Thomas Pitfield: His Friends and Contemporaries

The advertising brief for this new CD from Divine Art states that this album “pays homage to the multifaceted talent of Thomas Baron Pitfield (1903-1999). Pitfield was not just a composer; he embodied the essence of a Renaissance man, excelling in various fields including teaching, visual arts, poetry, writing, furniture making, and ornithology.” Of huge importance was his impact on his musical colleagues. Here is a wide selection of works by Pitfield and his peers, friends, and students.

The four movement Divertimento, for oboe and string trio was dedicated to Leon Goossens who celebrated his 70^th birthday during 1967. Pitfield headed the score with a few poetic lines, beginning, “He pipes his pastoral way...” These five words sum up the impression of this delightful tribute. After a brief, airy Toccatina, the Pastorale unsurprisingly presents a folksong-like melody. This is followed by a well-crafted, introspective Intermezzo, before concluding with a rondo featuring a “chattering” tune with several reflective byways. It is a long work, lasting for eighteen minutes. It delights the listener with its evocation of the North Country landscape.

John Joubert’s Remember: Scena for soprano, recorder and string quartet, op. 184 (2018) was one of his final compositions. It was dedicated to the recorderist, John Turner. The text is taken from Christina Rossetti’s heart-breaking sonnet, Remember, which explores themes of love, death, and memory. This intense setting emphasizes the poet’s desire that the beloved should remember her without sadness.

The highlight (for me) of this first CD is E.J. Moeran’s Fantasy Quartet, for oboe and string trio. The liner notes explain that Pitfield knew Moeran well. The Fantasy was devised for Leon Goossens, who gave the premiere performance on 8 December 1946. It should be recalled that at this time, Moeran was struggling with alcoholism as well as marriage problems with Peers Coetmore. Yet, these issues barely trouble the progress of this mature and deeply felt piece. It was summed up by the reviewer of the premiere (The Times, 10 December 1946, p.6) who noted that it was “almost inevitably pastoral in its general character” and “somehow conveyed the feeling of sunshine over rural England.”

Ernst Hermann Meyer’s Now, Voyager: Ode for voice and string quartet was completed in 1946. It is a haunting exploration of Walt Whitmans’ poem Now finalè to the shore. This text encourages the reader to embark on new adventures, suggesting that there is much still to be discovered and experienced. The words can be seen as being a metaphor for the transition between life and death. Although contemporaries, Meyer and Pitfield never actually met. Both men were Socialists, although Meyer was a card-carrying communist who would find fulfilment after the Second World War in East Germany.

The final work on CD 1 is the charming Three Nautical Sketches (1982) for recorder and string quartet. Originally devised for recorder and piano, the present arrangement was made in 2003 by Pitfield’s onetime pupil, the late John McCabe. The three movements explore a “quodlibet” (often a light-hearted combination of tunes) on the sea shanties The Three Mariners and Donkey Riding. The slow movement is a moving reflection on Tom Bowling, whilst the finale majors on a rumbustious take on The Keel Row. There is also a version for recorder and string orchestra. (Naxos 8.572503). Any of these incarnations would make a great piece for the concert hall or recital room.

The second CD opens with Robin Walker’s Parrottry for recorder and string quartet, completed in 2006. The title is a play on words between the dictionary definition of Parrotry (one ‘t’) as being “servile imitation and repetition” and the composer Ian Parrott (1916-2012) whose ninetieth birthday was celebrated in this commission. Certainly, the progress of the music calls for repetition, but never “servile.” Walker asks “How much repetition is too much? Literal repetition rapidly wears thin (vide Minimalism), but varied repetition is the essence of extended symphonic composition. The instruments play out a mixture of the two until - to avoid things getting out of hand, and the likely onset of parrotry – it is time, as it were, to place a cloth over the parrot's cage.” It is fun, and I am sure Ian Parrott must have appreciated it, with no imputation concerning his musical achievement!

The liner notes explain that Jeremy Pike’s Spring for recorder and quartet was written to celebrate the eightieth birthday of John Turner during 2023. Pike explains that “the letters contained in John’s name are used to create a theme that reflects the various sounds of the season. The music alludes to the conflicting emotions stirred in the months of March and April.” The only musical note in JT’s name is ‘E,’ but perhaps there was a scheme…? Altogether a dark offering, rather than an explosion of vernal fecundity.

My comments on the songs for soprano solo and recorder are given together. Firstly, the Three Short Songs by friends of Pitfield, for soprano and recorder. First up, is a lively Yeats setting, by Nicolas Marshall, To a Child Dancing in the Wind. This is followed by Anthony Gilbert’s lugubrious realisation of his own text, A breath for Life. Finally, John Turner has contributed a song to words by William Blake, Spring. Stuart Scott’s Three Blake Songs for recorder and soprano include: Ah, Sunflower, The Lilly, and Infant Joy. For me, the tessitura of the two soloists tends to be too piercing and overbearing in most of these songs.

Richard Pantcheff’s Spring Suite, for recorder and string quartet was written in 2022 for John Turner. It is an attractive collection of baroque dances reimagined in a contemporary, but not unapproachable, musical language. The four contrasting movements include, a Bourrée, a Siciliano, an Air, a Minuet, and a concluding Gigue.

Seasons of Mist for recorder and string quintet (2021) by Geoffrey Poole’s was conceived during the Covid pandemic. It was designed to reflect “poets from Basho to Keats [who] have dwelt on the peculiar beauties of Autumn.” There are three contrasting movements. November Dawn is restrained and impressionistic, and the Bonfire Night is a vibrant scherzo, complete with musical onomatopoeia, of bursting rockets and Catherine wheel. The work concludes with a meditation on Autumn Leaves, echoing the transience of life, rather than portraying a blustery day.

Two more songs follow. The Carol Lullaby for soprano recorder and harp is gentle and sentimentally religious. Both text and music are by Pitfield. The second number Lullaby (TBP [Thomas Baron Pitfield] his goodnight) is by Gordon Crosse and uses the same forces. The liner notes explain that this piece began life as part of the incidental music for Michael Elliott’s Manchester Royal Exchange production of the Greek tragedy Philoctetes, by Sophocles. It was revised as a contribution to Thomas Pitfield’s eightieth birthday album, published by Forsyth’s of Manchester. It is an astringent, rather than soothing, berceuse.

Christopher Cotton’s Overture for St. Paul’s, (possibly 2018), for recorder, oboe and string quartet was composed for the launch of the Stockport Heatons concert series ‘Music on the Moor.’ The liner notes are shy on explaining which St Paul’s is referenced in the title: it is in fact St Paul’s Church, in Heaton Mersey, Stockport. This is a wistful little work that seems timeless in its evocation of baroque mannerisms and more up-to-date echoes. It is perfectly scored with the two wind instruments in equilibrium.

This CD features magnificent performances from all the artists, a splendid recording, and an informative booklet. The cover features the evocative water colour "Weaver Bridge at Church Minshull, Cheshire, from the garden of Weaver Cottage.” It is a remarkable sample of Pitfield’s accomplishment as a visual artist.

This two-disc set is a rewarding exploration of music by Thomas Pitfield, his contemporaries, and friends.

Track Listing:
CD1
Thomas Pitfield (1903-1999)
Divertimento, for oboe and string trio (1966/67)

Richard Simpson (oboe), Benedict Holland (violin), Heather Wallington (viola), Jennifer

Langridge (cello)

John Joubert (1927-2019)
Remember: Scena for soprano, recorder and string quartet, op. 184 (2018)
Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano), John Turner (recorder), Victoria String Quartet
E. J. Moeran (1894-1950)
Fantasy Quartet, for oboe and string trio (1946)
Richard Simpson (oboe), Benedict Holland (violin), Heather Wallington (viola), Jennifer
Langridge (cello)
Ernst Hermann Meyer (1905-1988)
Now, Voyager: Ode for voice and string quartet (1946)
Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano), Victoria String Quartet
Thomas Pitfield, arr. John McCabe (1939-2015)
Three Nautical Sketches, for recorder and string quartet (1982, arr. 2003)
John Turner (recorder), Victoria String Quartet
CD2
Robin Walker (b.1953)
Parrottry, for recorder and string quartet (2006)
John Turner (recorder), Victoria String Quartet
Jeremy Pike (b. 1955)
Spring, for recorder, harp, and string quartet (2023)
John Turner (recorder), Lauren Scott (harp), Victoria String Quartet
Nicholas Marshall (b.1942)
To a Child Dancing in the Wind (words by W. B. Yeats) (2023)
Anthony Gilbert (1934-2023)
A Breath for Life (words by “Anthonymus 2023”) (2023)
John Turner (b.1943)
Spring (words by William Blake) (1968, rev.2023)
Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano), John Turner (recorder)
Richard Pantcheff (b.1959)
Spring Suite, for recorder and string quartet (2022)
John Turner (recorder), Victoria String Quartet
Stuart Scott (b.1949)
Three Blake Songs (?)
Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano), John Turner (recorder)
Geoffrey Poole (b.1949)
Seasons of Mist, for recorder and string quintet (2021)
John Turner (recorder), Victoria String Quartet, Alex Jones (double bass)
Thomas Pitfield
Carol Lullaby, for soprano, recorder, and harp (undated)
Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano), John Turner (recorder), Lauren Scott (harp)
Gordon Crosse (1937-2021)
Lullaby (TBP his goodnight), for soprano, recorder, and violin (c.1982)
Lesley-Jane Rogers (soprano), John Turner (recorder), Benedict Holland (violin)
Christopher Cotton (b.1947)
Overture for St. Paul’s, for recorder, oboe, and string quartet (?2018)
John Turner (recorder), Richard Simpson (oboe), Victoria String Quartet
rec. 22/23 June and 11 October 2023, St. Paul's Church, Heaton Moor, Stockport. 

