LindoroRossini's video: Symphonic hallmarks Ernest Farrar English Pastoral Impressions 1915 II Andante

≈ Painting ≈ "Summer twilight" by Thomas Cole. ≈ History ≈ References: Gramophone Reviews & Bernard Benoliel's booklet essay. The case of Ernest Farrar (1885-1918) naturally suggests itself for numerous "what if?" scenarios, considering how promising his early musical career and how senseless his untimely death seem. By 1905 the young musician, already an alumni of the Durham University, was awarded an open scholarship to the Royal College of Music. More honors followed: the 1906 Sullivan Prize, a 1907-1909 Grove Scholarship and in the years before the outbreak of WWI several posts as organist in Dresden, South Shields and High Harrogate. In December 1915 Farrar enlisted voluntarily in the Grenadier Guards, receiving a commission to the Third Battalion Devonshire Regiment in 1918 and leaving for France on 6 September of the same year. After just two days at the front he was killed on 18 September in the Battle of Epéhy Ronssoy, provoking shock among his colleagues (1). Farrar left behind about 40 works one of which - the enchanting English Pastoral Impressions Op. 26 - we will approach in the present posting. Written as a dedication to Ralph Vaughan Williams the piece was first performed by the Harrogate Orchestra in May 1915. (1): Most notably the young Gerald Finzi who received lessons in composition from Farrar and went on to write the moving 1924 Requiem da camera in memory of his teacher. ≈ Music ≈ It is difficult to assess whether or not Farrar would have grown into a composer of real importance in the modern musical landscape. As it is, his large-scale orchestral works display an unaffected sentimental style of composition somewhat reminiscent of Elgar (on a side note, both musicians possess a predisposition for tinkering with orchestral coloring) and an appealing, almost Griegian melodic language stemming from the folksong traditions of the British Isles. If we do not encounter among his oeuvres a piece which immediately lodges itself in our mind, this speaks of our familiarity with other composers of the period but not of the forgotten musician's own achievements. The presented Andante, the central movement of the Pastoral Impressions, is, perhaps, the best testament to Farrar's personal abilities. While undoubtedly old-fashioned in structure (a slightly shortened variation on the ABA form) and in effects (the evocative use of percussion notwithstanding), it is a perfectly balanced piece, recalling in its lyrical beauty the Enigma Variations. The movement begins elegiacally with a lone viola stating the main theme - a series of gently melancholic suspended sighs, almost suggesting a folksong. Soon the soloist is joined by the remaining string section, the music growing into an impassioned Romanza over the long lines of the clarinets (0:36). However, the soaring melody is cut short by the clarinets' move to several unaccompanied light cadential figures that effectively break the musical flow (0:52). The Romanza continues with the viola being replaced by the oboe (1:05), while the horn provides the secondary material and subsequently states another hushed ornamental descending line (1:26). The initial Romanza returns in a slightly higher variant (1:33). A short flute solo serves as an echo of the work's first movement (2:03), while the closing of the A section finds the main theme once again heard in the lower strings (2:15). There is no traditional melodic resolution to the Romanza which serves to underline the pensiveness of the movement (Benoliel suggests we view the piece as a miniature tone poem). The subsequent Piu mosso, slowly progressing through a horn-laden crescendo (2:49), subsequently explodes into a violent march (3:23) which, however, is kept brief and soon dissolves into suspended string lines over which a charming exchange of the principal theme between first violin/second violin/viola is heard (3:40), returning us to a lightly varied version of the Romanza which omits the repeat of the first stanza (4:10). The Andante elegantly concludes with another soft viola solo (5:47). ≈ Score ≈ Presently no complete set of sheet music for the presented piece can be found in open access. ≈ Recording ≈ The 1997 Chandos issue which is entirely dedicated to the premieres of several orchestral pieces by Farrar features ideally intimate playing by the Philharmonic Orchestra under the leadership of Alasdair Mitchell. Hope you'll enjoy =).