is it a pastoral rumination. Imogen Holst considered it to be one of her father’s finest works.

William Yeates Hurlstone displayed remarkable musical talent from an early age. Despite his premature death, he left behind a small but excellent body of work. His catalogue includes the Variations on a Swedish Air, a Piano Concerto, the Magic Mirror Suite, an important Piano Sonata in F minor, and the Cello Sonata in D.

The liner notes suggest that the Four English Sketches are “miniatures which paint almost idyllic musical portraits of English country life, like scenes on a Royal Worcester porcelain dinner service.” Certainly, there is an inherent innocence here. The Pastoral is more Edward German than RVW, whilst the Caprice has a beautiful ‘big tune’ in the middle eight. Romance is melancholy but ending enigmatically: A story rather than a love affair? The finale, A Revelry is the most technically demanding of the Sketches. Bouncy and playful, Hurlstone has introduced a bit of a fugal passage in the Trio section.

Two other pieces by Hurlstone are included – his Revery and Romance. I like the programme notes suggestion that they have a “charming sepia-toned quality.” They are much deeper and profound in impact than the Sketches. It is not explained in the notes that these two numbers would appear to be part of Three Pieces for violin and pianoforte. They are all undated, but the manuscript carries a date of 12 August 1894, for one of them. There is also an Intermezzo, which is not included in this recital.

Rebecca Clarke’s quixotic Midsummer Moon echoes Claude Debussy and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Written in 1924, it is just a little bit eclectic in its stylistic integrity. However, she has managed to express an entire range of emotions, from playfulness to the dream-like magic of a warm summer’s night.

Clarke’s Three Irish Country Songs (1926) are scored for soprano and violin, based on folk tunes. The first, I know my love utilizes a delicate counterpoint between the soloists. I know where I’m going is a gentle rumination on love sullied by her sweetheart Johnny’s bad reputation. The final number, As I Was Goin’ to Ballynure, is a good old Irish romp. A wonderful violin obligato here.

Ethel Barns was an English violinist, pianist, and composer. Her Valse Caprice (1894) is virtuosic, with nods towards the Polish violinist and composer Henryk Wieniawski. It is an involved number, which sounds very English despite the French title. Barns’s Lament (also called Chanson Indienne) is an involved mood picture, drawing on Indian scales with nods to modalism. It is undated.

I first heard The Lark Ascending in the Bean/Boult version dating from 1972 (HMV ASD2847). It has been my go-to recording whether on vinyl, cassette, or CD since then. Despite listening to Valeria Clarke’s arrangement on two occasions in the preparation of this review, I am not convinced. The liner notes explain that “With the carefully considered addition of extended techniques for harp, the music takes on a feel which can only be described as even more English, with the folk inspiration for the melodies and harmonies on clearer display through the recognisably ancient timbre of the harp.” To be sure it is a faithful account of this ever-popular work and deserves to be successful. It is just not for me.

The liner notes by Chris Cope, Hannah Roper and John Francis are helpful, and include backgrounds of the composers and brief notes on the repertoire. Not all dates are given: I have provided these where possible. The booklet is illustrated with publicity shots of the recitalists and photos of the composers. Brief biographies of the performers are given. The picture on the CD cover was previously used on ALBCD038 – Time and Space.

I cannot fault the performances on this CD. The heavy lifting is done by Hannah Roper (violin) and Martin Jacoby (piano), ably assisted by the soprano Emma Tring and the harpist Valeria Clarke. The playing is always sympathetic and well balanced. The songs by Rebecca Clarke are sung with clarity and imagination without an overly exaggerated Irish accent.

It is useful to have these relatively unknown works made available, especially the Rebecca Clarke, Ethel Barns, and the William Hurlstone. The three arrangements of Holst’s early concerted pieces are a valuable contribution to his birthday honours. Listeners will make up their own mind about this latest incarnation of The Lark Ascending.

Track Listing:
Gustav Holst (1874-1934)
Invocation for violin and piano (1911), arr. Hannah Roper
William Hurlstone (1876-1906)
Four English Sketches for violin and piano (pub. posth.1910)
Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979)
Midsummer Moon for violin and piano (1924)
Ethel Barns (1873-1948)
Valse Caprice for violin and piano (1894)
Hannah Roper (violin), Martin Jacoby (piano)
Rebecca Clarke
Three Irish Country Songs for soprano and violin (1926)
Emma Tring (soprano), Hannah Roper (violin)
Gustav Holst
A Song of the Night for violin and piano (1905)
Hannah Roper (violin), Martin Jacoby (piano)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
The Lark Ascending for violin and harp (1914), arr. Valeria Clarke (b.1992)
Hannah Roper (violin), Valeria Clarke (harp)
William Hurlstone
Revery and Romance for violin and piano (c.1894)
Ethel Barns
Lament (?)
Gustav Holst
Lyric Movement for violin and piano, (1933) arr. Hannah Roper
Hannah Roper (violin), Martin Jacoby (piano)
rec. 28-29 May 2024, Ruddock Performing Arts Centre, Edgbaston, Birmingham.
Albion ALBCD065

Eric Coates's Tribute to Arnold Bax

Eric Francis Harrison Coates (1886-1957) was a significant English composer known for his light music. Born in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, Coates grew up in a musical family. Despite initial reluctance from his parents, he pursued a musical career, studying at the Royal Academy of Music under Frederick Corder and Lionel Tertis.

Coates began his career as a violist, playing in orchestras conducted by notable figures like Thomas Beecham and Henry Wood. However, in 1919, he shifted his focus entirely to composition due to neuritis in his left hand. His works are characterized by their melodic charm and orchestral colour, often reflecting the light music tradition of Arthur Sullivan and Edward German.

Among his most famous compositions are the ‘Knightsbridge March’ from the London Suite (1932), By the Sleepy Lagoon (1930), and The Dam Busters March (1954). Coates’s music was widely popular, with pieces like “Knightsbridge” becoming synonymous with BBC Radio’s In Town Tonight.

Coates’s legacy endures through his contributions to light music, blending traditional orchestral elements with contemporary influences, including jazz and dance-band music. His work continues to be celebrated for its enduring appeal and melodic brilliance.

Eric Coates contributed to the Arnold Bax memorial letters published in Music & Letters, January 1954. Although the two composers were quite different in their aims and styles, there was clearly sympathy and genuine friendship between the two men. Bax had died on 3 October 1953 aged 69 years.

Sir Arnold Bax's death on October 3rd has meant a great loss to English music, for we had hoped to have many more lovely works from the pen of this shy, retiring composer. Arnold Bax was a great musician with a vivid imagination and a superb command of the orchestra. Whichever instrument he wrote for, it was as if he played that instrument himself, so well did he seem to write for it. He always wrote grateful and interesting parts for every member of the orchestra, and his music is therefore a delight to listen to and to play. I first became friendly with him in 1907 at the Royal Academy of Music, and during the years between that time and his death I saw him frequently. He was a kindly, lovable, companionable person, tolerant of others and loyal to his friends. His words were few but always to the point, and he had a delightful way of telling a story. Sometimes, when with others, he would lapse into a long silence and, just when one thought he was fast asleep, he would rap out some pithy remark showing how closely he had been following the conversation. He detested parties and public functions and avoided them when he could, though I often found myself seated next to him at official banquets, dinners, and luncheons. He had a habit of turning up at my flat on festive occasions, and he was with me on VE Day. He was also with me on the Board of the Performing Right Society where, when bored by the proceedings, he would push his writing-pad towards me with the words: "Eric, draw me a ship!" To which request I would oblige by sketching a liner at full steam, and he would add some clouds and a few seagulls. I remember asking him one day how he managed to think of his fascinating orchestral effects - to which he replied, with a "What does it feel like to have written world-famous melodies?" The last time I saw him on the concert platform was last year at Cheltenham [1] when he received an ovation from a delighted audience after Sir John Barbirolli and the Halle Orchestra had given a magnificent performance of his Sixth Symphony. Well, he has gone. The slightly stooping, diffident, shy figure we all knew so well will be seen no more, but the music that came from that imaginative and creative mind will still live on. Dear Arnold Bax - the world has lost a great musician and I, personally, have lost an old and loved friend.  Music & Letters, January 1954.

Notes
[1] The concert was held at the Cheltenham Town Hall on Wednesday, 16th July 1952. Besides Bax’s Symphony No.6 there was a performance of E.J. Moeran’s Serenade in G and John Gardener’s Variations on a Waltz of Carl Nielsen. This latter work, despite positive reviews, has fallen by the wayside

Highways and Byways: Rarities for Recorder

This 2-CD set gets off to a great start with Lennox Berkeley’s Sonatina op. 13 dating from 1939. Typical of his style, it is a successful fusion of baroque and neo-classical sensibilities as well as a touch of Gallic charm. The three movements entertain with lovely melodies, and alluring harmonies.

Sheffield-born Wilfred Heaton is best recalled for his contribution to the brass band repertoire, although he did produce works for many other genres. The Little Suite for recorder and piano was premiered in 2001 at the Royal Northern College of Music. The Suite presents five “contrasting cameos” which reflect the “dance-based instrumental suites of Bach and Bartók.” Moods encompassed include a vibrant Courante, a lugubrious Cantabile and a humorous Bourée. These are bookended by a brilliant Toccata and a will o’ the wisp Gigue.