Divine Art DDX 21246

Introducing Henry Purcell

Henry Purcell, often hailed as England’s greatest Baroque composer, left an indelible mark on the world of music with his innovative and expressive compositions. Born in Westminster in 1659, Purcell’s musical genius blossomed early, leading him to become organist at both Westminster Abbey and the Chapel Royal. His works, ranging from operas and semi-operas to sacred anthems and instrumental pieces, comprise a unique blend of English, Italian, and French styles. Despite his premature death at the age of thirty-six, Purcell’s legacy endures, with his music continuing to charm audiences and influence composers to this day.

Brief Biography

• Born St Anne’s Lane, Old Pye Street, London during 1659.
• Entered the Chapel Royal around 1669 and studied under Captain Henry Cooke.
• Further instruction from Pelham Humphrey, in the Chapel Royal in 1872.
• Appointed Assistant Keeper of the King’s Instruments in 1673.
• There were probably further studies with John Blow and Christopher Gibbons.
• Purcell is organ tuner at Westminster Abbey in 1674.
• Appointed Organist at Westminster Abbey (1679) and at the Chapel Royal (1682).
• Marries Frances Peters (?) in c.1681.
• Appointed Organ Maker and Keeper to the King in 1683.
• Composes the Sonatas in III Parts in 1683.
• Dido and Aeneas (1689) is considered as the first English opera and is regarded as an early masterpiece of the form. 
• Composes anthem for the funeral service of Queen Mary, Thou Knowest, O Lord (1695
• Henry Purcell died at Marsham Street, Westminster, on 21 November 1895, aged 36 years.
• Buried adjacent to the organ in Westminster Abbey on 26 November 1895. 

Twelve Selected Works

Henry Purcell wrote a vast amount of music. He contributed to many genres, including opera, incidental music, liturgical works, odes and welcome anthems, many sacred and secular songs, a deal of instrumental music and small number of organ pieces.

Musically, he successfully fused English, French and Italian styes leading to an original sound. He was especially adept in writing for the voice that balances lyricism and expressive melodies supplemented by a good declamatory style. His dramatic works often use spoken dialogue with music to heighten the dramatic effect. Purcell was creative in his harmonic explorations, often writing unexpected chordal progressions and a subtle use of dissonance. He added “a subtlety and variety of expression and an intensity of emotion” rarely seen in the instrumental music of his day. Equally impressive is his use of counterpoint in his instrumental works.

1. Twelve Sonatas in Three Parts (c.1680)
2. Welcome to All the Pleasures (1683)
3. My Heart is Inditing, anthem composed for the coronation of King James II (1685)
4. Dido and Aeneas, opera (by 1688)
5. The History of Dioclesian or The Prophetess, semi-opera (1690)
6. King Arthur, semi-opera (1691)
7. The Fairy Queen, semi-opera based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1692)
8. Hail! Bright Cecilia, ode for St Cecilia’s Day (1692)
9. Come, Ye Sons of Art, ode for the Birthday of Queen Mary (1694)
10. Te Deum and Jubilate in D major (1694)
11. Abdelazer or The Moor’s Revenge, incidental music to Aphra Behn’s play (1695)
12. Music for the Funeral of Queen Mary (1695)

Further Reading

Most listeners will begin with the encyclopaedic essays in Grove’s Dictionary, the National Biography as well as Wikipedia. There are several introductions to the composer including Franklin B Zimmerman’s Henry Purcell: a guide to research (Garland Pub. 1989), the Ashgate Research Companion to Henry Purcell by Rebecca Herissone (Ashgate Pub., 2012) and The Purcell Companion edited by Michael Burden (Faber, 1995). Other interesting books that provide insights into Purcell’s life and works include Purcell: A Biography by Jonathan Keates (Northeastern University Press, 1996). This book offers a detailed account of Purcell’s life and his contributions to music, set against the backdrop of Restoration England which gives a detailed account of the composer’s life and his contributions to music, set against the backdrop of Restoration England. Then Robert King’s Henry Purcell (Thames and Hudson, 1994) explores his life against the political and social context of his time. Finally, I was introduced to the composer by way of an old paperback, Henry Purcell: The English Musical Tradition (Penguin, 1949). This remains a good introduction to the background, the influences, and the output of the composer.

If you can only hear one CD…

There are dozens of CDs dedicated to the music of Henry Purcell. These include complete editions of the sacred music, the chamber works, and the incidental music. Many versions of the operas and semi-operas are available. Much of this legacy will only be of interest to the specialist, but there are plenty of discs that explore a selection of his achievement.

If you can only hear one CD of music by Henry Purcell, I would recommend “The Best of Purcell” from Naxos (8.556839). This compilation includes a variety of his most celebrated works, such as the “Dido’s Lament” from Dido and Aeneas, the “Trumpet Tune” from The Indian Queen, and selections from The Fairy Queen. It is a great introduction to Purcell’s diverse and rich musical style.

Finally, if you can only listen to one work…

If you can only listen to one work by Henry Purcell, I would recommend Dido and Aeneas. This opera is one of Purcell’s most celebrated compositions and highlights his exceptional talent for blending dramatic narrative with beautiful, expressive music. The famous aria “When I am laid in earth” (Dido’s Lament) is particularly moving and highlights Purcell’s mastery of emotional depth and musical storytelling.

Haydn Wood: Paris Suite (1937)

Haydn Wood (1882-1959) was an English composer, renowned for his contributions to both light and classical music. Born in Slaithwaite, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, he moved to the Isle of Man at an early age. This beautiful island often inspired his music. He studied at the Royal College of Music in London, where he excelled in violin and composition under the guidance of Charles Villiers Stanford and Enrique Fernández Arbós.

Wood’s career was marked by his versatility and prolific output. He wrote over two hundred ballad-style songs, including the famous Roses of Picardy, which became extremely popular during the First World War. His orchestral works, characterized by their lyrical melodies and rich harmonies, include suites, rhapsodies, and concertos.

In addition to his compositional achievements, Wood was a celebrated violinist and conductor, often performing his own music. 

Best recalled for his evocation of London with suites such as Snapshots of London, London Cameo, and Landmarks of London, he was also inspired by places further away. There was the Suite: Cities of Romance (1937), where Budapest, Venice and Seville were evoked, and an Egyptian Suite (1927) with movements dedicated to the Valley of the Kings, the Court of Pharoah, and a Slave Dance. In 1935 he turned his sights on Gay Paris, with a redolent portrayal of Parisians sights and characters.

The Paris Suite opens with a Waltz subtitled Apache Life. The Paris Apaches were a notorious subculture of violent criminals, hooligans, and street gangs that emerged in early 20th century Paris during the Belle Époque era. Known for their brutal muggings, inter-gang warfare, and general hooliganism, they became a symbol of urban menace and lawlessness. Their notoriety was amplified by the media, which often exaggerated their exploits, creating a lasting image of the Apaches as a significant threat to public safety. Haydn Wood has presented a sanitised picture of these unsavoury characters and has given a largely romantic view of their exploits. The Waltz opens with a typically ballroom strain before embracing little bit of “knockabout pseudo-violence” thereby balancing “the tender and the frenetic.”

