SOME THOUGHTS ON YORK BOWEN
Any music lover, familiar with Paganini's 24 Caprices and York Bowen's 24
Preludes in all the major and minor keys, may have noticed the similarity
between Paganini's 17th Caprice in E flat major and Bowen's 10th Prelude
in E minor. Furthermore, one would have noticed that both these sets of pieces
reflect the mastery of the composers' understanding of the potential of his
instrument, both technically and musically.
There, perhaps, the similarity ends. Paganini's caprices have been available
in print, and known to violinists, for nearly two hundred years, whereas
Bowen's preludes have been around for only half a century - most of the time
out of print, and only known to a few pianists, either those in the legacy
of Bowen's teaching, or those dedicated seekers of elusive musical gems.
York Bowen, himself, recorded some of his piano music for Lyrita which must
have rekindled a flame of interest in those musicians who might have heard
the recording. More recently, in 1994, Marie-Catherine Girod recorded all
the Op. 102 Preludes, together with other piano pieces, on a CD, at the
instigation of the French musicologist, Michel Fleury but the biggest impact
on the listening public has been Stephen Hough's recording, for Hyperion,
of a number of preludes and other piano works, notably the 5th Sonata in
F minor of Bowen's all of which Hough brings to life with a marvellous display
of technical mastery and musical sensitivity.
Returning to similarities: York Bowen is sometimes referred to as the English
Rachmaninov. I, personally, find it hard to wholly embrace this opinion.
To me, Bowen's music is as comparable to Rachmaninov's as Britain is to Russia.
No doubt some similarities can be found in the two countries as they can
be in the two composers' solo piano compositions; and true enough, the piano
works of both these prodigious pianists share the romantic idiom and benefit
from the experience of their technical excellence: also being contemporaries
they were living with similar musical experiences and influences, so a common
denominator is more apparent than were we to compare the piano music of either
composer with that of Debussy or Albeniz.
Now to differentiate. Although Bowen wrote many orchestral works including
four symphonies - the fourth being lost - they lack the melodic sweep and
colourful orchestration of Rachmaninov's. Bowen's third symphony is a pleasant
work which received several performances when it was written, but has since
been shelved. Generally speaking, Bowen's orchestral works are not his forte,
even though his writing for orchestral instruments is grateful and thoroughly
understood - he played most of them quite well, more especially the viola
and the French horn, and his concertos and chamber works involving these
instruments are more inspired. Of the four piano concertos the first three
were written at the turn of the last century - youthful works with some splendid
pianistic flurries, but heavily influenced by the popular concertos of the
time, all of which Bowen performed - Chopin, Schumann, Liszt, Brahms, and
particularly Grieg. The fourth is a later work which deserves to be in the
repertoire of British piano concertos and be available on a compact disc.
I would rank it with Holbrooke's and John Ireland's, but its merits are very
different to the magnetism of Rachmaninov's.
It is Bowen's solo piano music that lifts him to the position of a grand
master, and I believe that many of his inspired ideas were engendered by
his inspirational skills, probably on a par with those of Balakirev. Reflect!
You can't physically improvise with an orchestra, ruling out what I have
heard under Stockhausen's direction. Orchestral colouring needs to be heard
in the head as no doubt it was to inspire the perfect orchestrations of Mozart
and the exciting instrumental blends of Berlioz, Britten, Stravinsky and
countless others.
So, though I may seem to have belittled some of Bowen's compositions by
comparisons and excuses, for youthful endeavour when he was searching for
his voice, let me now make up for this lack of enthusiasm by enlarging on
his outstanding achievements, mainly in the realm of compositions for piano
solo, two pianos, piano duets and other duos involving an equal piano part.
In this respect I would class Bowen as the English Chopin - a composer with
whom Bowen was a kindred spirit. Born on the 22nd of February, which at that
time was thought to have been the date of Chopin's birthday in 1810. Bowen
chose to write ballads, studies, a polonaise, scherzos, and, as already
mentioned, a set of preludes in all the major and minor keys. Bowen follows
Bach's arrangement of keys, going, chromatically, from C major up to B minor,
whereas Chopin's preludes go through the cycle of keys from C major to D
minor, an arrangement also used by Shostakovich. Bowen's published piano
works start from opus l, Spare Moments, and end with his 6th Piano sonata,
opus 160, recently published by Weinberger as Sonata in B flat minor. In
all there are well over seventy single items and volumes of piano solos composed
steadily throughout his life together with three wonderfully satisfying sets
of piano duets and a wealth of music for two pianos. Add to these some excellent
works for piano with a wind or string instrument, plus three piano trios,
one of which has been lost, and we have a treasure trove of works for today's
pianists. To aim for one volume which puts Bowen in a class of his own from
the last century, go for the 24 Preludes ,opus 102. These will stay fresh
however many times they are played - the ultimate test that lifts music into
another dimension.