The booklet states that Peter Pope’s Sonatina No.2 was composed in Croydon during April and May 1980. There is no information concerning any early performances. The piece is gentle and thoughtful throughout its three complementary movements. Gary Higginson, in his review of this CD, here, reminds the reader that Pope was a pupil of John Ireland, and that his influence can be seen in the sad slow movement.

The undated The Summer Triangle by David Butler was inspired by three stars seen in the night sky, Vega, Altair, and Deneb. And is The Eagle (mentioned in the notes) a fourth? To be sure, the CD cover is supposed to illustrate this phenomenon, but I am not sure I can quite see it. Add to this, Butler’s exploration at night of the beaches around Lowestoft and witnessing a rising moon, has inspired this attractive and absorbing composition. It does not need the astronomical programme to enjoy.

Igor Stravinsky’s Lullaby (1960) for two recorders is an arrangement of Ann’s Lullaby from The Rake’s Progress (1951). It involved “an ingenious reduction of both song and chorus throughout to just two parts.” All I will say it would not send anyone off to sleep – just too piercing.

The brief Sonatina (1978), by John Locke was dedicated to the present soloist, John Turner. It comes as a gentle relief after the astringency of the Stravinsky. Even so, this is no pastoral ramble, but an exploration of some complex chromatic phrases. The central Adagio is particularly redolent. The final movement is played on the descant recorder, giving a brighter, bouncy conclusion.

The final work on CD1 is Thomas Pitfield’s Dancery (1974). This suite was inspired by Tielman Susato’s collection of dance tunes made popular by early music expert David Munrow. Pitfield has formulated five contrasting melodies which, although short, are always musically significant. My favourite is the smoky Pavan in Three Notes (Hommage à Poulenc). Equally attractive is the Finzian second Pavan. Altogether a delightful work that ought to be in the repertoire of all recorderists.

The second CD is a pot-pourri of miniatures. John Turner’s A Sad Pavane was written in 2022 as part of a collection designed for a video supporting the Ukrainian people. It is sad in mood, but ultimately positive. The second of Two Pieces is a rumbustious little Hopscotch (2012). Curiously, in Scotland we call this game ‘peever.’

The liner notes explain that John McCabe’s Domestic Life is “an arrangement of tunes from an ‘entertainment,’ This Town’s a Corporation Full of Crooked Streets, for voice and ensemble,” dating from 1969. It is interesting to note that the texts (not provided here) of the original were derived from poems authored by the Mersey Sound poets, Adrian Henri, Roger McGough, and Brian Patten and, also, included children’s rhymes. McCabe’s contribution is a fascinating little selection of tunes, all played without a break. McCabe himself referred to it as a “pièce d’occasion.” It would make a splendid encore at any recorder and piano recital.

John McCabe’s Sam’s Tune was originally penned in 1973 for a Granada TV production. It is untypical of his style, but quite catchy.

The liner notes explain that Christopher Ball “was a musical polymath, being a clarinettist, conductor, composer, arranger, publisher, recorder virtuoso, teacher and photographer.” His Two Pieces for recorder and piano were originally intended to be part of a sonatina, which never materialised. A Cheerful Little Piece, with a few neat twists and turns, does what it says on the tin, whilst the Homage to Dvořák is slower, thoughtful and has hints of Grandmother’s Songs and Hovis.

For any railway enthusiast, memories of Stockport Edgeley with it signal boxes, large station, and impressive viaduct bring back happy memories. Peter Hope has evoked The Edgeley Tram (2019) in his short contribution. It presents musical onomatopoeia of a journey from Mersey Square in the centre of town up the hill to the suburb of Edgeley. Sadly, the network of trams closed in 1951. Fortunately, Mersey Square has remained very much the same, despite town council planning. David Jepson also recalls the locality with his bewitching Edgeley Fold (2020). It is a “meditation on an excerpt from a poem by the native poet Anthony Warren Bardsley…” It balances wistful reflection with some “memories of a darker hue” created by wartime memories. A lovely little creation.

I am not sure why Alexander Gretchaninov’s Concertino, op. 171 (1944) has been included in this collection of largely British music. It is a “short and happy” number for two recorders and piano which is fun, but hardly essential.

American composer William Bergsma’s Pastorale and Scherzo (1943) brings a touch of variety to the prevailing instrumentation of this CD set. He has devised them for recorder and two violas. The Pastorale is a little too profound, whilst the Scherzo lets zip. A good encore.

Conversation Piece (1996) for two recorders by Dorothy Pilling is a pleasant little exercise that is full of summery delight. My only criticism is that it is too short!

David Ellis’s Mount Street Blues (2015) is in “memory of his friend from childhood, John McCabe.” Mount Street in Liverpool is the location of the Liverpool Institute where both men studied. There is only a hint of the “blues” about it, but it is an exquisite tribute.

The second contribution from Ellis is his Fipple-Baguette: Three Encores for Solo Recorder op. 76 for solo recorder. (2004). The titles are Round Dance, Sarabande with Doubles and End-Piece. These exceedingly difficult miniatures were dedicated to John Turner. I do not know what the relevance of “Baguette” is, but “Fipple” is the mouthpiece of a ducted flute, i.e. a recorder.

The final number in this recital is Thomas Pitfield’s A Little Caribbean. This undated work was originally scored for clarinet and piano. It is a charming miniature that presents a memorable melody and clever rhythmic patterning.

The helpful liner notes have been written/assembled by John Turner. They are clear and legible. Not all the dates of composition have been given, which is a pity. The playing on this disc is outstanding throughout. Most of the burden falls on John Turner, recorder, and Stephen Bettaney, piano, but additional resources are provided by the recorderist Laura Robinson, and the violists Catherine Yates and Alex Mitchell. Brief biographies are included for all performers. The cover is an attractive photo of (for me) an unknown series of constellations.

All the music on this new CD is of interest. Clearly individuals will make their own choice as to what are their favourites and what they can live without. What is clear is that this latest production overseen by the eminent recorderist John Turner reveals what a wonderful treasure chest exists of music that is found in the repertoire’s Highways and Byways. Long may these explorations continue.

Track Listing:
CD1
Lennox Berkeley (1903-1989)
Sonatina op. 13 (1939)
Wilfred Heaton (1918-2000)
Little Suite (f.p.2001)
Peter Pope (1917-1991)
Sonatina No. 2 (1980)
David Butler (b. 1953)
The Summer Triangle
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Lullaby (arr. 1960)
John Locke (1907-1980)
Sonatina (1978)
Thomas Pitfield (1903-1999)
Dancery (1974)

CD2
John Turner (b. 1943)
Two Pieces (2022 and 2012)
John McCabe (1939-2015)
Domestic Life (1969/2000)
Sam’s Tune (1973)
Christopher Ball (1936-2022)
Two Pieces
Peter Hope (b. 1930)
The Edgeley Tram (2019)
David Jepson (1941-2021)
Edgeley Fold (c.2020)
Alexander Gretchaninov (1864-1956)
Concertino op. 171(1941)
William Bergsma (1921-1994)
Pastorale and Scherzo (1943)
Dorothy Pilling (1910-1998)
Conversation Piece (1996)
David Ellis (1933-2023)
Mount Street Blues (2015)
Fipple-Baguette: Three Encores for Solo Recorder, op. 76 (2004)
Thomas Pitfield
A Little Caribbean
John Turner (recorder), Stephen Bettaney (piano), Laura Robinson (recorder), Catherine Yates (viola), Alex Mitchell (viola)
rec. 22-23 May 2023, St. Elizabeth’s Church, Ashley, UK; 11 October 2023 St Paul’s Church, Heaton Moor, Stockport (Bergsma); 16 September 2008, St. Thomas’s Church, Stockport (Fipple-Baguette, Ellis)
Divine Art DDX21245

Alfred Reynold: Suite: Alice through the Looking Glass (1947)

As long as I can remember, I have been a fan of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and its sequel, Alice through the Looking Glass. I owned a copy of both books before I could read, but enjoyed the ever so slightly scary illustrations by John Tenniel. My favourite character was the gentle, eccentric White Knight, who rescues Alice from the Red Knight.

Liverpool born composer Alfred Reynolds (1884-1969) is recalled for his contributions to theatrical productions and light music. He studied composition in Berlin under the Engelbert Humperdinck (of Hansel and Gretel fame). In 1910, he conducted Oscar Straus’s The Chocolate Soldier thus becoming one of the youngest operatic conductors in England. Most of Reynolds’s creative work was for the theatre, and included several comic operas, often with librettos devised by A.P. Herbert. Some of his most successful pieces were written for stage productions of 1066 And All That and The Swiss Family Robinson. Alfred Reynolds died in Bognor Regis on 16 October 1969.

The 1947 Christmas Show at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatres in Stratford-Upon-Avon was a production of Alice in Wonderland which seemed to be a compilation of both books. The story had been adapted by Herbert M Prentice and the performance was directed by Sir Barry Jackson. The show ran for three weeks beginning on Boxing Day. Alfred Reynolds provided the incidental music, which was later assembled into two Suites: Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking-Glass.

