If
ever a short piece of music presents the listener with the dilemma of establishing
in their mind whether it is ‘classical’ or ‘light’ it is Trevor Duncan’s Meadow Mist. Duncan has contrived to compose
a short tone-poem that balances the nature mysticism of Delius with the high-romanticism
of the mid-nineteen fifties school of ‘light’ music. The work was composed in 1954,
although it could be from Duncan’s pen anytime over his more than a half
century career.
Meadow Mist is a deeply felt piece that
perfectly creates an evocative mood of an early summer’s morning or possibly an
evening vista when the mist is gradually gathering and two lovers look towards
the slowly setting sun. It is surely a water meadow somewhere in deepest
England. A place that may, or may not, actually exist, but is surely very real
in the minds of all devotees of the landscape.
The
liner notes quote Trevor Duncan (1924-2005) as saying that ‘he, like almost every harmony conscious musician on earth,
applauds the contribution of Robert Farnon to music. He acknowledges his
influence deep down among the string harmonies that you hear in this sensuous
piece.’ Effective use is also made of woodwind and harp in creating this
perfect nature study.
When
I reviewed this work as part of the Golden Age of Light Music: Nature’s Realm
CD (GLCD 5194) for MusicWeb International, I wrote that ‘…Trevor Duncan has
contributed an essay of English pastoral music…This is one of the loveliest
works on this CD and probably deserves inclusion in [all] ‘samplers’ of English
landscape music.’
I
understand that Meadow Mist was originally
released on a 10” vinyl 78rpm record as late as 1959 coupled with the composer’s
Little Debbie and Casulaire (Boosey & Hawkes O.2340).
Trevor Duncan’s Meadow Mist can be heard on Marco Polo
8.223517. The Guild CD version of this work, performed by the New Concert
Orchestra conducted by Dolf van der Linden, has been posted on YouTube
2 comments:
I ADORE Meadow Mist. It is a sly variation on "School Days." And I read where it was incorporated into a school series on British TV years ago. The melody starts out with an extended variation on the tune and advances in harmony. Then there is a second variation with melody shifting at 2 minutes in and further variations. Thanks for letting me comment. Alas, no-one else has commented! It should also be noted that Dolph Van der Linden and his orchestra have done a phenomenal job of making Meadow Mist come to life. There is a woods near our home where this music fits the scenery. We have used these woods for various movies we've done. I am Jim Stokes, filmmaker, author and composer. My email is "wordsandmusique@gmail.com" I live in west Minneapolis/Bryn Mawr, Minnesota. Near With Woods.
Takes me back to when I was young. My parents always had BBC Light Programme on the Wireless/ marvellous music!
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