The second movement is Meditation: In the Tuileries Garden. This popular spot, over half a mile long, is located on the banks of the Seine, between the Louvre Museum and the busy Place de la Concorde. They were established in 1564 by Catherine de’ Medici as a private garden for the Tuileries Palace. This edifice was set on fire during the Commune in 1871 and was demolished in 1883. The gardens were reimagined in the 17^th century by the French landscape architect and the principal gardener of King Louis XIV of France, André Le Nôtre (1613-1700) becoming a public park in 1667. Today, it features beautiful landscapes, sculptures, fountains, and walking paths, offering a peaceful retreat in the heart of the bustling city. Haydn Wood has created a sympathetic evocation of this magical spot. He gives the music romance with just a touch of sentimentality present in the “big tune.” It is really an Englishman- Abroad’s take on these famous gardens.

When I first went to Paris back in 1979, I was keen to visit Montmartre. It was a place associated with artists and authors whom I had been studying and reading. I guess everyone at that time was obsessed with Gustav Flaubert, Guy de Maupassant, and Andre Gide, as well as Toulouse-Lautrec, Edgar Degas, and Van Gogh. Montmartre, located in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, is an historic and picturesque quarter known for its artistic heritage and bohemian charm. Once a village outside the city, it became part of Paris in 1860. It is famous for its cobbled streets, the stunning Sacré-Cœur Basilica, and its vibrant nightlife, including the iconic Moulin Rouge. The “lively and spirited” March: Montmartre does not echo the military parade ground. Rather, it reflects on the vibrant social atmosphere of this district as a playground, with its theatres, cafes, and other entertainments.

Haydn Wood’s Paris Suite can be heard on Marco Polo CD 8.223605 issued in 1993. It is played by Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra (Bratislava) under Ernest Tomlinson.

Thomas Pitfield: String Chamber Music

Listeners need to know that Thomas Baron Pitfield was a polymath. Not only was he a hugely prolific and skilled composer, but he was an artist, poet, teacher, author, cabinetmaker, and ornithologist. It has been said that he hid many more lights under his bushel. To be sure, he is not one of the “towering giants” of British music, but on the other hand he has been unfairly ignored on the wider stage of concert halls and recital rooms. I have mentioned before I have never heard a piece of Pitfield’s music that I have not enjoyed and genuinely warmed to.

Stylistically, he is hard to define. I guess that Delius, Vaughan Williams, and Percy Grainger will spring to mind. Pitfield does make use of folk song and adapts it to his own classical style. To my knowledge, he never indulged in dodecaphony or flirted with the avant-garde. His compositions are always characterised by tuneful melodies, interesting harmonies, and an acute understanding of the needs of instrumentalists.

I began my review of this CD with the bewitching Sonatina for cello and piano completed in 1955. The liner notes explain that the “cello was Thomas Pitfield’s own instrument, and he received lessons in his youth from the cellist Katherine Moorhouse, the first wife of the Manchester composer Eric Fogg (Uncle Eric of BBC’s Children’s Hour), both of whom became hospitable friends to Pitfield.” It was dedicated to the onetime Principal Cellist at the Hallé Orchestra, Oliver Vella, and his [Oliver’s] wife Sheila. It is delightful, with some inventive moments especially in the opening Allegro risoluto and the dreamy Arietta. At just shy of eleven minutes, this sonatina is hardly a miniature designed for didactic purposes. The tyro would need to have a strong technique to give a good account, especially for the concluding Toccatina. It is given an impressive performance here by the two soloists.

The Sonata in D minor, was finished in 1937/38, however, it was not published until 1949. Sadly, no commentary on this important work is given in the liner notes. The opening Variations contains Rachmaninovian pianism, counterpointed to more “English” sounding passagework. Overall, it is conceived in an eclectic style: some may argue to its detriment. I loved the dreamy Pastoral Interlude. Echoes of Delius abound here, with significant effect. Other stylistic models follow in the ‘middle eight.’ I can imagine Pitfield exploring his beloved Dunham Massey, a great park south of Manchester. The Sonata is rounded off with a folksy Epilogue, played Allegro. Are there nods to a well-known Christmas carol in these pages? Like so much British music, it is hard to understand why this splendid sonata is not in the “standard” repertoire for cello/piano duos.

The short Epigraph for violin, cello and piano (undated) was based on “fragments from an ostinato by the Russian composer Arensky, written for The Arensky Trio.” It is a thoughtful, pensive little number.

Ever since being introduced to Schubert’s Trio in B flat major, op.100 in 1977, I have been an enthusiast of the piano trio genre – especially, I must add, those devised by British composers.

Pitfield’s Piano Trio No.1 in C major was written in 1930 and was dedicated to his wife-to-be, Alice M Astbury. It was premiered at an Oxford University Press private concert on 16 March 1933, by the New London Trio. It is difficult to pin down the sound world of this piece. It is by turns pastoral, romantic, and edging towards an incipient modernism, especially in the final movement. Here and there a folk tune emerges before being cast aside. Yet this is not cow-and-gate music, despite debts to several then-contemporary composers, including RVW and the pianism of York Bowen. John Turner, in the liner notes, explains that “this substantial and serious early work is in a much more harmonically advanced style than his later music, and exhibits few of the distinctive footprints of his later works.” It is an enjoyable and deeply felt Trio that enchants the listener, rather than seriously challenges them.

The premiere performance of the Piano Trio No.2 in F minor (Lyric) (1948/49) was given by the Arensky Trio, during a concert celebrating Pitfield’s 80th birthday, on 6 May 1983 at All Saints Church, Altringham. John Turner notes that it remains unpublished. Despite its soubriquet, it is more astringent in mood than the earlier example. Yet, it is hardly difficult for the listener. The opening Allegro marcato, uses a bouncy folklike theme, whose title is always just on the tip of the tongue. The two-part, second movement opens with a long Larghetto solenne theme for solo piano, before it opens into a beguiling scherzo, Allegro quasi allegretto for all the players. The piano does dominate again for a number of bars before the movement concludes melancholically. The finale, an Allegro marcato, fairly bounces along, with lots of extravagant pianism and vivid string playing. Here and there, a quieter interlude tries to impose itself, typically without success. This characteristically “molto perpetuo” movement concludes in quiet reflection.

The CD booklet is well produced. As noted above, I would have appreciated a little more analysis and commentary on each work than John Turner has provided. There is a good introduction to the composer as well as notes on the performers. The cover features the evocative water colour "Weaver Bridge at Church Minshull, Cheshire, from the garden of Weaver Cottage.” It is a splendid example of Pitfield’s achievement as an artist.

Despite having nothing to compare them to, the performances exude brilliance, technical competence, and a sympathetic understanding of Pitfield’s music. The recording is clear and vibrant.

I do hope that this CD is successful and manages to introduce these five attractive works to a wide audience, including other piano trio outfits. The advertising brief for this CD is spot on:

“This album offers a glimpse into Pitfield’s artistic vision and craftsmanship. Pitfield’s compositions are filled with elegance, lyricism, and emotional depth.”

Track Listing:
Thomas Pitfield (1903-99)
Piano Trio No.1 in C major (1930)
Piano Trio No.2 in F minor (Lyric) (1948/49)
Epigraph for violin, cello and piano (undated)
Sonatina for cello and piano (1955)
Sonata in D minor for cello and piano (1937/38, pub. 1949)
The Pleyel Ensemble: Sarah Ewins (violin), Heather Bills (cello), Harvey Davies (piano)
rec. 17-19 July 2023, Carole Nash Recital Room, Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester.
Divine Art ddx 21137

Hidden Holst V: The Lure (1921)

Gustav Holst’s The Lure is a surprisingly interesting score. Think of the powerful brass figurations, a touch of folk melody, wide ranging percussion, much use of chords of the fourth, a degree of orientalism, and all topped off with a decidedly romantic moment towards the conclusion, and we have one of Holst’s most remarkable and vibrant scores. It is unbelievable that it is absent from the repertoire. Since 1982 there have only been two recordings of this piece.

In a letter to his friend W.G. Whittaker, (2 October 1921, quoted Short, 1974, p.69) Holst wrote:

“The books of songs make a feast indeed. Thanks 1000 times. I have not heard the piano parts yet and have not even looked at them much yet because the tunes have fascinated me.

Would you allow me to murder two or three of them in a ballet for Chicago? It sounds mixed but I got the books and a little commission from the USA about the same time and your tunes ran through my head when I thought of the ballet. But I shall ill-treat them disgracefully.”

This referred to North Countrie Ballads, Songs & Pipe-Tunes, edited and arranged by Whittaker (Curwen, 1921).

Nothing further is known about this commission, and the ballet was never performed.

Other works written at this time included the iconic, but sadly now regarded as politically incorrect, I Vow to thee my Country. The previous year (1920) had witnessed the first complete performance of The Planets.            