The Alice Through the Looking-Glass Suite opens with an evocation of the mythical Jabberwocky. This scary creature was the subject of a nonsense poem introduced into the story. Reynolds’s ‘take’ opens with a passage for woodwind, which nods towards Paul Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and even the Teddy Bears’ Picnic. Listen out for the siren whistle. The loveliest movement is the elusive waltz, The Ballet of Talking Flowers. This piece opens with a short piano cadenza, is followed by swirling strings, then a melancholic cello solo and concludes with a vibrant coda. The nursery song, Humpty Dumpty is used in The Parade of the Hobby Horses. Memory does not recall this episode from the book. However, it probably reflected “all the king’s men, and all the king’s horses.” The March of the Drums, is just that: opening with a timpani ‘cadenza’ it is a slow march, with brass fanfares, and chipper strings, eventually fading into the distance. The Finale is another march, this time rumbustious, but with the tiniest trio sections.

The Suite: Alice Through the Looking-Glass was issued in 2002 on the Marco Polo British Light Music series, 8.225184. This disc includes various characteristic works by Reynolds, including The Sirens of Southend, the Overture: The Taming of the Shrew, the Swiss Lullaby and Ballet from Swiss Family Robinson, and a splendid Festival March. The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is conducted by Gavin Sutherland.

Writing in The Gramophone, (October 2002, p.61), Andrew Lamb suggests that “There’s perhaps not a lot that distinguishes Reynolds’ music for one play from that for another…Yet I do find this an extremely relaxing and rewarding collection‚ ideal for those who enjoy undemanding, but well-­crafted light music played by the sort of full orchestra that would have flourished in Edwardian days.” Turning to the present Suite he considers that The Ballet of the Talking Flowers for instance‚ is a lovely waltz…Altogether it is music that meets its modest aspirations admirably‚ and it’s beautifully played here by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia.”

Find Alfred Reynolds’s Suite: Alice through the Looking Glass on YouTube, here.

 

Discovering Joan Trimble (An Ulster-born composer) Part 3

Possible Works to Revive? The orchestral miniature In Glenade was composed in 1942. Commissioned by the Dublin String Orchestra (DSO), it was premiered by them at a Royal Dublin Society Concert on 16 February of that year, conducted by Terry O’Connor (Jamieson, 2017). The work is scored for solo violin and strings and is written in ternary form with a ‘cantabile’ middle section. It lasts for only four minutes. In Glenade was never published, however the score is available from the Contemporary Music Centre of Ireland. ‘Glenade’ is in County Leitrim, in the north-west of Eire. There is a lough at the end of the valley. The name is an anglicization of Loch Ghleann Éada, meaning ‘lake of the glen of jealousy’. This does not really give a clue to Trimble’s music, which is a wistful, but largely untroubled idyll.

Joan Trimble’s final major composition was the Three Diversions for wind quintet: flute, oboe, clarinet in B flat, horn, and bassoon. This three-movement work was composed in 1990, some years after she had moved to Enniskillen to run The Impartial Reporter. It was commissioned with the support of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. The work was premiered by the Belfast Wind Quintet on 8 June 1990 (Jamieson, 2017).   The Diversions are largely in Trimble’s slightly more astringent style with her usual Irish sympathies. It begins with a ‘Preamble’ featuring fugal writing, an introspective ‘Pastoral’ and the final ‘Burlesque’ utilising Scottish and Irish dance rhythms and including a discrete nod to ragtime. The score was issued by Rosewood Publications (England) in c.2000. It deserves to be in the repertoire and on CD.

Finally, is there a possibility of a revival of her opera Blind Raftery? It was premiered on BBC Television, on 21 May 1957.  At this time, it was only the second TV opera to have been produced in the UK. The first was Arthur Benjamin’s Mañana. The libretto for Trimble’s opera, was written by Cedric Cliffe, who also wrote for Benjamin. The Times (23 May 1957) noted that ‘the chief virtue of…[the] music is its complete rightness of style for the subject.’  Eschewing serialism, Trimble provided ‘lyrical melody which has its roots in the folksong of her native country.’ The reviewer felt that the entire opera was characterised by ‘generously singable’ tunes and ‘orchestral writing that reveals the…craftsman’s understanding of what is immediately clear an effective.’ Finally, the entire score is imbued with the ‘potent emotional persuasiveness of an old ballad or folksong.’ On this basis it would seem to deserve at least a detailed perusal by an operatic group - professional or amateur.

Select Bibliography

• Burn, Sarah M., ‘Joan Trimble’ The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians Stanley Sadie (ed.) 2^nd revised edition (London, 2001).
• Jamieson, Alasdair, Music in Northern Ireland: Two Major Figures: Havelock Nelson (1917-1996) and Joan Trimble (1915 - 2000), Grosvenor House Publishing Limited, Surrey 2017
• McCarroll, Lisa, The Celtic Twilight as Reflected in the Two-Piano Works of Joan Trimble (1915-2000), DMus dissertation, University of Houston, 2013
• Percival, Fay, The Life and Works of Joan Trimble – A Study in Context. (BMus dissertation, Queen’s University Belfast, 1997. (not inspected)
• Stanley, Ruth, Joan Trimble (1915-2000) and the issue of her 'Irish' musical identity (MA Thesis, University of Limerick, 2003)
• Trimble, Joan, ‘Joan Trimble’, Contemporary Music Review, vol. 11, 1994, pp. 277-84.
• Files of The Times, The Irish Times, etc.

Select Discography

There is only one CD devoted entirely to Joan Trimble’s music. This album includes the Phantasy Trio, several original works for two pianos and some songs, including the song cycle The County Mayo. Reviews for this disc have been favourable. Michael Oliver in the International Record Review (June 2000) wrote: ‘[Trimble's] work has something of the pastoral quality of the English music of her youth, but more than a touch of French elegance - her Pastorale, subtitled 'Hommage a F. Poulenc,' is a slowish ‘mouvement perpetuel’ which would have pleased its dedicatee... All the performances are good…Una Hunt and Roy Holmes are audibly grateful for Trimble's idiomatic and resourceful two-piano writing.’ (Cited Naxos Website).

Most of the recordings listed below are available on CD or download. It may be possible to find copies of deleted discs on Amazon.

• Trimble, Joan, Two Pianos: Songs and Chamber Music, includes, Three Traditional Songs arrange for two pianos, My Grief on the Sea, Green Rain, Girl’s Song,  Sonatina for two pianos, Pastorale - Hommage à F. Poulenc, Phantasy Trio, Puck Fair, The Green Bough, The County Mayo (song cycle), Buttermilk Point (Reel), The Bard of Lisgoole, The Humours of Carrick (Hop-jig). (Marco Polo 8.225059, 1999)
• Trimble, Joan, Celtic Keyboard Duets by 19^th and 20^th century Irish Composers, includes The Humours of Carrick, The Bard of Lisgoole, Buttermilk Point, Sonatina, The Green Bough, The Gartan Mother’s Lullaby, The Heather Glen, with works by George Alexander Osbourne and John Field (KOCH International, 3-7287, 1994)
• Trimble, Joan, Silver Apples of The Moon, Suite for Strings, includes works by Arthur Duff, Thomas C. Kelly and John Francis Larchet (Black Box BBM1003,1998). This CD has gone out of print and is only available as an MP3 download.
• Trimble, Joan, Frederick Delius: Orchestral music arranged for two pianos, Volume 1, ‘La Calinda’ from Koanga, includes Dance Rhapsody no.1, On hearing the first cuckoo in spring, Brigg Fair, Poem of Life and Love and A Song of Summer transcribed by several hands. (SOMM SOMMCD 0112, 2012)
• Trimble, Joan, Composing the Island: A Century of Music in Ireland, 1916-2016, Phantasy Trio, with works by Norman Hay, Hamilton Harty, Ina Boyle, Brian Boydell, Aloys Fleischmann, Gerald Victory, et al. (RTÉ LYRIC FM, RTECD153, 2016)
• Trimble, Joan, Calen-O: Songs from the North of Ireland, Green Rain, Girl’s Song, My Grief on the Sea, with songs by Hamilton Harty, Howard Ferguson and Charles Wood. (Delphian, DCD 34187, 2018)
• Trimble, Joan, Irish Holidays, includes The Pool among the Rushes for clarinet and piano, with works by Arnold Bax, Eric Sweeney, Gerald Barry, Howard Ferguson, Charles Villiers Stanford, James Wilson and Christopher Moriarty, (GENUIN Classics GEN 18495, 2018)

With thanks to Spirited, the Journal of the English Music Festival where this essay was first published.

Concluded. 

