Page 102 - GTMF 2024 Season Program

July 19 & 20 PROGRAM NOTES

Cockaigne, Op. 40,
“In London Town”

continued

Op. 40, “In London Town.” Elgar
wrote to Hans Richter, who
conducted the premiere, that
“here is nothing deep or
melancholy,” adding in a note
to a program annotator that “it
calls up to my mind all the good
humour, jollity and something
deeper in the way of English
good fellowship (as it were)
abiding still in our capital.” The
overture’s varied themes suggest Sir William Walton — Seattle Chamber Music Society
various aspects of London life,
including busy folks bustling
around; young couples strolling
around; marching bands stomping
around and best of all, a Sir William Walton
grand Elgarian nobilmente Concerto for Viola
theme that brings the work to its
inspiring peak.
AT A GLANCE record, Paganini rejected
Cockaigne—it’s pronounced Berlioz’ Harold in Italy; Rubinstein,
pretty much the way you think, by Born: 1902 Tchaikovsky’s First Piano
the way—was a whopping success Died: 1983 Concerto; Wittgenstein, Prokofiev’s
at its 1901 premiere. George Date of Composition: 1929 Fourth Piano Concerto; and
Bernard Shaw suggested that, Tertis, the Walton Viola Concerto.
should it bore rather than thrill, Instrumentation: In 1961 William It’s very much to Tertis’ credit
Elgar could retitle it Chloroform. Walton revised the orchestration
of his 1929 Concerto for Viola. that he soon realized the error of
In the revision it is scored for his ways and embraced Walton’s
2 flutes (2 doubling piccolo), youthfully exuberant concerto
nd
oboe, English horn, 2 clarinets as the sterling addition to the
nd
(2 doubling bass clarinet), repertory that it is. All Tertis had to
2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, do was to hear the piece played,
3 trombones, timpani, harp, as it was by Paul Hindemith, with
strings and solo viola. Walton conducting, at its premiere
at the Proms of October 3, 1929.
Here’s a quiz for music trivia Walton revised the orchestration
buffs: what do Niccolò Paganini, in 1961; that later version is
Nikolai Rubinstein, Paul considered authoritative.
Wittgenstein and Lionel Tertis Viola concertos were (and are)
share in common? Answer: conspicuously rare; the
Each rejected a masterful instrument’s contralto range is
concertante work that went all too easily overwhelmed by
on to repertory status. For the the orchestra and requires

100 Grand Teton Music Festival Season 63