In her catalogue of her father’s music, Imogen Holst printed a shortened version of the ballet’s scenario. This had been devised by the American artist and impresario, Alice Barney (1857-1931):

“The Flame of a candle is shining brilliantly in the room. He [the Flame] …looks disdainfully at the poor little moths who flutter round him in adoration, [and] as they come too near him, he scorches them. ‘Folia’ appears - the most beautiful of moths. The Flame awaits her homage, but she ignores him at first. Filled with desire for her beauty, and anger at her indifference, he puts forth all his powers and she is irresistibly drawn towards him only to be crushed and burnt in his embrace…He flings her aside…But there are greater powers than he. As the grey dawn appears a large snuffer slowly descends and covers him.” (Holst, 1974, p.145)

It is not necessary to relate the music to the above synopsis. This really is only of historical interest. It does, however, explain the title of the piece.

Formally, The Lure is episodic – one dance following another. A.E.F. Dickinson (1995, p.195) observes that “the music presents a series of ideas characteristic of the mature Holst…” The note in the published score explains that “Folia’s Dance” nods towards the Marionette’s Dance from the Japanese Suite. It is also possible that it is based on one of the tunes from Whittaker’s volume. I was unable to check this out. There is evidence that Holst also used material from his incidental music to Clifford Bax’s 1918 play, The Sneezing Charm. This in turn was used as the basis of The Perfect Fool.

Colin Matthews (Music Times, May 1984, p.272) believed the scenario of The Lure was “rather naïve” and was “to all appearances composed in haste.” He concludes by suggesting that “though the ballet music does not have quite the vitality of The Perfect Fool, it contains some striking ideas, notably the shifting ‘fourth’ chords of the opening and some uncharacteristically romantic writing towards the end as one of the moths dies in the flame’s embrace.” 

The score was published in 1984 by Faber Music Limited. It was reviewed in Music and Letters (October 1985, p.411) by Michael Hurd. He writes that “The Lure now enjoys a certain currency as a nine-minute concert piece. That said, I am not aware of many “concert” performances of The Lure over the past few decades.

He continues, “Though typical of the composer in its use of ostinatos, asymmetrical rhythmic patterns, bitonality, and a very brilliant incisive kind of orchestration, it is relatively minor Holst – welcome enough, but unlikely to challenge such pieces as the Perfect Fool ballet music which go through the same hoops with much greater conviction.”

Listen to BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Richard Hickox, perform The Lure on YouTube, here.

Bibliography:
Dickinson, A.E.F., Holst’s Music: a Guide, Thames Publication, 1995.
Holst, Imogen, A Thematic Catalogue of Gustav Holst’s Music, Faber Music Ltd, 1974.
ed. Short, Michael, Gustav Holst Letters to W.G. Whittaker University of Glasgow Press, 1974.
Short, Michael, Gustav Holst: The Man and his Music, OUP, 1990.

Discography:
Holst, Gustav, The Lure, with Dances from the Morning of the Year, The Mystic Trumpeter, London Symphony Orchestra/David Atherton, Lyrita, SRCS.128, 1982
Holst, Gustav, The Lure, with A Winter Idyll, Indra, A Song of the Night, Interlude Sita, Invocation, Morning of the Year Dances, Lorraine McAslan/Alexander Baillie/London Philharmonic Orchestra/London Symphony Orchestra/David Atherton, Lyrita SRCD.209, 1993.
Holst, Gustav, The Lure, The Perfect Fool, The Golden Goose, The Morning of the Year, Joyful Company of Singers/Peter Broadbent, BBC National Orchestra of Wales/Richard Hickox, Chandos CHSA 5069, 2008.

William Alwyn: The Green Girdle

The Green Girdle was a propaganda film made in 1941 by the Strand Film unit and directed by Ralph Keane. Its message was quite simply one of encouragement. At that time, Londoners had been suffering daily ‘blitzes’ and although a number were evacuated, there were many still living in some of the worst targeted areas. A substantial number of people engaged in War-Work, ARP and Home Guard activities, fire, police, railways and other ‘essential services.’

It was deemed as a positive message to suggest that as a relaxation (such as they could have) they should make their way out to The Green Girdle – places such as Epping Forest, Hampstead Heath, Box Hill, Ivinghoe Beacon... Interestingly Keane specialised in ‘animal and rural themed’ film productions, so this was an ideal screen play for him to direct.

With the Chandos CD release of the film score, The Green Girdle can alternatively be viewed as a miniature tone poem that stands alone – it can be listened to apart from the visual imagery and the commentary. And as such it is an attractive work. It has been suggested that Alwyn’s score was a precursor to The Magic Island and the Autumn Legend. It could be argued the other way round – that both works have a cinematic feel to them – and I guess that no-one would deny that. Yet, there is a certain ‘bucolic’ mood about the present film score that is hardly a characteristic of the above works!

Alwyn wrote this work at a time when the film industry was occupying much of his energy. Contemporary scores included Penn of Pennsylvania, S.O.S. and Steel goes to Sea. Concert works for 1941 were rare, however his Sonatina for Viola was written in the same year. In the previous year, a number of works were composed, including Night Thoughts for piano and the Divertimento for Solo Flute.

One curious fact about this film score was that originally it was to have been composed by Richard Addinsell of Warsaw Concerto fame. In fact, he is given credit for this in ‘titles.’ He produced sketches for this film: they are in the possession of the composer Philip Lane. However, Alwyn completed the task and made use of some of the material – although this is a musicological task that would need to be confirmed. It is the one of the few of Alwyn’s film score holographs to have survived in its entirety.

The film itself was produced with minimal commentary: the visuals and the music predominated. The cinema audience was taken on a tour of many places that still, after 83 years, hold their magic and act as a potential release from the stresses of an ever-growing Metropolis. Who has not enjoyed a day on Wimbledon Common looking for the windmill and exploring the woods and hidden dales? Numerous Londoners will have gone to see the spring flowers in Epping Forest and ended up lost in the woods. Surely the view from Hampstead Heath will never fail to impress – and bear in mind that in those days (1941) the smoke from millions of coal fires and hundreds of steam locomotives would have hidden much of the scene. And lastly, the magic of Box Hill will stay with all those who have climbed its flanks. Who does not marvel at the stunning views southward towards Sussex and the sea and northwards towards London and the Chilterns?

The ‘tone poem’ opens with a dreamy phrase supported by inevitable harp arpeggios. After a short woodwind solo the main theme tries to emerge. Yet a little brass fanfare holds up the proceedings. There follows a short reflection of the opening page, before the clip-clopping ‘horse effect’ in the percussion section nods to the pastoral idea of this film. This is quickly pushed aside, and the ‘big’ tune starts in earnest. This is a theme that is so full of potential; it seems a pity that Alwyn was not able to use this in one of his ‘concert’ works. This melody has been described as a ‘folk-like tune,’ yet it is really a full-blown romantic theme. Surely it suggests lovers cresting Primrose Hill and seeing the whole of London spread out below their city: it does not evoke being knee deep in mud in a pig farm!

Yet Alwyn’s music is about contrast. The lovers are now left to their own devices and a jaunty tune suggests riding a horse or playing rounders or an impromptu game of football. The big tune never really disappears: it is always there in the music either implicitly or explicitly. At the exact halfway point in the score the music comes to a full stop.

Nocturnal music follows – there is a poignant cello solo followed by a short brass ‘chorale’ and once again the harps lead to a restatement of the romantic tune. But then there is movement. If the film were about pre-war days, it would have suggested a jaunting car in the high Chilterns or even a mad drive through the country lanes in the latest open-top tourer. A gentle melody is heard, followed by a short clarinet solo. But inevitably the lover’s tune returns, this time in a sort of Elgarian guise. It dominates, without ever really going over the top before the outdoor music returns. There is a nod to the opening ‘dreamy’ bars before the work concludes on a positive note.

Unfortunately, there has been little critical commentary on this work – Ian Lace at MusicWeb International wrote that “…The Green Girdle music is gently, tenderly pastoral...” Rob Barnett says a little more. He suggests that this is a romantic work. He noted that he “had just been listening to Muti’s Scriabin and …thought of that as well as of Debussy.” He is much closer to the mark with his suggestion that “other reference points include the playful enchantment and the skittering joy of [Frank] Bridge’s Enter Spring and the second of his Two Jeffries Poems.” Delius is also a potential model – with his ‘nature tapestries’ which facet various elements of the topographical scene.

Finally, the Documentary News Letter (June 1941, p.108) suggests that this film was “a rare balance” between “visuals, music and commentary.”