Discovering Joan Trimble (An Ulster-born composer) Part 2: Five Works

The Pool among the Rushes for clarinet and piano (1940)

A great place to begin an exploration of Joan Trimble’s music is with the short, but faultless, miniature for clarinet and piano: The Pool among the Rushes. The work dates from 1940 when she was still studying at the Royal College of Music. The title follows an ancient Irish tradition that named musical pieces after ‘everyday places or situations.’ No-one will know if Trimble had a certain ‘pool’ in mind. It does not matter. The ‘andante espressivo’ melody begins with the typical ‘scotch snap’ (A Scotch snap is ‘a rhythmic feature in which a dotted note is preceded by a stressed shorter note) but is suitably decorated with well-judged arabesques, typically in the middle of the clarinet’s range. The piano part is straightforward, allowing the nostalgic melody to express its sorrow. Trimble makes use of gently spread piano chords to echo the harp. It is unlikely that the melody is based on a genuine Irish folksong: what Trimble has done is to create a picture-perfect pastiche that seems to encapsulate the ethos of the genre. The only problem with this piece is that it is too short. The listener will wish that it could go on for ever.

Ruth Stanley (Joan Trimble (1915-2000) and the issue of her 'Irish' musical identity, 2003) recalls that when Trimble explained to Ralph Vaughan Williams that she was struggling to compose in the ‘modern’ style of Hindemith and Bartok, he replied that she ‘should follow her own inclinations towards composition regardless of the current fashion.’ Michael Dervan (Irish Times 2 June 1995) noted that when Trimble told RVW that she had written The Pool among the Rushes, he said, ‘I’d rather you’d written that than a symphony.’ (cited Stanley, 2003). He was not being disparaging: Joan Trimble has achieved absolute perfection in a tiny musical canvas.

Two Songs: My Grief on the Sea (1937) & Green Rain (1938)

During her time at the Royal College of Music, Joan Trimble begged her tutor Herbert Howells to be allowed to try some ‘real’ composition and have a break from her academic studies. The immediate result was the song ‘My Grief on the Sea’ for mezzo-soprano and piano. It was composed in 1937. This remains one of the most beautiful (yet largely unknown) songs in the repertoire. The words were taken from the collection Love Songs of Connacht, (1893) translated and edited by Douglas Hyde (1860-1949). Hyde was an Irish poet, a literary historian and statesman. He is often regarded as having created the agenda for Irish cultural nationalism and the revival of Erse or Irish Gaelic. Hyde latterly became the first President of the Free State Government of Eire in 1938.

The burden of the song is one of separation, as a result of emigration engendered by the Famine. The poet’s lover has left for America, no doubt promising to call for her to join him. The song climaxes with the singer declaring that ‘were I and my darling…on board the ship/For America bound.’ After a sleepless night, she imagines (vainly) that her lover had returned ‘from the South.’ The text reminds the reader of Ariadne’s abandonment at Naxos when Theseus set sail during the night. Douglas Hyde collected the text from an elderly lady, Biddy Crummy, who lived in Roscommon.

The vocal line has a genuine folk-like quality. The piano accompaniment is typically restrained throughout, although Trimble uses full chords to allude to the ‘lover’ aboard ship bound for America. The entire effect of the song is one of lament, with the straightforward vocal line and the pianist providing a commentary on the course of the text, rather than a ‘mere’ accompaniment. ‘My Grief on the Sea’ won first prize (£5) at the Dublin Feis Ceoil in May 1937.

'Green Rain' is a short poem written by the early twentieth-century romantic novelist and poet Mary Webb (1881-1927). Much of Webb’s work is set in her native Shropshire: she was noted for her poetic descriptions of the countryside, local worthies and nature. Less positive, was her fatalistic view on the human condition. Her prose style was often characterised by ‘soil and gloom.’ The poem is an idealised description of a deep wood, replete with faery. It expressed the poet’s joy at living in this ‘enchanted landscape’.

Joan Trimble has imbued her setting of Webb’s poem with similar pleasure, although it is not all lightness. The song reflects the passing of the seasons, from winter with its cold and grief, to spring with laughter, delight, rebirth and wonder. It is likely that ‘Green Rain’ is an image of fertility. The style of the song is largely tonal with little to disturb the reverie. The accompaniment is gentle and tranquil.

Joan Trimble’s songs fuse her love of words and poetry. To these she brought her own individual style which was a subtle combination of Irish folksong and ‘English’ art-song.

Phantasy Trio (1940)

Joan Trimble’s Phantasy Trio is one of her most significant works. Ralph Vaughan Williams encouraged her to enter the 1940 Cobbett Competition and gave her advice. The trio, which is written for violin, cello and piano was completed in only ten days. Trimble wrote about this work: ‘The piano trio was frankly rhapsodic and rhythmic—what came most easily to me.’ (Trimble, 1994). The description ‘rhapsodic’ is entirely appropriate here, with a score that is in the trajectory of English (British) Romanticism tinged with a gently stated pastoralism. The music is certainly conservative in style and harks back to an earlier age. There is nothing derived from contemporary modernism, the neo-classicism of Lennox Berkeley or the bombast of William Walton. Yet, this is a timeless piece, full of beautiful melodies, rich instrumentation and a profound understanding of formal constructs. The listener will not be surprised to discover an Irish mood permeating what is ostensibly an ‘English’ form. This is especially the case with the ‘jig’ in the central section.

The Phantasy was premiered by the Grinke Trio (Frederick Grinke, Florence Hooton and Kendall Taylor) on 30 April 1943 as during a concert promoted by the Committee for the Promotion of New Music. (Jamieson, 2017)

Buttermilk Point (1938)

Buttermilk Point (1938) for two pianos is a fine example of an Irish reel seen through the prism of classical sophistication. Joan Trimble explained in an interview (cited McCarroll 2013) that Buttermilk Point was an actual location on the shores of Lough Erne in County Fermanagh, where she had several family picnics.

A traditional ‘reel’ is usually designed as AABB, in other words, two musical thoughts with each one repeated. Trimble has adapted this structure of a rondo, simplified as ABACA, where the letters indicate contrasting or thematic sections. It is an exciting piece of music that is nearly always optimistic and full of sunshine. There is nothing here to disturb the pleasure of a picnic on a warm summer’s day.

Buttermilk Point was the Trimble Duo’s most performed work, and as mentioned above, often appeared as an encore.

Suite for Strings (1951 or 1953)

Joan Trimble’s Suite for Strings was composed in 1953 (or possibly 1951). It was a commission from Arthur Duff, who was then assistant director of music at Radio Éireann. He was also an accomplished composer, with several attractive works to his credit that do not deserve obscurity.

The Suite was originally composed in four movements; however, Trimble was persuaded to remove an ‘offending’ ‘Intermezzo’. The first of the remaining movements, a Prelude, is typically forceful with some more reflective moments that seem to speak of the Irish landscape rather than of its turbulent history. The emotional heart of the Suite is the intensely felt ‘Air’. The ‘Finale’ is a good-going Irish Reel that brings the work to a rumbustious conclusion. Nevertheless, even here there are times when the mood becomes just a little introspective.

The Suite for strings stands in a distinguished line of British music for string orchestra. From Elgar’s Serenade for strings, by way of Vaughan Williams’s Five Variants of Dives & Lazarus, Frank Bridge’s Suite for strings and Michael Tippett’s Concerto for double string orchestra. Trimble’s music equals these masterpieces in every way: technical prowess, imagination and sheer listening pleasure. The Gramophone (August 1999) is disingenuous in labelling Trimble’s Suite as displaying ‘unpretentious charm’. There is considerable emotional depth in the middle movement that goes far beyond ‘charming.’ The entire work epitomises Joan Trimble’s subtle balance between Irish-tinged music and the pastoralism of the more conservative British composers of the day.

Unbelievably, the Suite for Strings remains unpublished. The manuscript score is available from the Contemporary Music Centre in Dublin. The work was premiered at the Phoenix Hall, Dublin on 7 April 1953 with the Dublin Radio Éireann Orchestra conducted by Arthur Duff.

One unfortunate footnote to the Suite is that Trimble considered it was old fashioned, not displaying any sense of modernism characteristic of so much then-contemporary music. The BBC reading panel (John Lowe) had declared that it was ‘undistinguished’ (cited Stanley, 2003). Trimble stopped composing for several years. It was not until her TV opera commission that she recommenced. It is good that listeners are no longer hide-bound by an ever-progressive musical aesthetic: few could fail to admire Joan Trimble’s Suite for strings, when given the opportunity to hear it in a concert hall.

Searching the Internet throws up several ‘recent’ performances in the United States and Great Britain. They are often given by amateur and youth orchestras.

There is an excellent professional recording of the work in YouTube, here, (accessed 11 August 2024) played (I believe) by the Ulster Orchestra, conducted by Takuo Yuasa. Its source is unidentified but may be from a BBC Radio broadcast aired on 14 July 2008.

With thanks to Spirited, the Journal of the English Music Festival where this essay was first published.

To be contiuned...

Discovering Joan Trimble (An Ulster-born composer) Part 1

At an English Music Festival (Yorkshire) event, there was a splendid concert devoted to British Song (Sunday 29th September 2019). The programme included music by Gerald Finzi, Ivor Gurney, Peter Warlock, Frederick Delius and John Ireland. Just after the interval, there was a strategically placed song by Ulster composer Joan Trimble. ‘Green Rain’ was sung by Lorna Day (mezzo soprano) and was accompanied by David Jones (piano).

