northwest sinfonietta music off the record the british are coming: celebrating the benjamin britten...
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Northwest SinfoniettaMusic off the Record
The British are Coming:Celebrating the Benjamin Britten Centenary
Dr. Ken Owen
Oliver CromwellHates music, dance, art etc.Hates ChristmasGreat traditionof church musicdestroyedPeople hate himSon takes over
◦Asks King to return
Cromwell & PurcellKing Charles II has Cromwells
body put on trial and hanged◦Don’t mess with the music!◦Henry 1 year old
Henry Purcell - Who’s your Daddy? ◦Henry or Thomas?
Orphaned Raised by Uncle who called him son.
HenryYoung Henry part of restored English tradition ◦boy choirs in Cathedrals.
Scholarship to Westminster school◦Voice changed later back then◦When voice changed stayed in Westminster “Keeper, maker, mender, repairer and
tuner of instruments.”
HenryScores his first bit hit at age 20 Writes Chacony the next year.Continued studies with John Blow
◦Blow resigns from position as head organist So Purcell can take the job
ChaconyChacony = chaconneDances important in Royal courtsDifferent dances from different
countries All danced in all Part of royal upbringing Chaconne from Spain
http://youtu.be/IND7W-JlqAMdotted rhythmsground “bass” – Purcell creativity
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)Child prodigyChildhood compositions
get attn. of Frank Bridge
◦Bridge didn’t take students◦Taught Britten to 17
BrittenRoyal College of Music
◦Not as good as Frank◦Graduates at 22
Job writing film scores◦Friends w/W. H. Auden “edgy” controversial Collaborated & music fit – audience
didn’t
BrittenAuden left for USA “where people
are more open minded”◦Britten followed
Homesick Britten reads British poetry – goes home
BrittenBegan to refine how to set
English to music◦On boat home wrote Hymn to St.
CeciliaHorn player asks for composition
– serenadePeter Grimes
SerenadeDenis Brain, horn player
◦Friends from film score days◦Serenade for Brain, Pears and string
orchestra
English poetry spanning 15th – 19th century
Serenade for Tenor Horn and StringsI – Prologue - solo horn, natural
harmonicsII - Pastoral - 17th century English poem
gentle descending arpeggios III - Nocturne (Tennyson) horn/ tenor
conversation “Blow bugle blow.”IV - Elegy (William Blake) pulsing chords,
harmonic climaxes, dissonant horn lines.V – Dirge – voice alone, then orchestra
contrastVI – Hymn – hunting horn, horn/tenor
conversationVII – Sonnet (Keats) ethereal and
melancholy VIII – Epilog – horn alone http://youtu.be/PQ0ITqRBaE0
Var. on FrankDuring film-score job (for the post
office)Commission from Boyd Neel
orchestra◦For Salzburg Festival
Bridge theme from “Idyll”◦String quartet
Each movement related to Bridge’s character http://youtu.be/4arvVMxRL_8I. Introduction Presents themeII. Adagio integrity, depthIII. March energyIV. Romance charmV. Aria Italiana wit, humourVI. Bourée Classique traditionVII. Wiener Waltzer enthusiasmVIII. Moto Perpetuo vitalityIX. Funeral March s ympathy or
understandingX. Chant reverenceXI. Fugue and Finale skill and affection
Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Dad was music store owner/piano
tuner/ town musicianNo formal training
◦Learned from Dad◦Few violin lessonsfrom a local
ElgarWorked in Worcester Various musical gigsTook over Dad’s job as church organistWorcester phill Glee clubTaught violinComposed
ElgarEnigma Variations established
OratoriosLeft England to relax
◦Wales – melody of Intro & Allegro
Dedicated to Yale professor
Introduction and allegroString quartet against large
group of stringsHandel’s concerto grosso?Frequent divisi in strings Lush English string writing
traditionhttp://youtu.be/Q7u89h7arlU