THE GREEN GIRDLE (Strand Film Unit) Production: Basil Wright; Direction: Ralph Keane, Photography: Jack Cardiff; Music: Richard Addinsell/ William Alwyn; Commentary: Bruce Belfrage & Robert Mac Dermot. Film released June 1941. First screening date unknown.

The Green Girdle can be seen on YouTube, here and heard on Chandos CHAN 9959.

Charles Villiers Stanford: Three Intermezzi for clarinet and piano, op. 13

Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) wrote four major works for clarinet. In 1902 the Concerto for clarinet, op.80 was composed and dedicated to Richard Mühlfeld. It was later withdrawn although in recent years it has gained a toehold in the repertoire. Around 1912 he produced his Sonata for clarinet (or viola), op.129 which was published in 1918. The two Fantasies for clarinet and string quartet date from the early nineteen-twenties. Other examples of Stanford’s chamber music include the clarinet as one of the instruments such as the Serenade in F major (Nonet) op.95 (c.1906).

The present Three Intermezzi for clarinet and piano, op.13 predates all these works by more than 20 years. The dedicatee was Francis William Galpin (1858-1945) who later became a well-regarded clergyman, musicologist, and antiquarian. He specialised in the study of old musical instruments. As an undergraduate at Trinity, he studied organ under Robert Sterndale Bennett (1847-1928) and was librarian of the Cambridge University Musical Society. Galpin was also a competent clarinettist. The Three Intermezzi were premiered on 18 February 1880 at a Society concert.

All three movements are written in ternary form and have contrasting ‘trio sections.’ The first intermezzi is a reflective andante espressivo with a livelier leggerio middle section before the return of the thoughtful opening melody. The second begins with an ‘agitated’ theme, before a tranquillo mood takes hold. The final intermezzo opens with a playful allegro scherzando in C minor. The mood changes as the music moves to C major with arpeggiated piano chords against a lovely melody. The piece concludes in good humour after a brief backward glance to the quieter music.

The Three Intermezzi were originally conceived for clarinet and piano but were also arranged for solo violin as well as cello. All are equally effective, although there is no doubt that the composer had a strong affinity with the clarinet.

Until 1879, the intermezzo form typically applied to piano pieces and Stanford would appear to have been the first composer to write an example for the clarinet.

It is conventional to suggest that Johannes Brahms is 'not far away' from these pieces. However, Stanford’s work predated Brahms’s two Clarinet Sonatas, op.120 nos.1 & 2 (1894) and his Clarinet Quintet, op.115 and Trio, op.114 composed in 1891. Other exemplars may include Robert Schumann’s Romances for Oboe and Piano, op.94 No.1&2 (1849) and possibly the Drei Fantasiestücke op. 73 (1849) for clarinet and piano.

There is a magic about the Three Intermezzi that must be recognised as Stanford's own. Although these pieces are not 'Irish' in feel, the wit and the charm of the Dublin-born composer is never far away.

Listen to the Three Intermezzi on YouTube, here. Robert Plane (clarinet) and Benjamin Frith (piano) are the soloists. 

With thanks to the English Music Festival, where this note was first published.

Howard Ferguson: Piano Concerto, op.12 (1951)

There are two things to say about Howard Ferguson. Firstly, he wrote too little! It is always a great disappointment to me that Ferguson gave up composing in the early 1950s; he reckoned that he had said all he wanted to say! The listener’s loss is the student and performer’s gain as most of the rest of his life was spent in editing early music and teaching material. The second thing is that every piece that Ferguson wrote is near perfect and commands our attention. There is nothing that does not deserve to be permanently in the repertoire.

The Piano Concerto is a case in point. I have no doubt that if this work was by a Polish or German composer it would be in the public domain. As it stands, I imagine that it is well known only to a handful of British music enthusiasts. Yet, what a great and wonderful work it is. It is not really necessary to try making comparisons. I do not agree with Andrew Burn’s liner notes (Naxos 8.557290) that it nods to Mozart. What we have is a beautifully composed piece that throws introspection and an extrovert, almost ‘puckish’ feel, into contrast, yet manages to give a satisfying sense of completeness. The heart of the work is the reflective ‘Theme and Variations’ – this movement is quite bitter-sweet and stays in the mind long after the last note plays. The last movement, an ‘allegro giovale,’ is a tour de force. However, there are some quieter, more introverted moments and there is a reprise of the slow movement ‘tune’ towards the end. But this is positive, uplifting music that is a joy and pleasure and a privilege to listen to.

Listen to Howard Ferguson’s Piano Concerto  in a live performance Howard Shelley, piano and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Charles Grove on YouTube, here.

Discography
Ferguson, Howard, Concerto for piano and strings with Amore langueo, Howard Shelley, piano, Martyn Hill, tenor, London Symphony Chorus and the City of London Sinfonia/Richard Hickox EMI 0777 7 64738 2 6 (1986)
Ferguson, Howard, Concerto for piano and strings with concertos by Christopher Darnton, Alec Rowley and Roberto Gerhard, Northern Sinfonia, Peter Donohoe, piano/conductor, Naxos 8.557290 (2005)
Ferguson, Howard, Concerto for piano and strings with with concerted works by Finzi, Austin and Rawsthorne SOMMCD241, 2009

It's not British, but...Ravel's Orchestral Transcriptions on Danacord

This enriching CD platforms a selection of Maurice Ravel’s orchestrations of his piano compositions, alongside the Rapsodie Espagnole.

Le Tombeau de Couperin was composed as a suite for solo piano, between 1914 and 1917. Ravel insisted that it was “a tribute not so much to Couperin himself as to Eighteenth Century French music in general.” Originally, there were six movements: Prélude, Fugue, Forlane, Rigaudon, Menuet, and Toccata. All were dedicated to friends who had been killed during the First World War. Two years later, Ravel orchestrated four of them, omitting the Fugue and Toccata. The typically serene and charming Prélude sets the scene for the entire Suite. Yet, even here, there is occasionally a slight edge to its progress. The Forlane is playful and may remind the listener of an ‘antique’ dance, from an earlier generation of French composers. Ravel pays homage to classicism in the graceful Minuet. Finally, a folk dance, seen through twentieth century eyes, underlies the lively and rhythmic Rigaudon. The Suite is given a delightfully cool performance by the Aarhus SO.

Maurice Ravel provided a rich orchestral arrangement of his piano suite, the Valses nobles et sentimentales, dating from 1911-12. Ravel wrote that it was “clearly enough my intention to write a chain of valses in the style of Schubert.” He had been inspired by Franz Schubert’s Valses nobles (D.969) (1827) and his Valses sentimentales (D.779) (1823-4). It is possible that he was also motivated by his encounter with Franz Liszt’s Valse caprice after Schubert and his Soirées de Vienne as well as nods to Johann Strauss II. There are eight waltzes in this Suite, each with its own character and atmosphere, with contrasting moods, pace, and rhythmic variation, but always subject to the 3/4 time signature.

The only composition on this disc that was originally written for orchestra is the Rapsodie Espagnole (1907-08). Like Bizet, Chabrier and Debussy, Ravel paints an evocative picture of the Iberian Peninsula and its musical traditions. There are four movements. The sultry, shimmering, Prélude à la nuit (très modéré) is followed by a vibrant dance from the Malaga region complete with castanets and Basque drum. Then there is a slow, smoky Habanera (assez lent et d’un rythme las). The Rapsodie closes with the festive Feria (assez animé) which paints a riotous fairground image. The impact of this piece is abetted by its masterful orchestration.

The ubiquitous Pavane pour une infante défunte originated as a piano solo in 1899 and was later orchestrated by Ravel in 1910. This lovely number evokes a sense of melancholy with its elegant melody and delicate textures. Despite the picturesque title alluding to an unnamed member of Spanish royalty, Ravel insisted that he “simply liked the sound of these words and I put them there, c’est tout.”

Interestingly, it was dedicated to the Princesse Edmond de Polignac (Winnaretta Singer) who was a contemporary patron of the arts and heiress of the Singer Sewing Machine fortune.

Une barque sur l’océan is the third section of Ravel’s Miroirs. Originally devised for solo piano in 1904-05, it was orchestrated the following year. The liner notes explain that “[Ravel] paints the movement of the boat with the theme initially presented by the flute” however the “tres souple de rythme” gives the composer much scope to portray the “unpredictable swell of the ocean.”

It is hard to imagine a better “impression of a very blue Mediterranean, with just a hint of a breeze stirring up wavelets.”

The Aarhus Symphony orchestra is based in the eponymous second largest Danish city, in the eastern part of the country. It was established in 1935. Since 1982 it has performed most of its concerts at the Musikhuset in the city centre. The sixty-five players also engage in chamber music recitals, take part in school concerts, and support the Danish National Opera.