Whilst preparing the programme note for this song, and a short biography, I realised just how accomplished a musician Trimble was. Best recalled today as one half of the Trimble Piano Duet, she was also a composer of considerable distinction. The style of her music is an elusive fusion of impressionist harmonies, Irish-infused melodies and rhythms with the prevailing pastoralism of Vaughan Williams. Here and there, something more acerbic enters her musical vocabulary.

Biographical Notes

Ulster composer Joan Trimble was born on 18 June 1915 in the Ulster town of Enniskillen, in County Fermanagh. After study with Annie Lord and Claude Biggs at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin, she gained her BA and BMus at Trinity College. In 1936 she relocated to London. At the Royal College of Music (RCM), Trimble studied composition with Ralph Vaughan Williams and Herbert Howells and piano with Arthur Benjamin.

During the late 1930s Joan Trimble formed a piano-duo with her sister Valerie which was extremely successful for over thirty years. Her piano teacher, Arthur Benjamin, dedicated his ‘famous’ Jamaican Rumba to them. It was given at their first recital, and finally became the Duo’s signature tune.

In her early twenties, Trimble published her first compositions which included several songs and music for two pianos. Other works followed, including an ‘advanced’ Sonatina for two pianos. In 1940, she won the prestigious Cobbett Prize with a Phantasy Trio for violin, cello and piano. Trimble also composed a couple of orchestral works, In Glenade and a Suite, both for string orchestra. She wrote many songs and arrangements of Irish folk tunes. Her one potboiler was the Irish reel, Buttermilk Point for two pianos: it was regularly used as an encore by Joan and Valerie.

In 1957, Trimble had a major success with her television opera Blind Raftery which was a story about a peripatetic Irish bard and his Spanish wife. Composition virtually ceased at this time: Joan Trimble taught at the RCM, played in the Duo and brought up her family. In 1977 Trimble had a major change of direction in her career: she returned to Enniskillen to manage the family-run newspaper, The Impartial Reporter. Joan Trimble died in her birthplace on 6 August 2000.

Overview of Joan Trimble’s catalogue.

Ruth Stanley, in her MA dissertation Joan Trimble (1915-2000) and the issue of her 'Irish' musical identity (2003), has provided a detailed catalogue of the composer’s music. This is presented in three sections: the dated works, the undated pieces and a list of arrangements (as opposed to original works) for two-pianos. The first section numbers some 23 entries.

Her earliest composition, My Grief on the Sea was written in 1937, and her final one, the Three Diversions for wind quintet in 1990. As mentioned above, there was a hiatus between the late 1950s and 1990. Only one work was composed between these years – the Introduction and Air for two harps (1969). The most significant piece in her catalogue is the television opera Blind Raftery, composed in 1957. It was commissioned by Kenneth Wright, for the BBC. Many of Trimble’s works are songs, which appeared throughout her compositional career. There is an important song-cycle The County Mayo (1949) which is unusual in having a two-piano accompaniment.

Joan Trimble wrote several original pieces for her Piano Duo. Some of these have a distinct Irish flavour but are not arrangements of pre-existing tunes. These include The Humours of Carrick, (1938), Buttermilk Point, (1938), The Green Bough (1941) and Puck Fair (1951). Other two-piano music pieces include the modern-sounding Sonatina (1940) and the French-accented Pastorale – Hommage à F. Poulenc (1943).

Works for orchestra include her masterpiece, the Suite for Strings (1953) (see below) the score for the documentary film The Voice of Ulster (1948) and a short tone poem, In Glenade (1942). Finally, in 1943 Kenneth Wright commissioned a March Rhapsody: Érin go Bragh scored for brass band.

The undated works appear to be relatively minor. These include song-settings of poems by Thomas Hardy, Padraic Colum and John Masefield. Two short instrumental pieces complete this section: a ‘Grazioso’ for clarinet and piano and a ‘Tempo di Gavotte’ for violin and piano.

The third section of Stanley’s catalogue features 23 arrangements, mainly for two pianos. Many of these are of Irish songs and airs. Transcriptions of other composers’ music include Frederick Delius’s ‘La Calinda’ from his opera Koanga, the Polovtsian Dances by Borodin, the ‘Scherzo’ from Mendelssohn’s Octet and the Rondo from Haydn’s String Quartet in E major, op. 33, no.3. One major work in this section is Ulster Airs arranged for orchestra (1939-40). This consists of some fifteen numbers.

With thanks to David Byars webpage, here,  for permission to use the photograph of Joan Trimble.

With thanks to Spirited, the Journal of the English Music Festival where this essay was first published. 

To be continued…

Rarities of Piano Music at Schloss vor Husum from the August 2023 Festival

This CD gets off to an interesting start with William Sterndale Bennett’s Three Pieces, op.28, dating from 1846-49, played by Daniel Grimwood. It opens with a quiet, hymn like Introduction followed by a Pastorale dance. The second piece features a frolicsome Rondino. Finally, the Capriccio is a lively galop through the countryside. It is conventional to say that he is an English Mendelssohn. Although superficially correct, Bennett did look to Mozart and the London Piano School for inspiration. These included composers such as Cramer and Clementi, two men often overlooked by British music enthusiasts.

The longest work in this selection from the Husum Festival is Franz Liszt’s Grosses Konzertsolo (1849-50). This is better known in its revision as the Concerto pathètique for two pianos. The liner notes explain that the lyrical episodes “plunge us into a turbulent realm shared by Wagner’s early operas.” It also exhibits much virtuosic pianism and involved chromatic harmonies. Formally, it is neither a Sonata nor a character study, although Stephen Hough has suggested that it may be good preparation for the soloist who wishes to tackle Liszt’s B minor sonata!

I had not heard of Sophie Menter. She was a pianist primarily, playing duos with Liszt throughout Germany and Russia. Sadly, there are only a few surviving compositions. The Romance, op.5 (1907) was outmoded by the time it was published, yet it remains a good example of a well-wrought and attractive lullaby or nocturne. The liner notes are correct in stating that it deserves a place in the “encore repertoire of many pianists.” This final offering by Daniel Grimwood is played with true affection.

There is little information about Juliette Dillon. She was a “prodigy” who acceded to the post of organist at Meaux Cathedral whilst still a teenager. Sadly, she died from cholera, aged only 31 years. Jean-Frédéric Neuburger gave the “belated German premiere” of her 10 Contes fantastiques de Hoffmann completed in 1847. We hear Le Violon de Crémone, which is the first number of the set. The progress of the piece does not try to reproduce the sound of the violin, or singing, but gives an impression of the mood of Hoffmann’s strange tale. Stylistically, she nods toward Chopin and Liszt. It is to be hoped that Mr Neuberger will release an album of the full set.

Alfonso Soldano, for his recital, made a remarkable transcription of Sergei Rachmaninov’s song, Night is Sorrowful, op.26, no.12. The original majors on the traveller walking a lonely path across the vast steppe, seeing a distant light, but the singers dream, like the night is sad.

Composer and pianist, Sergei Bortkiewicz was very much not a child of his time. He left a legacy of richly Romantic music, often reminiscent of Chopin and Liszt with influences from Rachmaninov, Scriabin, and Tchaikovsky. This included symphonic works, three wonderfully extravagant piano concertos and many solos. Soldano plays here the Nocturne, from Trois Morceaux, op.24 no.1, subtitled Diana. This is an evocation of the hunter-goddess in her incarnation as the divinity of the moon. The harmonies are luxurious, and shimmering. The other two numbers of the set, (not given here) evoke the Satyre and Eros.

Alexander von Zemlinsky is recalled for his massive Lyric Symphony (1922-23) and his orchestral symphonic poem Die Seejungfrau (The Mermaid) (1902-03) based on Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless story. His Fantasien über Gedichte von Richard Dehmel, op.9 (1898-1900) belongs to a small collection of piano music. These were inspired by the eponymous fin-de-siecle poet. They are a little bit of a stylistic pot-pourri. The first, Evening Voice has echoes of Brahms, whilst the following Woodland Rapture was inspired by a lieder written by Richard Strauss. Equally romantic is Liebe, dedicated to love. The finale is the Song of the May Beetle, which looks back to Felix Mendelssohn. Andrey Gugnin gives an imaginative and absorbing account.

Edvard Grieg’s Lyric Pieces Book 7, Bächlein, op.60, no.4 is always a delight to hear. As the title suggests, this is a charming evocation of a little brook on a hillside in Norway.

Leopold Godowsky was a legendary Russian-born American virtuoso pianist and composer. His “fantastical keyboard imagination” seems to have been forgotten in our day. Yet, his exceptional piano technique once dazzled audiences. His legacy resonates through his transcriptions and major influence on pianistic technique. During the festival, Vadym Kholodenko played four extracts from Godowsky’s “outrageous elaborations” of Chopin’s Studies. Two are presented here. First up is No.4 on op.10, No.2 “Ignis Fatuus” which, for a long time, was regarded as unplayable. “Ignis Fatuus” means “will-o-the-wisp.” The left-hand plays Chopin’s original Etude, whilst the right hand indulges in a sequence of “light, staccato, double note triplets.” The second was No.13 (liner notes say No.6) on op.10, No.6, for the left hand only. Chopin’s original for two hands looks difficult enough! Both are given stunning performances.