Interesting works that don't involve the piano are the fantasy for bass clarinet
and string quartet, the quintet for horn and string quartet, the fantasy
for four violas, the string quartets numbers 2 and 3 and the concerto for
horn and string orchestra. Anyone wanting to know more about Bowen's personal
life should read Monica Watson's book 'YORK BOWEN - a centenary tribute'
published by Thames Publishing, but currently out of print. Ask for it through
a public library. It contains a catalogue of all Bowen's works.
© John Lindsay
enquiries to John Lindsay at Cairnbield, Gordon TD3 6JT
( 01573 410380.
YORK BOWEN - CHAMBER MUSIC
NEXT MAJOR BMS RECORDING
For its next in-house CD release, the
BMS is hoping to record in November
2001 three chamber works of YORK BOWEN:
-
Horn Quintet in C minor, Op. 84
-
String Quartet No. 2 in D minor, Op. 41 (Carnegie Award, 1922)
-
String Quartet No. 3 in G major
A minimum donation of £25 will ensure a free copy of the CD when released.
Should the project not go ahead, all monies will be refunded. Please send
donations to the BMS Treasurer, Stephen Trowell, 7 Tudor Gardens, Upminster,
Essex RM14 3DE (John Talbot, Recordings Manager) These are all first
recordings!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
AVAILABLE RECORDINGS
Oboe Sonata Unicorn CD9121 (Polmear and Ambache)
Clarinet Sonata BML 002 John Denman
Review
Flute Sonata ASV CDDCA862 (Ken Smith)
AmazonUK
Flute Sonata (Culliford and Saunders)
Miniature Suite for flute and Piano (Culliford and Saunders) LORELT LNT107
AmazonUK
Recorder Sonata (Adams and Rhodes) Upbeat Classics URDC150
AmazonUK
Cello Sonata BMS 423 CD (Cole and Talbot)
Review
Fantasia for Organ PRIORY PR CD 903 Marc Rochester
Suites for Piano Duet Opp 52 and 71 BMS 414 Cassette
BMS
Piano Duet Suite in 3 Movenents, Suite No 2,(Peter Lawson Alan MacLean) Campion
RRCD1353
AmazonUK
Piano Duets Opp. 52 and 96 OLYMPIA OCD 680 (Posner and Garvelmann)
Amazon
UK Review
(Note Op 52 is given the number 53. This because there are two Bowen compositions
with the opus number 52)
The Way to Polden FAND 101 Oliver Williams
Preludes Op 102, Nocturne Op 87; Berceuse Op 83 and Partita Op 156.
Marie-Catherine Giraud 3D CLASSICS 8012
Thirteen Preludes from Op. 102, Ballade No 2 Op 87, Berceuse Op 83, Sonata
No 5 in F minor Op 72, Moto Perpetuo from Op. 39, TOCCATA Op 155 and Two
Romances Op. 35 No 1 and Op 45 ? Stephen Hough on Hyperion CDA 66838
AmazonUK
Review
Preludes 8 and 10 Guy Jonson Libra MNU 9910
Review
PUBLISHERS
The following scores are available from Emerson Music - June Emerson - wind
music - Windmill Farm, Appleforth, N Yorks YO6 4HF
phone +44 (0)1439 788324
fax +44 (0)1439 788715
Sonata for flute and piano
Sonata for clarinet and pf
Sonata for recorder and pf
Sonata for Horn and pf
Sonata for oboe and pf
Sonata for 2 flutes
Miniature Suite for flute and pf
Soliloquy and Frolic for flute solo
Josef Weinberger
12-14 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JJ
phone +44 (0)20-7580 2827
Fax +44 (0)20-7436 9616
Works by York Bowen at Josef Weinberger
SOLO PIANO:
Evening Calm
Fantasia
Fragments from Hans Andersen - Suite for Piano - Part One Op. 58**
Fragments from Hans Andersen - Suite for Piano - Part Three Op. 61 **
Fragments from Hans Andersen - Suite for Piano - Part Two Op. 59@*
Reverie
Short Sonata
Sonata in B flat minor
Sonata in F minor
The Way to Polden
Three English Dances - Piano**
Three Valse Themes - Piano**
Three Sketches Op. 43 - Piano**
Three Miniatures Op. 44 - Piano**
Those Children! (Five Impressions) Op. 55 - Piano**
Toccata
Turnstiles
Twenty-four Preludes in all Major and Minor Keys
Two Intermezzi
Two Preludes
Variations and Fugue on an Unoriginal Theme for Piano / Op. 62*
Concerto No. 4 (in A minor) for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 88*
2 PIANOS:
Ballade*
Theme and Variations
VIOLA:
Concerto for viola and orchestra (piano reduction)
Melody for the G String for Violin (or Viola) and Piano / Op. 47**