Danacord explains that French classical conductor Marc Soustrot, who is currently Chief Conductor of the Aarhus SO, has extensive expertise in major works from the classical and Romantic repertoire. His interpretations of French orchestral compositions are particularly noted. Soustrot served as the director of the Orchestre Philharmoinique des Pays de la Loire from 1976 to 1994 and later as the Generalmusikdirektor of the Beethoven Orchester, Bonn from 1995 until 2003. His first album for the Danacord label was a disc of Georges Bizet’s music including the Symphony in C Major; Carmen Suite No. 1; L'Arlésienne Suites Nos. 1 and 2. (DACOCD 775, 2016). It was reviewed here, and here.

This disc offers a delightful listening experience with a great recording, comprehensive documentation, and excellent performances. It serves as a wonderful primer to some of Maurice Ravel’s essential orchestrations.

Track Listing
Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
Le Tombeau de Couperin (1914-17, orch.1919)
Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911, orch.1912)
Rapsodie Espagnole (1907)
Un barque sur l’océan (1904-05, orch.1906)
Pavane pour un enfant défunte (1899, orch.1910)
Aarhus Symphony Orchestra/Marc Soustrot
rec. 22-26 May 2023, Symphonic Hall, Aarhus, Denmark
Danacord DACOCD 982

Alan Rawsthorne: Street Corner Overture for orchestra (1944)

In Music Survey (Volume 2, No 3 Winter 1950, p. 192), Donald Mitchell briefly reviews the miniature score of Alan Rawsthorne's Street Corner: Overture for orchestra. Ambivalently, he wrote that “I heard this work twice in one day at the recent Cheltenham Festival (rehearsal and performance) and discovered that once was enough. But that doesn't mean that it is not an extremely effective overture and bright enough to begin many a festival of contemporary British music.”

He was being a bit disingenuous. Overall, the piece is “light-hearted [and] tuneful” but written in a style “entirely characteristic of the mature Rawsthorne.” (Hugo Cole, liner notes, SRCD.255). Yet, Cole adds that “it is ‘tuneful’ rather than full of tunes – for no one ever whistled at street corners the main theme which emerges almost directly after the first lively flourish for full orchestra…” Even a casual hearing will spot the genial mood and may also note the “slight Elgarian flavour,” (Daily Telegraph, 24 February 1945, p.5) that well captures what the composer described as “the atmosphere of noise and hurry” of a “Saturday night at the cross-roads of a busy industrial town.”  (cited, liner notes Dutton Epoch, CDLX 7203)  

The Overture was composed during 1944 at the behest of English classical music record producer William Legge for use at ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association) concerts, entertaining war workers and the military. At the time, Rawsthorne was concentrating on radio play scores. These include Sitting on the Fence, He Had a Date and The Happy Hypocrite.

A programme note, devised by Harold Rutland, for a 1968 performance of the Overture explains: “After a series of scurrying semiquavers and a pause, woodwind instruments indulge in a kind of limbering-up process before the main theme is presented by a solo oboe. This theme, highly characteristic of Rawsthorne in its shape and style, has an attractive nonchalance and wit; it is soon taken up by other instruments and eventually by the full orchestra. No little ingenuity is shown in the music that follows, though the theme is rarely lost sight of; before long it is heard in augmentation and in canon. Certain of the episodes seemed to hint at conviviality as well as at rather more shady goings-on at the street corner. But the general bustle returns and leads to a vigorous conclusion.”

There is dubiety about the date and location of the Overture’s actual premiere. Both John Dressler (2004, p.63) and McCabe (1999, p.97, p.292) insist that it was at Leamington Spa. Dressler states that it was given there on the 23 September 1945. This conflicts with two newspaper reviews (Times and Telegraph, see below) which record that the concert on that day was in London. However, the Coventry Evening Telegraph (23 August 1944, p.5) mentions that “The Hallé Orchestra opened what should have been a full week’s engagement in the Jephson Gardens Pavilion, Leamington last night. Unfortunately, [some] instruments went astray…” resulting in the cancellation of Monday night’s performance. The paper then reports that “The conductor last night was Constant Lambert, and the first item was a premiere of Alan Rawsthorne's Overture: Street Corner.” So, the premiere was given nearly a year earlier on 22 August 1944. The main work that night was Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony.

The Overture was given its London premiere during a concert at the Cambridge Theatre, as noted above, on 23 September 1945. The New London Orchestra was conducted by Constant Lambert. Concertgoers also heard the first performance of Lambert’s Aubade Héroique.

An anonymous critic (possibly Frank Howes) in The Times (24 September 1945, p.6) was impressed by Rawsthorne’s Overture: “[It] was one of those commissioned by ENSA to give a bright start to orchestral programmes. It is ingenious in its way of catching up short snatches of tune and uniting them by means of a broader, yet nevertheless lively, tune, and so accomplishing what it sets out to do with the distinction one associates with this composer's music. Lambert's Aubade vividly depicts the conjunction of summer weather and ill omen that marked 1940; it captures the fleeting moment, and the passing mood and imprisons them by recollection in tranquillity in music of great and permanent beauty.”

Other works heard at this long concert included Sibelius's Symphony No.2, Mozart’s “Prague” Symphony, and Manuel de Falla's Nights in the Gardens of Spain, with Miss Harriet Cohen as solo pianist.

The Daily Telegraph (24 September 1945, p.5) critic, Ferruccio Bonavia, enjoyed this “genial” overture, which balances “happy episodes” with the “general noise and hurry” of the street corner.

John McCabe (1999, p.97f) writes that the Overture is “cheerful and optimistic, music to chase away the gloom and despair (or any other cause of depression), and it lifts the spirits brilliantly.” Rawsthorne confirmed that it “was specially composed and used by a nation at war as a means…of helping to defeat the enemy. I do not mean that the overture itself is particularly lethal, nor that it was used as Joshua used his trumpets in his assault on Jericho.”  (From an unreferenced manuscript held in the RNCM archive, cited McCabe, op.cit.)

Other remarks made by McCabe include mention of Rawsthorne’s use of “a habanera rhythm [which] adds an extra touch of colour to the proceedings.” He considers that the constructive principle of the overture “sounds like a fairly conventional sonata form allegro, [but] as so often with Rawsthorne it does not behave like one.” Is it more akin to a scherzo and trio? Or a rondo?

Listening to this overture in 2024, all one can really say is that it stands as a cohesive piece, capturing the essence of one aspect of urban life during wartime and evoking vivid imagery through its orchestration and thematic development.

The London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Sir John Pritchard, can be heard on YouTube, here.

Bibliography
Dressler, John C. Alan Rawsthorne: A Bio-Bibliography (Westport, Connecticut, Praeger Publishers, 2004)
McCabe, John, Alan Rawsthorne: Portrait of a composer (Oxford University Press, 1999)
Poulton, Alan, ed, Alan Rawsthorne, Essays on the Music (Hindhead, Bravura Publications 1986)

Select Discography
Rawsthorne, Alan, Street Corner Overture with Piano Concertos 1 & 2 and Symphonic Studies, London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir John Pritchard Lyrita, SRCD.255 (2007) (original LP release, SRCS.95) (1980)
Rawsthorne, Alan, Street Corner Overture with Madame Chrysanthème, Practical Cats, Coronation Overture, Theme, Variations and Finale and Medieval Diptych, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/David Lloyd-Jones Dutton Epoch CDLX 7203 (2008)
Rawsthorne, Alan, Street Corner Overture with Madame Chrysanthème: Ballet Suite, with music conducted by Arnold, Bliss, Addison and Arnell, Alan Rawsthorne/Pro Arte Orchestra Emi British Composers CDM 764718-2 (1993) (original LP release: Pye Golden Guinea GGC 4048) (1966)

E.J. Moeran: Overture for a Masque (1944)

It is possible to underestimate Moeran’s Overture for a Masque, quite simply because it is populist in its impact. Yet, it must be recalled that this work was written as a commission by recording executive, Walter Legge for performance at ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association) concerts as was Alan Rawsthorne’s Street Corner Overture and Arnold Bax’s Work in Progress. Moeran’s example was designed to entertain, rather than present any major ground-breaking personal statement or confession.

Moeran wrote his Overture during 1944, beginning on New Year’s Day. He was staying at this time at his parent’s house, Gravel Hill Villa, Kington, Herefordshire. Andrew Burn (Liner Notes Chandos, CHAN8577) notes that he enjoyed walks along Hergest Ridge and felt that “some measure of that delight is surely encapsulated here.” Other music produced around this time includes Six Poems by Seumas O’Sullivan written for the Irish soprano, Violet Burns. And then there were the early sketches for his Cello Concerto, which would be dedicated to his then fiancé, Peers Coetmore. One other task he had at this time was to produce his Red Army Fanfare for an event at the Royal Albert Hall in honour of the Russian Forces.