Tanya Gabrielian begins her contribution to this CD with another work by Godowsky: his Meditation dating from 1930. This lacks the overblown virtuosity of the Chopin Studies, providing instead a quietly reflective piece that is bittersweet, but lives up to its title.

Her second offering, Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Melody from Orfeo and Euridice as arranged by Alexander Siloti is one of my Desert Island Discs. Not only does the opera set one of my treasured Greek myths, but the present tune is a timeless reminder of the human condition of love, loss, and lack of faith. It brings this remarkable recital to a poignant close.

Once again, Danacord have issued a superb selection from last year’s (2023) Husum Festival. It is full of rarities - as it says on the CD cover. The performances are excellent, and the liner notes are helpful without being prolix. The recording is complimentary to the playing. The listener is left wishing for more. Further exploration of these composers is called for. And there is next year’s disc to look forward to...

Track Listing:
William Sterndale Bennett (1816-75)
Three Pieces, op.28 (1846-49)
Franz Liszt (1811-86)
Grosses Konzertsolo (1849-50)
Sophie Menter (1846-1918)
Romance, op.5 (1907)
Daniel Grimwood (piano)
Juliette Dillon (1823-54)
Le Violon de Crémone, No.1 of 10 Contes fantastiques de Hoffmann (1847)
Jean-Frédéric Neuburger (piano)
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943), arr. Alfonso Soldano (b.1986)
Night is sorrowful, op.26, no.12 (1906/?)
Sergei Bortkiewicz (1877-1952)
Trois Morceaux, op.24, no.1 Nocturne “Diana” (1922)
Alfonso Soldano (piano)
Alexander von Zemlinsky (1871-1942)
Fantasien über Gedichte von Richard Dehmel, op.9 (1898-1900)
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907)
Lyric Pieces Book 7, Bächlein, op.62, no.4 (1895)
Andrey Gugnin (piano)
Frederic Chopin (1810-49)/Leopold Godowsky (1870-1938)
Studies on Chopin’s Etudes: No.4 on op.10, No.2 “Ignis Fatuus;” No.13 on op.10, No.6 (for the left hand) (1903-14)
Vadym Kholodenko (piano)
Leopold Godowsky
Meditation (pub. 1930)
Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-87), arr. Alexander Siloti (1863-1945)
Melody from Orfeo ed Euridice (1926)
Tanya Gabrielian (piano)

Celebrating Gustav Holst’s 150th Anniversary- Today!

Today, 21 September 2024, marks the 150th anniversary of Gustav Holst’s birth. Born in Cheltenham, Holst is best known for his orchestral suite The Planets, which remains a cornerstone of classical music. Beyond this iconic work, Holst’s extensive oeuvre includes choral pieces, operas, and chamber music, reflecting his innovative spirit and deep connection to English folk traditions. His contributions to music education, particularly at St. Paul’s Girls’ School, further cement his legacy.

My introduction to Holst was not The Planets. Back in 1973, when I was first getting to grips with British Music, a friend lent me an LP of his music. It was issued on the Lyrita label (SRCS.34).

The Gramophone (March 1967, p.511) featured a letter from Richard Itter, the founder and owner of the Lyrita Recorded Editon, which stated that “…Miss Imogen Holst has recently completed a recording of her father’s music with the English Chamber Orchestra....It is scheduled for early release.” Works to be included were the Fugal Concerto, and the premiere recordings of the Lyric Movement for viola and orchestra and the Brook Green Suite. He did not mention St Paul’s Suite and the Nocturne, both for string orchestra.

I remember listening to the Brook Green Suite first. It had been composed in 1933 for the junior orchestra of St Paul’s Girl’ School in Hammersmith. Written while Holst was in hospital, the suite features three movements: Prelude, Air, and Dance. It blends pastoral themes with folk influences, highlighting Holst’s ability to create accessible yet richly textured music. It was the arcadian aspect the impressed me, especially in the Air. Equally appealing to my imagination was the St Paul’s Suite. Written some 20 years previously for the same school ensemble, this four-movement suite for string orchestra incorporates English folk tunes and shows Holst’s skill in blending traditional melodies with classical forms. The four movements are, Jig, Ostinato, Intermezzo and Finale. This last movement includes The Dargason, which is a traditional English folk tune dating back to the 16th century. It was originally used for country dances and ballads. Holst cleverly combined this with the well-known Greensleeves.

Looking back over half a century I cannot now recall what I felt about the Nocturne for strings. The sleeve notes explain that Imogen Holst had found this unfinished piece in her late father’s manuscripts. It was in fact part of his “almost completed” arrangement of his Moorside Suite for string orchestra. This work had originally been written for brass band. Listening once again to this evocative and melancholic, I feel that it nods to RVW’s Tallis Fantasia and Elgar.

In 1952, the composer Gordon Jacob arranged the entire suite for strings. It can be heard on Lyrita SRCD.210.

In a contemporary review (Musical Times, July 1967, p.621f), Diana McVeagh sums up the Lyric Movement for viola and small orchestra: “[This is] a bigger, stronger, darker conception than the title suggests. It was composed during Holst's last year and is economical but not self-denying. There is more than a hint of passion and vehemence, perfectly scaled within its 10 minutes.”

At the time I did not “get it” but many years on think that it is one of Holst’s most perfectly conceived miniatures. This late work, written in the year before his death, was dedicated to the great violist Lionel Tertis. It is conceived in a single movement that covers a lot of emotional ground, with the pastoral feel being kept in check by its austere beauty.

Until hearing Holst’s Fugal Concerto for flute, oboe, and strings, I had associated the fugue form solely with J.S. Bach, especially, his organ music and the ‘48.’ Once again, Diana McVeagh (op.cit.) explains, “It used to be thought 'desiccated'; even Miss Holst in 1951 talked of the “dry and brittle ingenuity in its counterpoint;” but in this performance themes with good sharp profiles run easily, almost wittily, in the frank open texture of the first movement. The Adagio opens with Bach like meaningful arabesques and then moves surely, poignantly, through progressions of a wholly 20th century sensibility. But the last movement exposes one of the problems of Holst's period: English tunes acted as a liberation, but not always as good props; and If all the world were paper, worked in to make a double fugue, sounds rather tricksy after the independence of the first two movements.” It is a piece that I have grown into over the past half century: it did not appeal to me in 1974.

As for The Planets, I had to wait until the following year, to hear a performance at the Glasgow Proms held then at the Kelvin Hall.

All the pieces on this vinyl LP have been reissued on CD, Lyrita SRCD.223. Other works included on this great disc are English Chamber Orchestra under Imogen Holst, Two Songs without Words, op.22 (1906), Ballet Music from The Golden Goose, op.45, no.1 (1926,1969), the Double Concerto for two violins and orchestra, op.49, and the Capriccio of orchestra, (1933) edited by Imogen Holst (1968).

The Most Gallant Haydn...

This is a good, possibly apocryphal, story of Josef Haydn’s time in London sometime between 1791 and 1795.

“When in London, Haydn once visited the studio of that celebrated portrait painter, Sir Joshua Reynolds. He there saw a picture of Mrs. Billington, one of the best-known singers of her day. Reynolds had represented her listening to the song of the angels. On being asked for his opinion of the painting, Haydn remarked:

"Yes, it is a beautiful picture; it is just like her; but there is one strange mistake."

"A mistake! How is that?" exclaimed Reynolds, who could hardly believe his ears.

"Why," said the gallant composer, "you have made Mrs. Billington listening to the angels, when you ought to have painted the angels as listening to her!””

From Anecdotes of Great Musicians by W. Francis Gates (1895)

Notes
Sir Joshua Reynolds (1723-1792) was a prominent English painter, renowned for his portraiture. Born in Plympton, Devon, he was a founder and the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts. Reynolds promoted the “Grand Style” in painting, emphasizing idealization over mere representation. His works often depicted prominent figures of his time, blending classical influences with contemporary subjects. Reynolds’ contributions to art theory, particularly through his Discourses on Art, significantly influenced British art. Knighted by King George III in 1769, Reynolds remains a key figure in the history of Western art.

Elizabeth Billington (1765-1818) was a renowned British opera singer, celebrated for her extraordinary vocal talent and stage presence. Born Elizabeth Weichsel in London, she was the daughter of Carl Weichsel, a principal oboist, and Frederika Weichsel, a successful vocalist. Billington made her stage debut in Dublin and quickly gained fame across Europe. Known for her powerful and sweet voice, she performed at prestigious venues like Covent Garden and Drury Lane. Despite personal challenges, including a tumultuous marriage, Billington’s career flourished, making her one of the most acclaimed sopranos of her time.

