Isles of Scilly U3A Music Appreciation Group
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Isles of Scilly U3A Music Appreciation Group Serenades and Lullabies Porth Hellick House, 27 June 2019, 10 am. W.A. Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Mike) Wolfgang Mozart (1756-1791) was born in Salzburg, Austria. Precociously competent at the keyboard and violin, he composed from the age of 5 and performed before European royalty. He left his birthplace in 1781 for Vienna, where he remained for the rest of his short life. He composed over 600 works in virtually all musical genres. J. Offenbach: Barcarolle - Nuit d’amour’ (Alba) Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) was born in Cologne, the son of a synagogue cantor. He showed early musical talent and studied briefly at the Paris Conservatoire. He then earned his living mainly as a cellist and conductor. He is best known for his operettas, of which he wrote 100, the most well-known being The Tales of Hoffman, La Belle Helene and La Vie Parisienne. Most of his working life was spent in France and he became a French citizen. W.A. Mozart: Serenade for wind instruments (Brian). B. Godard: Berceuse from Jocelyn Suite 2 (Susie) Benjamin Godard (1849-1895), born in France, was a violinist and composer. The opera Jocelyn was his most famous work. E. Elgar: Serenade in E minor, 2nd mvt (Janet) Edward Elgar (1857-1934) was born near Worcester. His father had a music shop and gave Edward early tuition, so that he soon became proficient in piano and violin. His Roman Catholic faith influenced much of his music. Although regarded as a ‘typically English’ composer, his influences were in fact mainly continental European. His output was wide ranging – symphonies, choral music and concertos. He was the first composer to take gramophone recording seriously. R.Schumann: Widmung (Dedication) (Mike) Robert Schumann (1810-1856) was born in Zwickau, Saxony, now North Germany. He showed musical talent from age 7 and composed exclusively for piano until 1840. The followed a wide range of chamber music, symphonies, concertos and songs. He was also a well known and accomplished writer about music. Robert married Clara Wiek, who was herself a talented composer and pianist. From 1833 Robert suffered severe mental health, attempted suicide and died in a mental asylum. ‘Widmung’ is essentially a serenade to a lover. C. Debussy: Clair de lune (Alba) Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was born in a suburb of Paris. He is often regarded as the first ‘impressionist’ composer. At age 10, he was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire and became much regarded as a pianist. While he wrote a great deal for the piano, he also composed a wide range of orchestral music and one opera – Peleas et Melisande. Although ‘Clair de Lune’ was originally composed for the piano, this orchestrated form is also popular. R. Binge: Elizabethan Serenade (Brian) Ronald Binge (1910-1979) was born in Derby and started his musical career as a cinema organist. He was a composer and arranger of a wide variety of light musical pieces including this serenade and Sailing By. W. Byrd: Lullaby, my sweet baby (Susie) William Byrd (ca. 1542-1623) was born in London. Little seems to be known of his early life but he was probably a pupil of Thomas Tallis. He was a prolific composer of both secular and sacred music. The latter was originally for Anglican services but he later became a Roman Catholic and wrote for the Catholic church. F. Mendelssohn: Nocturne from Midsummer Night’s Dream (Janet) Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was born in Hamburg to a prominent and wealthy Jewish family but at age 7 was baptized as a Reform Christian. He possessed precocious early musical talent, rivalling that of Mozart and composed a wide range of music - symphonies, concertos, piano and other chamber music. As well as composing, he was much in demand as a conductor and was instrumental in reviving the works of J.S. Bach, which had been surprisingly neglected. J. Brahms: Cradle song (Mike) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was born in Hamburg (quite a city for composer births!) but spent most of his professional life in Vienna. Taught by his musician father, Johannes soon became proficient in violin and cello but the piano was his first love and he made his concert debut at age 10. He gained fame as a solo pianist, composer and conductor. He was very self-critical and, feeling ‘the shadow’ of Beethoven behind him, did not compose his first symphony until quite late. He left a wide range of compositions in most genres except opera. L. Osborne: Lullaby for Penelope (Brian) Leslie Osborne (1905-1990) was an English composer of light music, including themes for television and radio programmes. As well as this lullaby, he wrote music for East Enders, The Secret War, Cold Warrior and Howard’s Way. E. Grieg: Cradle song from ‘Lyric pieces’ (Susie) Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) was born in Bergen, Norway. The family had originated in Scotland. Edvard’s mother was a music teacher and taught her son the piano at age 6. He studied at the Leipsig Conservatoire. However, all his life was blighted by ill health which affected his output. Nevertheless he made a good career as a pianist and composer of a wide range of delightful piano and orchestral music. P. Warlock: Cradle song (Mike) Warlock (1894-1930) was born Philip Heseltine in London. His pseudonym ‘Warlock’ reflects his interest in the occult and he used it in all his published musical works. While at Eton School, he met Frederick Delius, who became a strong influence. Peter Warlock is best known for his songs, often based on early folk music, but was also known for his unconventional lifestyle. His critical writings contributed to the scholarship of early music and were all published under the name of Heseltine. H. Blake: Archangel’s lullaby (Susie) Howard Blake (1938- ), born in London, is a composer, conductor and pianist, who has produced more than 650 works, including concertos, oratorios, ballets and operas. The most well-know is probably the sound-track for the file The Snowman, which includes the song Walking in the air. P. Warlock: I saw a fair maiden (Mike) R. Quilter: Slumber song (Susie) Roger Quilter (1877-1953), born in Hove, was a composer particularly known for his songs and light music for orchestra, such as his Children’s Overture. L. Beethoven: Adelaide (Mike) Ludvig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was born in Bonn, now in western Germany. He was a composer and brilliant pianist and was crucial in the transformation from the ‘classical’ to ‘romantic’ styles of music. He is without question one of the greatest composers of all time, having produced a wide range of symphonies, piano and other chamber music (especially ground-breaking string quartets), concertos, choral music both sacred and secular, songs and one opera – Fidelio. All this was achieved despite the onset of severe deafness from the early 1800s. Most of his working life was spent in Vienna. Adelaide, a serenade for an unknown lady, was one of his relatively few solo songs. All eleven members were present. The next session will be on Thursday 25th July. Topic and venue: Members’ choice discs – The Boathouse. .