Roderick McNeill (1982, p.241) explains that at first Moeran lacked enthusiasm to compose this overture. In a letter to Peers (12 January 1944) he intimated that “…I am full of energy as regards keeping at work but, honestly, I wish the overture were finished with and I were [sic] on to something else. It is a commissioned work, as you know, and it is not my top notch; the fact is I am doing it as a duty engendered by the war, and working to a timetable I am not able to follow up my normal method of extreme self-criticism…”

However, needs must, and by 20 February 1944 he was copying out the full score. In another letter to Peers, he stated “… I think it turns out to be quite a good little work, what you might call athletic in style.” He felt that he was “going to make it really snappy and exciting for the troops.” (Letter to Peers Coetmore, 4 January 1944, cited Self, 1986, p.165).

Ian Maxwell (2021, p.248) explains that “As a short cut to get the composition of the overture completed to schedule and perhaps in some desperation, Moeran once again resorted to self-plagiarism. The music of the overture includes sections that were lifted and adapted from earlier pieces, including the First and Second Rhapsodies and two of the songs in the choral suite Phyllida and Corydon.”

Formally, this work is episodic in design, and is more of a ‘pageant’ than a ‘masque.’ Geoffrey Self (1986, p.166) suggests that “the music is nearest in structure to Moeran’s favourite form - rondo.” The composer never indicated any ‘programme’ behind the ‘masque’ title. Moeran presents the listener with lots of brass fanfares, rhythmical excitement, good tunes, and vivid syncopations. Frank Howes (Liner notes, Lyrita SRCD.247) has explained that a “four semiquaver la-la-la-la figure…pops up all over the orchestra but is also the foundation of much of the string writing as almost to create the effect of a perpetuum mobile...” This sense of motion is interrupted by the “lilting” episode in the middle of the overture. There is a deeper element here: Moeran manages to create an occasional nod towards the misty far Western shores of Eire.

The first performance of Moeran’s Overture for a Masque was given on Wednesday 5 April 1944 at the second ENSA symphony concert for war workers at the Victoria Hall, Hanley in the Potteries. Basil Cameron conducted the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert was a little obscure with the rare Symphony No.32 in G, K.318 by Mozart, a transcription from a Mozart quartet movement and the Konzertstück in F minor op.79 for piano and orchestra by Carl Maria von Weber. The soloist was Phyllis Sellick. The concert concluded with Beethoven’s Symphony No.8 in F major, op.93. The Staffordshire Sentinel critic, G.T., (6 April 1944, p.3) thought that Mr. Cameron's conducting had “both Vitality and fine musicianship, and the playing of the Orchestra - in particular of the strings, who had much to do was of first-rate quality throughout. To all the music, unfamiliar as most of it was, the audience smaller than at the first ENSA concert here listened with the closest attention.” As for Moeran’s Overture, he felt that it was “full of pomp and bustle, brilliantly scored, and with a pleasant pastoral interlude, [giving] an impressive start to the concert.”

The following night, Thursday, 6 April 1944, a similar programme was given at the Birmingham Town Hall. Eric Blom, reviewing the concert for the Birmingham Daily Post (8 April 1944, p.2), in a long introduction explained that this was “the first orchestral concert for war workers [here] was a great success. Even at a shilling (about £1.80 at 2024 prices) a head, it was a great achievement to fill every seat in so large a building with people most of whom have not so far cultivated the concert-going habit. That many of them will do so in the future seemed indicated by the tense attention with which the listeners followed and the keen appreciation with which they rewarded the performances.”

Furthermore, the “programme that very properly made no concessions at all to the popular taste of the day, which shows alarming signs of favouring no music that has not been made into ballet or used as a ‘plug’ for a film. It even included - concert promoters please note! - a rather forbidding novelty, E. J. Moeran’s bleak but bracing Overture for a Masque.”

W.R. Anderson, (Musical Times, January 1945, p.19) evaluating the first broadcast performance of the Overture on 28 November 1944, noted that “…I heard it on a bad wavelength. British music, as I have some ten thousand times remarked, is rarely happy when bustling: self-consciousness supervenes in the composer, and unconsciousness, in the shape of healing slumber, in me. But this is a nicely varied piece, with some attractive wood-notes wild, piquant orchestral effects and diatonic clashery…”

This was at a concert given by the BBC Northern Orchestra, conducted by Charles Groves. Other music included Edward Elgar’s Imperial March, Saint-Saens’s Piano Concerto No.2, the slow movement from Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No.4 and Verdi’s Overture: Sicilian Vespers. The solo pianist was Marjorie Blackburn.

The score was published by Joseph Williams in 1949 and was dedicated to Walter Legge. A review in the Royal College of Music Magazine (Volume 46, No.2, June 1950, p.69f) reminded the reader that “This work was composed in 1944 for E.N.S.A. and was performed a good deal to the troops. It is well scored for full orchestra and has all the essentials of a good overture, rhythmic vitality, and contrast, with sonorous themes for horns and exciting fanfares for brass. The composer has assimilated the folk-tune element for which he has a predilection so that it is a completely unself-conscious part of his style. There are one or two faint reminiscences of Gilbert and Sullivan, but the total impression is of a vigorous, easily comprehensible, and really musical curtain-raiser.”

The Ulster Orchestra/Vernon Handley recording of Moeran's Overture for a Masque can be heard on YouTube, here.

Bibliography
Maxwell, Ian, Ernest John Moeran: His Life and Music, The Boydell Press, Woodbridge (2021).
McNeill, R. J., A critical study of the life and works of E. J. Moeran. PhD thesis (1982).
Self, Geoffrey, The Music of E.J. Moeran, Toccata Press, London (1986).

Discography
Moeran, E.J., Overture for a Masque, with Symphony in G minor, Sinfonietta, London Philharmonic Orchestra/Adrian Boult, LYRITA SRCD.247 (1997) (original LP release: LYRITA SRCS.43) (1970)
Moeran, E.J., Overture for a Masque with Symphony in G minor and Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra/Vernon Handley, CHANDOS CLASSICS 10169 (2004) (original CD release: CHANDOS CHAN 8577) (1988)
Moeran, E.J., Overture for a Masque with Rhapsodies Nos. 1, 2 and 3 and In the Mountain Country, Ulster Orchestra/JoAnn Falletta, NAXOS 8.573106 (2014)

Arnold Bax’s Work in Progress: Overture for orchestra (1944)

Arnold Bax scholar, the late Graham Parlett, gives a great overview of the Work in Progress: Overture for orchestra in the final edition of the Bax Society Bulletin (January 1973, p.39). He explains that “Bax’s last overture…dates from 1943. The curious title derives from it having been commissioned by ENSA for one of their concerts intended to inspire the war workers, though in fact it sounds more like a “Bank Holiday Overture” and was referred to by the composer as “jeu d’esprit.” To those familiar with Bax’s music the work offers no surprises but, as always, the orchestration is colourful, the themes attractive and their treatment satisfying.”

The Overture was completed during November 1943, whilst the composer was residing at the White Horse Hotel, Storrington, Sussex. It was dedicated to Walter Legge (1906-79) who had commissioned it, along with overtures by Alan Rawsthorne and E.J. Moeran.

Other pieces being written by Arnold Bax at this time included the Legend-Sonata for cello and piano, and Salute to Sydney for brass and percussion. His next major orchestral composition would be A Legend for orchestra, which was finished during May 1944.

Structurally, the Overture is presented in “textbook sonata form.” Parlett (Liner Notes Lyrita SRCD 296, 2007) writes that the “opening is all bustle and feverish activity, with a forceful, contrasting idea on trumpets and trombones reflecting the strong Russian influence on Bax’s music.” The satirical reference to Haydn’s Emperor Hymn, Deutschland über Alles is noted. One wonders how many of the original concertgoers identified this allusion. This conceit is followed by a “lyrical melody on clarinet,” a “vigorous development of material” and “a modified recapitulation” before concluding with a “jubilant” coda. The Overture lasts for just over eight minutes.

Due to wartime restrictions, the location of the premiere was not detailed, save as being at a ‘New hall at a big factory in the London Suburbs,’ on the 24 February 1944. George Weldon conducted the London Symphony Orchestra (L.S.O.).