It's not British, but...Franz Schubert Piano Music on Danacord

This CD was a bit of an adventure to me. I have probably heard all the pieces on this disc over the past half-century, but never listened to them systematically. Confession. I do enjoy the music of Franz Schubert but know an extremely limited range of his catalogue. I have appreciated the Trio in B flat since being introduced to it in the mid-1970s by a former girlfriend. It was used in the film score for Barry Lyndon, (1975) hence its popularity at that time. Winterreise is a perennial favourite with me, as well as the ballet music to Rosamunde, which was rediscovered by Arthur Sullivan and George Grove (of Dictionary fame) in a bookshop in Vienna. Then there are the Impromptus - and that is about it.

First up on this disc are the Six Moments Musicaux, D 780. It is impossible to know if these were meant as a cycle or if they were a collection of individual pieces. Certainly, Nos. 3 and 6 were published separately in 1823 and 1824, respectively. The complete set was issued in 1828, the year of Schubert’s death. It has been suggested that some of these Moments reflect nature. The liner notes explain that Schubert put “anything he experienced into music – water flowing, hunting scenes, galloping horses, thunder…and walking.” One of his most significant compositions was the Wanderer Fantasy D 760 (1822) for piano. So, “wandering” was one of his greatest pleasures, especially in the Austrian Alps. The first of these Moments Musicaux opens with a “hunting horn” and the second is a kind of lullaby. The third, which is the best-known, is a vibrant dance, which contrasts major and minor keys, whilst No. 4 seems to nod to the Baroque era. No.5, the most complex, moves from a fiendish opening to a cheery conclusion. Finally, No.6 has all the appeal and refinement of a Viennese drawing room soiree.

The Two Scherzos, D 593 were composed during 1817. The liner notes explain that at this time Schubert was working with “sonata form” and suggests that these two “charming movements” could well have originally designed for a Sonata. The first, in B flat major is a waltz/landler and progresses in a disarming manner. The second, in D flat major is much more extrovert. It opens with a peasant’s dance. Both Scherzos have contrasting, quieter trio sections. They are played here with seductiveness and stylishness.

Schubert’s Three Piano Pieces, D 946 date from 1828, the final year of his life. Once again, it is not known exactly what the context is. It can be construed as three individual numbers, or as a group, designed to be played in sequence, in its entirety. Another suggestion is that they may have been intended as another set of Impromptus. John Damgaard takes the opinion that they are nowadays viewed as a unit, “a sonata…and not a sonata.” They are long, altogether lasting just shy of half an hour.

The opening Allegro assai is dynamic, but with a thoughtful middle section. The Allegretto used a tune from Schubert’s opera Fierrabras D 796 (1823). There are two contrasting episodes, one of which is lively, the other more restrained. The last, in C major, is the briefest of the set, but has the most virtuosity, with a bracing pace and off-beat rhythms in the outer sections and a quiet trio.

Danish pianist John Damgaard studied at the Eastman School of Music in New York and at the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music in Copenhagen. His teachers included Georg Vásárhelyi, Ilona Kabos, and Wilhelm Kempff. He has held several teaching positions in Denmark, including, from 1984-2007, as Professor of Music at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus. Dangaard has performed throughout the world. His repertoire is oriented towards the classical and romantic periods. He is also an enthusiastic promoter of Danish music. Recordings include the complete piano works of Maurice Ravel, and all the finished sonatas by Schubert.

I enjoyed this CD. To be sure there are dozens of competitors for this repertoire. I would not know where to begin in any further exploration of this music. From my point of view, I enjoyed John Damgaard’s performance of all these works. I found them both absorbing and moving. It has been a fascinating learning curve for me, both in listening and in researching each piece.

Track Listing
Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Six Moments Musicaux, D 780 (1823-28)
Two Scherzi, D 593 (1817)
Three Piano Pieces, D 946 (1828)
John Damgaard (piano)
rec. February 2024, Concert Hall, Danish National Academy of Music, Odense.
Danacord DACOCD 980

Introducing Ignaz Moscheles

Since first learning that Ignaz Moscheles spent much of his career in the United Kingdom, I have regarded him as an ‘honorary’ British composer. Other contenders for this title are Felix Mendelssohn, J.C. Bach, Muzio Clementi, Johann Baptist Cramer and George Frideric Handel. This is not to deny their respective nationalities: only to point out the major contribution these men made to the musical life of this nation.

Ignaz Moscheles (1794-1870) was a Bohemian pianist and composer, renowned as one of the leading virtuosos of his time. Moscheles was a close associate of Beethoven, who entrusted him with the piano arrangement of his opera Fidelio. He gained international acclaim for his virtuosic performances and compositions, including eight piano concertos and numerous studies and chamber works. In 1821, Moscheles settled in London, where he later became a prominent figure in the musical scene. He later joined the Leipzig Conservatory as a professor of piano, working alongside his friend and former pupil, Felix Mendelssohn. Moscheles’ influence extended to composers like Chopin and Schumann, and his innovative approach to piano technique and pedagogy left a lasting impact on the music world.

Brief Biography

• Ignaz Moscheles was born in Prague, on 23 May 1794.
• Studied at the Prague Conservatory between 1804 and 1806 with the composer and musicologist Bedřich Diviš Weber (1766-1842).
• Moved to Vienna in 1808 for study with Albrechtsberger (counterpoint) and Salieri (composition).
• Became acquainted with Beethoven during 1810.
• Extensively performed in Europe between 1815 and 1825
• First appeared in London during 11 June 1821.
• Gave piano lessons to Felix Mendelssohn in 1824
• Married Charlotte Emden at Hamburg on 1 March 1825
• Settled in London between 1825 and 1846.
• Was director of the Philharmonic Society, 1832, then conductor there from 1845.
• Directed the first London performance of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis on 24 December 1832.
• Professor of Pianoforte at the newly founded Leipzig Conservatory 1846 to 1870
• Pupils included Thalberg, Litolff, Sullivan, and Grieg.
• Died in Leipzig on 10 March 1870.

Twelve Selected Works

Beethoven had a tremendous influence on Moscheles. Mozart was also another key influence. However, Moscheles is on the cusp between classical and romantic aesthetic: Liszt, Chopin and Robert Schumann were still to compose their great masterpieces. So, he is more associated with such half-forgotten masters as Clementi, Kalkbrenner, Field and Hummel.

Moscheles catalogues includes 142 works with opus number and several dozen without. He typically concentrated on writing music for the piano, with or without the orchestra. There are, however, several pieces for chamber ensemble, including a cello sonata, and music for the flute and several songs.

All the pieces listed below are available on CD, download or streaming. 

1. Variations on a Russian Theme, op.23
2. Les Charmes de Paris, op.54
3. Piano Concerto No.4, op.64
4. Recollections of Ireland, op.69
5. Les Charmes de Londres, op.74
6. Anticipations of Scotland, op.75
7. Symphony No.1 in C major, op.81
8. Piano Concerto No.5, op.87
9. Jeanne d'Arc Overture, op. 91
10. 12 Charakteristische Studien, op. 95
11. Cello Sonata in E Major, op. 121
12. Grande Étude de Concert, op. 126

Further Reading

There were three books published in the Victorian period which still provide the ‘primary’ source material for Ignaz Moscheles studies. Charlotte Moscheles’ Recent Music and Musicians as Described in the Diaries and Correspondence of Ignaz Moscheles, edited by his Wife: Adapted from the Original German by A.D. Coleridge (1873) was the first book to examine the composer’s life and times. During 1888 the Letters of Felix Mendelssohn to Ignaz and Charlotte Moscheles were published in London by the composer’s son, Felix Moscheles (1833-1917). Felix also published Fragments of an Autobiography (1899) which provided some material about the composer.

Aside from these early volumes, listeners had to rely on articles in Grove’s Dictionary of Music, the standard histories of the period and contemporary biographies and memoires of some of the key players in his story. To be sure, copious reviews of Moscheles’ concerts are found in contemporary newspapers and journals.

In 1989 Emil F. Smidak issued Isaak-Ignaz Moscheles: The Life of the Composer and His Encounters with Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, and Mendelssohn. This important volume consisted of extracts from the diaries and letters and included a catalogue of works.

Twenty-five years later, the Boydell Press published Ignaz Moscheles and the Changing World of Musical Europe by Mark Kroll (2014). It was and remains the first full-length examination of the composer. It is essential reading for all enthusiasts of Moscheles music.

There are also a few theses such as John Michael Beck’s Moscheles Re-examined (1986) and Carolyn Denton Gresham’s Ignaz Moscheles: An Illustrious Musician in the Nineteenth Century (1980).

One extremely important website is ‘Ignaz Moscheles Concert Life.’ This is a spin off from Dr Sevastiana Nourou thesis, Ignaz Moscheles’ reception in the nineteenth century and his influence on concert life, published in 2022. She writes: “In each section [of the webpage] you will find the advertisements and reviews of each concert I was able to locate. All of these have been typed down by myself and thus, I am not using any original images from letters, playbills, and newspapers that I do not have the right to.”

If you can only hear one CD…

I would recommend the Hyperion (CDA67430) recording of Moscheles Piano Concerto No.4 in E major, op.64 and the Piano Concerto No.5 in C major, op.87. These are coupled with the delightful Recollections of Ireland, op.69. The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra is directed by the piano soloist, Howard Shelley. All three works on this disc are full of melody, piano technique that defies the fingers’ agility, and satisfying formal constructs. With Moscheles there is never a bar too many or a note out of place.

