We are overjoyed to present to you our next concert series, On the Same Page, with concerts beginning on November 24th. Before we begin our concerts, join us for some extra insight into our program!
John William Waterhouse, Lady of Shallot 1888
Music of the United Kingdom
Largely underrated, the classical music of the UK is often overshadowed by music produced by French, German, and Italian composers. In the 18th century, it was German composer George Friedric Handel who was the face of British music after he settled there in 1712. Despite their low(er) presence in the classical world, there are remnants of written music dating from the 13th century.
Vaughn Williams English Folk Songs Suite performed by the Nuremberg Symphony
Some of the most famous British composers include Elgar, Holst, Britten, and Vaughn Williams-- all of whom found great inspiration from the rich literary culture of the UK. Other inspirations included folk melodies from the islands. Some returning audience members might also remember the Irish Suite for Strings composed by Arthur Duff which we performed in our Spring 2023 program which was inspired by different scenes of Irish life and culture.
Above is a video of Vaughn Williams' English Folk Song Suite as another example of English composers' inspirations from every day life. Listen for the ways Vaughn Williams showcases different English folk songs and motifs in his orchestration. Notice each section of the orchestra is responsible for a specific role: the high wind section and violins largely share and pass off the main tune, the other string instruments "frame" them using pizzicato (plucking) or play slow moving harmonies underneath, and the brass chime in with declamatory punctuation.
For further listening...
5 Shakespeare songs Op. 23 Roger Quilter, Performed by Philippe Sly
The two English composers we will feature on our program are Frank Bridge (1879-1941) and Roger Quilter (1877-1953). Frank Bridge's life was mainly dedicated to his studies on violin and viola. He played in several professional quartets even gave his pupil, Benjamin Britten his viola as a parting gift for Britten's departure to America. Some of his largest inspirations before WWI were Brahms, Stravinsky, and Debussy but his music changed after witnessing the war: Britten recalled that witnessing WWI had deeply effected Bridge thus explaining the dramatic turning point in his work. His later works were much more experimental, similar to and inspired by the works of Alban Berg.
Roger Quilter was prolific in his art song composition. He was born into a large wealthy family who opened the door to his musical studies in Frankfurt Germany alongside Percy Grainger. Unfortunately, Quilter suffered from chronic depression which contributed to his poor physical health. In addition, he was under constant duress from him hiding his homosexuality from the public and family. Despite his personal struggles, Quilter was a generous supporter of his friends and community. He instigated The Musicians’ Benevolent Fund in memory of English Tenor Gervase Elwes and constantly championed his old friend Grainger's works, stating "I can't think of any better way of spending my money than helping to get your work known in the world".
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Our general admission sale is currently underway for our next concert series in San Francisco. You can now reserve a seat at any of our upcoming concerts for as little as $5*!
Volunteers Needed!
We are currently seeking volunteers to help out with our upcoming concerts. We could use your help with:
Set up
Check in
Photography
Clean up
If any of these duties interest you, please let. us know using the sign up genius form below.
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