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Frank Bridge: Canzonetta Posted by John France on June 18, 2008, 2:39 pm 217.196.232.225 I have just discovered the lovely Canzonetta (H169) for small orchestra by Frank Bridge. It is the second of the ‘Two Entr’actes’ which were orchestrated in 1926. They derive from two early works for piano – the other being Rosemary. Somehow I have never really got around to listening to it – even although it has been in my CD/Record Collection for a while. I think it is an absolutely gorgeous miniature. I understand that the original piano piece was called “Happy South” and was composed in 1926 after Frank and Ethel Bridge’s happy holiday in the Med! I would be interested in hearing other listeners’ views on this tiny work. Link: The Land of Lost Content: British Music BLog  Post a Response

Re: Frank Bridge: Canzonetta Posted by Michael Cookson on June 18, 2008, 5:15 pm, in reply to "Frank Bridge: Canzonetta" 86.162.145.227 I agree that the Canzonetta is a splendid score. Frank Bridge could certainly write for strings outstandingly. Personally, I also greatly admire his Suite for Strings (especially the final movement); the Two Intermezzi from Threads; the two Old English Songs; Sir Roger de Coverley; the Allegro moderato and the Lament. The tradition of string writing from other Stanford pupils is well established; such as: Vaughan Williams; Herbert Howells; Holst et al.  Post a Response

Re: Frank Bridge: Canzonetta Posted by chris howell on June 19, 2008, 7:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Frank Bridge: Canzonetta" 213.215.159.59 "The tradition of string writing from other Stanford pupils is well established; such as: Vaughan Williams; Herbert Howells; Holst et al." No doubt - and yet Stanford himself wrote no works for string orchestra. The central section to the intermezzo in the 4th symphony is his only piece of sustained writing for strings alone as far as I know and it suggests he could have made an imaginative contribution if he wished. What he did teach his pupils was linearity and clarity of part-writing. Combine this with a love of Tudor polyphony, Purcell Fantasias and a spot of sheer genius and you get the "Tallis Fantasia". Chris Howell  Post a Response

Re: Frank Bridge: Canzonetta Posted by Michael Cookson on July 17, 2008, 7:03 pm, in reply to "Re: Frank Bridge: Canzonetta" 86.139.105.172 I didn’t mean to imply that Stanford was sat there at the RCM teaching his pupils how to write for string orchestra trying to create a tradition in the genre. I am also aware that Stanford wrote no works for string orchestra, although he was highly skilled at writing for strings as demonstrated by his 8 string quartets and 2 string quintets. Composing for string orchestra was fashionable in the early 1900s and undertaken by many composers, however, there is no doubt that many of Stanford’s pupils proved to be masters at writing for string ensemble: Bridge, Vaughan Williams, Holst, Howells, Dyson, Boughton, Bainton, Bliss, Ireland et al.  Post a Response

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