Finally, if you can only listen to one work…

Ignaz Moscheles’ Recollections of Ireland, op. 69 is a grand fantasia for piano and orchestra, completed in 1826. This piece reflects Moscheles’ experiences and impressions during his travels in Ireland. It includes popular Irish melodies such as The Groves of Blarney (now, The Last Rose of Summer), Garry Owen, and St. Patrick’s Day, combining them with his virtuosic piano style.

This composition is notable for its stunning orchestration and the seamless integration of traditional Irish tunes with classical forms. Moscheles’ ability to evoke the spirit and atmosphere of Ireland through music is evident in the lively and expressive passages that characterize the work. Recollections of Ireland not only highlights Moscheles’ technical prowess but also his sensitivity to cultural influences and his talent for creating evocative musical narratives.

Finger Prints: British Light Music for Piano

The ethos of this pot-pourri is predicated on an old Viennese adage of “taking serous music lightly and light music seriously.” Here the listener will find an “eclectic” selection from a wide cross section of composers. These include pieces by so-called “classical” masters such as Frank Bridge, John Ireland, Roger Quilter, and Lennox Berkeley. These men were able to cross the boundaries between art music and a more “popular” touch. The recital gets off to a great start with Harry Engleman’s Finger Prints. This is the epitome of the novelty piano solo made so popular by Billy Mayerl (more of him later in the review) and the American Zez Confrey. Later in the programme we hear Engleman’s Golden Chain, another challenging piece for “dizzy fingers.”

Haydn Wood is usually remembered for his First World War hit, Roses of Picardy. Capable of working in both light and classical genres, he wrote accomplished piano and violin concertos, as well as attractively evocative orchestral suites. Longing is delightfully sentimental, poignant, at times passionate and always engaging. Written in 1917, it well reflects the emotions of wartime lovers.

I enjoyed Cecil Macklin’s The Cockney Crawl, which was originally danced at the Alhambra Theatre, London by Phyllis Monkman and Clyde Cook. Basically, a one or two-step with knobs on!

All enthusiasts of so-called light music will know Jack Strachey’s In Party Mood, used for many years as the theme tune for the radio programme Housewife’s Choice. Equally popular is his Theatreland, so reminiscent of London’s West End. Anna’s Polka is a lovely little number that combines the Bohemian dance of the title with a beguine. Paul Guinery adds a little “quirky” magic of his own in the concluding bars.

When I inherited my late grandparents’ upright, there was a copy of Amy Woodforde-Finden’s Indian Love Lyrics in the piano stool. I struggled to battle my way through the Kashmiri Love Song from an early age, never quite getting it right. The mood is of lost love, nostalgia, and despair, as seen through the eyes of an Edwardian lady’s enthusiasm for things ‘Oriental.’ It is heard here in Stephen Hough’s transcription.

Billy Mayerl was an English pianist and composer, popular in the 1930s. He is best remembered for his syncopated novelty piano solos like Marigold and Bats in the Belfry. His music was “highly crafted,” often cunningly difficult to play and always entertaining. He is represented on this disc by four arrangements of songs written for Hollywood by the British born songwriter, Harry Revel. Most popular is the jazzed-up version of Did You Ever See a Dream Walking? Equally attractive is I Feel Like a Feather in The Breeze with its lush opening and bouncy middle sections. With My Eyes Wide Open I’m Dreaming appeared in film about a successful nightclub singer and radio star. Once again Mayerl creates a balance between a slow foxtrot and an up-tempo section marked “with much rhythm.” The final transcription is the well-crafted You Hit the Spot from the film Collegiate (1936). The one original composition is The Shy Ballerina, which is a wistful celebration of a bashful girl who was asked to dance for Mayerl, but “nothing would persuade her to pirouette for him.” All are marked by rhythmic dash, memorable melodies, abundant caprice, and a touch of sheer sentimentality.

Edward German was an English composer of Welsh descent. He is known for his extensive output of incidental music for the stage. His light operas, including Merrie England, hold a place still in the repertoire. German also wrote symphonies, orchestral suites, and some piano pieces. The Polish Dance nods to the Chopin’s Mazurkas and is none the worse for that. It balances high spirits with more reflective moments.

Frank Bridge’s Berceuse was dished up in several editions, including for small orchestra, violin or cello and piano, violin and strings, and a late addition in 1929, as a piano solo. This exquisite lullaby features a delicate, calming tune that perfectly lives up to its title. In true Frank Bridge fashion, it transcends the boundaries of mere salon music, revealing layers of subtlety and elegant craftsmanship.

Two works are heard by cinema pianist and broadcaster Jack Wilson. Phantom Fingers ticks all the boxes of “novelty, syncopated or rhythmic piano solos.” It is his only published piece. The second, still in manuscript, is the undated Shadows on the Moon. It fairly swings along, with little gloom in these pages.

Cavatina by John Ireland has had numerous incarnations. Originally produced in 1904 for organ, and violin and piano, it “shows that Ireland had a gift for melody in the style of say Elgar’s Salut d’amour or Chanson de Matin”.

Transitioning from violinist to rhythm pianist, Peggy Cochrane, wrote Busy Day in 1941. This lively item highlights a jazzy left hand and a delightful, almost mischievous, flurry of notes in the right hand.

Roger Quilter is recalled for his incomparable songs. There are a few pieces for piano, including Three Studies and Three English Dances. The present Country Dance is from incidental music for the 1921-22 Old Vic production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It. Grainger-esque, it uses “off beat rhythms” and “teasing counter melodies.”

Arthur Sullivan is usually paired with W.S. Gilbert in peoples’ minds. Yet in recent years, his non-Savoy-Opera music has gained a hearing, especially in the recording studio. He did not produce many piano works: the liner notes state that there are only nine original pieces published in his lifetime. The two Thoughts here date from 1862 and clearly have a debt to Felix Mendelssohn. They are full of melodic charm and pianistic delight.

One work that may surprise the listener is Lennox Berkeley’s Java. This parody was written in 1932 and was originally part of an unrealised ballet score. Lots of wrong notes and chords here (think Les Dawson!) and a good impression of the “salacious” dance that was the rage in post war Paris in 1919. The arrangement here was made by composer, historian, and pianist, the late Peter Dickinson.

The final track on this charming CD is Richard Addinsell’s Blithe Spirit Waltz, taken from the eponymous 1945 film starring Rex Harrison, Kay Hammond, and Constance Cummings. This was a supernatural, black comedy derived from Noel Coward’s stage play. The Waltz is a wonderful evocation of Elvira (Hammond), Charles’s (Harrison) first wife, who is summoned at a seance.

The CD booklet is a model in design. Beginning with a brief outline of each composer, in alphabetical order, this is followed by succinct comments on each work in batting order. They are clear to read. Illustrations of sheet music covers enhance the impact of this insert. A note on the soloist is included.

This is the third CD in Paul Guinery’s exploration of light music classics. In 2020 he released Dicky Bird Hop (reviewed, here, and here) and two years later Chasing Moonbeams. (Sadly, not yet assessed for MusicWeb International).

Tremendous playing by Paul Guinery, an outstanding recording, and splendid packaging contribute to the success of this CD. Each piece is played with love and enthusiasm, and is never condescending, which is the way that light music ought to be performed.

Track Listing:
Harry Engleman (1912–2002)
Finger Prints (1936)
Haydn Wood (1882–1959)
Longing (1917)
Cecil Macklin (1883–1944)
The Cockney Crawl (1914)
Jack Strachey (1894–1972)
Anna’s Polka (date unknown)
Amy Woodforde-Finden (1860–1919)
Kashmiri Song (1902) (Trans. Stephen Hough, b.1962)
Harry Revel (1905–1958)
Did You Ever See a Dream Walking? (1933) (Trans. Billy Mayerl)
I Feel Like a Feather in The Breeze (1936) (Trans. Billy Mayerl)
Edward German (1862–1936)
Polish Dance (1891)
Harry Engleman
Golden Chain (1937)
Frank Bridge (1879–1941)
Berceuse (1901)
Jack Wilson (1907–2006)
Phantom Fingers (1934)
John Ireland (1879–1962)
Cavatina (1904)
Peggy Cochrane (1902–1988)
Busy Day (1941)
Harry Revel
With My Eyes Wide Open I’m Dreaming (1934) (Trans. Billy Mayerl)
You Hit the Spot (1936) (Trans. Billy Mayerl)
Roger Quilter (1877–1953)
Country Dance (1920)
Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900)
Thoughts, op. 2 No. 1 (1862)
Thoughts, op. 2 No. 2 (1862)
Jack Wilson
Shadows On the Moon (date unknown)
Billy Mayerl (1902–1959)
Shy Ballerina (1948)
Lennox Berkeley (1903–1989)
Java (1932) (Trans. Peter Dickinson, 1934-2023)
Richard Addinsell (1904–1977)
Blithe Spirit Waltz (1945)
Paul Guinery (piano)
rec. 4-5 January 2024, St John the Evangelist Church, Oxford
EM Records EMR CD088