Melody for the C String of the Viola with Piano Accompaniment / Op. 51**
Phantasy for viola and piano
Rhapsody for viola and piano
VIOLA D'AMORE:
Introduction and Allegro for Viola d'Amore and Piano (1961 )*
Nocturne and Caprice for Viola d'Amore and Piano / Op. 153*
Poem for Viola d'Amore and Piano (1957) *
CELLO
Rhapsody for Violoncello and Orchestra, Op. 74*
HORN
Two Preludes for horn and piano
ENSEMBLE:
Quintet for horn and string quartet in C Minor
Rhapsody Trio for Violin / Violoncello and Piano / Op. 80*
String Quartet Nr.3 in G Major*
Trio for Violin / Violoncello and Piano / Op. 118*
SCHOOL ORCHESTRA
Miniature Suite**
Wind Band:
The Hardy Tin Soldier Nr.1* 2.1 .5.asax.tsax./2.0.2btbn .0/2crt/euph/db
* in preparation
** originally Swan Publications
For information and perusal materials:
Promotion Department
Josef Weinberger Ltd
12-14 Mortimer Street
London W1T 3JJ
Tel: +44 (0)20 7927 7304
Fax: +44 (0)20 7436 9616
E-mail:
general.info@jwmail.co.uk
Sales enquiries:
William Elkin Music Services
Station Road Industrial Estate
Salhouse
Norwich NR13 6NY
Tel: +44 (0)1603 721 302
Fax: +44 (0)1603 721 801
E-mail:
richard@elkinmusic.co.uk
WORKLIST
BOWEN, Edwin York [Crouch End, London, 22.2.1884 - London, 1961]
Bowen was an English composer and pianist who studied at the RAM from 1898
to 1905. Later he was on the staff of the Academy. In 1926 he made a six
sided recording on 78 of Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4. This was for the
Vocalion Co with the Aeolian Orchestra.
Symphony: Symphony No. 1 in G major Op. 4 (1902); Symphony No. 2 in
E minor Op. 31 (1909, New SO/Landon Ronald, Queen's Hall, 1.2.1912); Symphony
No. 3 Op. 137 (1951 BBCNO/Maurice Miles); Symphony No. 4 in G major (score
lost);
Orchestra: Symphonic Poem, The Lament of Tasso Op. 5 (1902, Queen's
Hall Promenade Henry Wood , Aug 1903, Bournemouth, April 1907); Concert Overture
in G minor Op. 15 (Bournemouth, October 1904); Symphonic Fantasia in F major
Op. 16 (LSO, Queen's Hall); At The Play Op. 50; Suite Op. 57; Tone poem Eventide
Op. 69; Royal Air Force March Past for military band (1919); Festal Overture
in D major Op. 89; Pierrette, A Graceful Dance (1938); Fantasy Overture on
Tom Bowling Op. 115; Three Pieces for string orchestra with harp ad lib.
Symphonic Suite (1942); Two Characteristic Dances; Miniature Suite for School
Orchestra; Holiday Suite;
Concerto: Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat major Op. 11 (1903, Bowen/Sir
A. C. Mackenzie Dec 1903, Bournemouth, October 1904); Piano Concerto No.
2 in D minor 'Concertstück' Op. 17 (1905 Bournemouth, March 1909);
(Bournemouth, April 1907); Piano Concerto No. 3 'Fantasia' Op. 23 (1907
Bournemouth, April 1909); Viola Concerto in C minor Op. 25 (1907, Lionel
Tertis/RPS/Landon Ronald, 26.3.1908); Violin Concerto in E minor Op. 33 (Marjorie
Hayward/Bowen, Bournemouth, March 1923); Rhapsody in D major for cello and
orchestra Op. 74 (Beatrice Harrison/Hastings Festival April 1927); Piano
Concerto No. 4 in A minor Op. 88 (* Bowen/BBCSO/Boult 19.3.1937); Arabeske
for harp and small orchestra Op. (1949); Concerto for horn, strings and timpani
Op. 150 (* 1956 Dennis Brain/Welbeck Orchestra/Maurice Miles, 1.7.1956);
Sinfonietta Concertante for brass and orchestra (1957 BBCNO/George Hurst);
Jig for two pianos and orchestra;
Chamber: Phantasy Quartet for four violas (1907); Viola Sonata No.
1 in C minor (1909); Viola Sonata in F major (1911); Violin Sonata in E minor
Op. (1947); Cello Sonata Op. 64; Rhapsody Trio for violin cello and piano
Op. 80; Clarinet Sonata in F minor Op. (1943) ; Oboe Sonata Op. 85; Flute
Sonata Op. 120; Recorder Sonata Op. 121 (1948); Sonata for two flutes; Horn
Sonata in E flat major (1943); Rhapsody for viola and piano Op. 149 (1956);
Two Sketches for solo violin, The Clown. The Dragonfly (1961)
Piano: Two Pieces, Caprice and Nocturne Op. 106; Arabesque Op. 119;
Song without words, Song of the Stream
Two Pianos: Concert Waltz Op. 108; Suite Op. 111; Capriccio and Poem
Op. 129; Ballade Op. 157