A report in the London edition of the Daily News (25 February 1944, p.3) discussed this premiere. The critic, Scott Goddard, considered that “It is capable and workmanlike music, though neither particularly diverting nor arresting from the hearer's point of view. It appears that the overture was deliberately designed to provide the type of opening to a concert which would whet the audience's appetite for more. Of that standard it falls appreciably short. The performance probably was not of the best, and it may be that a second hearing will prove the work to have more in it if than at first appears.”

The Musical Times (March 1944, p.90) reported in detail on the event: “On February 24 we were given an opportunity to see the ENSA service in action. The L.S.O. was giving a concert in the fine new hall at a big factory in the London suburbs. By special invitation, and transport, the press was present, the particular cause being the first performance of Arnold Bax's Overture Work in Progress.” The reviewer continued, “To diverge into music criticism, it is doubtful whether Bax's piece can be written down a winner, for all its willingness to break into tune and go lively. Bax will wander off into Baxianisms that are neither ‘work’ nor ‘progress.’ The Overture is real music from all points of view but that for which it was intended. However, the concert was a good one and brought forth some well-rehearsed and delicate playing by the L.S.O. under George Weldon. Unfortunately, another kind of work in progress discouraged attendance at a concert that began half-an-hour after black-out. But we were told that a three-quarter-filled hall was quite exceptional. The general rule is standing room only.”

Other performances of Bax’s Overture were advertised by the Liverpool Evening Express (11 February 1944, p.3) at Burnley on 20 March, and at Stafford. This was the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by George Weldon.

Lewis Foreman, (2007, p.369) suggests that Work in Progress “sounds perilously close to Eric Coates in style…” Despite “its extended passages of bracing, brassy allegro, it is a successful piece, and, although plumbing no depths, it is entertaining.”

Although this is not Bax at his most profound, neither can it be classified as ‘light’ music. Certainly, it is both ‘cheerful’ and ‘extrovert,’ especially in the final passage. It could be regarded as him “letting his hair down.”

Arnold Bax’s Work in Progress: Overture for orchestra, can be heard on YouTube, here. It is heard in the Handley/RPO version.

Bibliography
Foreman, Lewis, Bax: A Composer and his Times (The Boydell Press, Woodbridge, 1983, 1987, 2007)
Parlett, Graham, A Catalogue of the Works of Sir Arnold Bax (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1999)

Discography
Bax, Arnold, Work in Progress, with Symphony No.6, Rogue’s Comedy Overture, Overture to Adventure, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Vernon Handley. Lyrita CD: SRCD 296, 2007.

Three Overtures for E.N.S.A. – Bax, Moeran, and Rawsthorne

The Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) was established in 1939 by Basil Dean and Leslie Henson to provide entertainment for British military personnel and war workers during World War II. Operating as part of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes, ENSA organized concerts, variety shows, and performances across military bases and factories. Notable entertainers included Adelaide Hall, The Western Brothers, and Mantovani, who all participated in ENSA’s earliest concerts. Despite challenges due to its vast coverage area, ENSA played a crucial role in boosting morale during wartime. Some ENSA members, like actors Terry Thomas, Tommy Cooper, Joyce Grenfell, and Kenneth Connor, went on to successful entertainment careers.

Walter Legge (1906-79), an influential recording executive, writing in an extensive article for the Hinrichsen's Year Book 1944 (p.175) described ENSA’s achievement in presenting classical music to civilian workers and the forces. He explained that “I have found that in building programmes for these concerts much of the success of the whole evening depends on the choice of the first work; These audiences like first of all, to hear the maximum splendour and brilliance of the orchestral sound. The best pieces we have yet found are [Berlioz’s] Carnaval Romain, [his] Hungarian March from the Damnation of Faust, [Wagner’s] Meistersinger Overture, [Borodin’s] Prince Igor Overture and Chabrier’s España. British music is unfortunately poor in works of this type. Elgar’s Cockaigne Overture and Ireland's London Overture are both rather long for the purpose and Elgar's adherence to Sonata form in his Overture perplexes the direct-minded audiences even more than it pleases those with an academic approach.”

To remedy this, he explained “so that these concerts may begin with British works I have invited Sir Arnold Bax, Arthur Bliss, E. J. Moeran, Alan Rawsthorne and [Ralph] Vaughan Williams to write works of anything from six to nine minutes in length, particularly designed to open these concerts. The Bax work called Work in Progress is already complete and will have its first performance in February [1944]. The Bliss and Moeran works are well on the way and have their first performances in the same month. ENSA is not only building audiences of the future - it is helping to add to the repertoire of British music.”

Sadly, only Moeran's Overture for a Masque, Rawsthorne's Street Corner and Bax’s Work in Progress were finished. Subsequent posts will investigate these three works.

Arnold Bax’s “Programme Notes” for The Garden of Fand (1916)

The Garden of Fand is an orchestral tone poem composed by Arnold Bax. It was completed in 1916. Inspired by Irish mythology, it evokes the enchanted island belonging to Fand, daughter of the lord of the ocean, Manannan. Although not directly depicting the mythical tale, the work captures the essence of Fand’s realm.

Lewis Foreman, in the sleeve for the Lyrita recording (SRCD.231) of Fand, wrote that: “The Atlantic was long source of inspiration to Bax. As soon as he had left the Royal Academy of Music, he “spent more and more time alone in places lorded by the Atlantic.” In Fand, the rise and fall of the waves, the undertow and the associated legends are realised in delicate patterns of figuration on wind and strings. Two harps divided strings [and] celesta are all employed to create an ever-changing iridescent musical fabric. This kaleidoscope of shifting colours is no mere unthinking wash of sound but is of formal importance in the work in a quite pictorial way. The blocks of colour are calculated to balance and contrast the musical ideas which follow the programme unusually closely for Bax.”

The work was premiered by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on 29 October 1920 under Frederick Stock. It was first heard in Britian on 11 December 1920 at the Kingsway Hall. Adrian Boult conducted the British Symphony Orchestra.

The score of Bax’s The Garden of Fand was published in 1922 by Murdoch, Murdoch, and Co. It is prefaced by the following explanatory note:

“The Garden of Fand is the sea. The ancient Saga called ‘The sick-bed of Cuchulain’ [1] tells how that hero (the Achilles of the Gael) was lured away from the world of deeds and battles by the Lady Fand, daughter of Manannan, lord of the ocean; and how in the time of his country's direst need he forgot all but the enchantments of an immortal woman.The tale goes on to relate that Cuchulain's wife, Emer, pursued him to that wonderland and pleaded with the goddess for her husband's return. Then, with one of those touches of modern romanticism which are continually occurring in the Irish pagan tales, the Saga ends with Fand's pitying renunciation of her human love, and we read that Manannan shook his ‘Cloak of Forgetfulness’ between Cuchulain and Fand, that the memory of each might be utterly blotted out from the mind of the other.

This tone-poem has no special relation to the events of the above legend. In the earlier portion of the work the composer seeks to create the atmosphere of an enchanted Atlantic completely calm beneath the spell of the Other World. Upon its surface floats a small ship adventuring towards the sunset from the shores of Eirinn, as St. Brendan [2] and the sons of O'Corra [3] are said to have sailed in later times. The little craft is borne on beneath a sky of pearl and amethyst until on the crest of an immense slowly surging wave it is tossed on to the shore of Fand's miraculous island. Here is unhuman revelry unceasing between the ends of time, and the voyagers are caught away, unresisting, into the maze of the dance. A pause comes, and Fand sings her song of immortal love enchaining the hearts of her hearers for ever. The dancing and feasting begin again and finally, the sea rising suddenly overwhelms the whole island the immortals riding in rapture on the green and golden waves and laughing carelessly amidst the foam at the fate of the over-rash mortals lost in the depths. Twilight falls, the sea subsides, and Fand's garden fades out of sight.”

A splendid performance of the work can be heard on YouTube, here.  Sir Adrian Boult conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Notes

[1] Cú Chulainn, an iconic figure in Irish mythology, is a warrior hero and demigod. Believed to be an incarnation of the Irish god Lugh, he defended Ulster against Queen Medb’s armies. His fierce combat spirit and exceptional martial skills have become legendary.

[2] St. Brendan, also known as Brendan of Clonfert, was an Irish Christian saint born around 484 A.D. in County Kerry. Renowned for his audacious seafaring and exploratory spirit, he set sail on a fabled journey in pursuit of the mythical ‘Promised Land of the Saints.’” His journey, filled with fantastical elements, included encounters with sea creatures, floating pillars, and lush paradises. 

[3] The Voyage of the Uí Chorra (O’Corra) is an ancient Irish voyage tale. It unfolds as three sons of Connall ua Corra, having made a pact with the Devil, set forth on a penitential ocean voyage, encountering symbolic adventures and eventually finding their home on the Iberian Peninsula.