William Walton Catalogue

Faber, 1996), 187–8

Faber, 1996), 187–8 • David Vaughan, Frederick Ashton and his Ballets (London: A. & C. Black, 1977), 130–32 (rev. edn, London, Dance Books, 1999) • Danc T (March 1936), 752; ME News, 24 Dec 1935, p. 4; MG, 30 Nov 1935, p. 9 (I. Brown): 14 Dec 1935, p. 15; 21 Dec 1935, p. 13; 24 Dec 1935, p. 11 (ASW); 27 Dec 1935, p. 6 (MAL); Ob, 19 Jan 1936, p. 15; 2 March 1936, p. 11 (HM); 2 March 1936, p. 15; Sphere, 15 Feb 1936, p. 304 (P. Page); Times, 5 Feb 1936, p. 10 Note: According to Vaughan’s Frederick Ashton, Ashton thought highly enough of the possibilities of The First Shoot to consider reviving it later, presumably in an extended form. It was included in a notebook that he kept during the 1940s with the notation ‘for America’—possibly the New York City Ballet. In a letter to the present author, dated 1 March 1972, Cecil Beaton confirmed that Ashton had an idea to do a prolonged ballet with additional music, but it never materialized (Craggs archive). An early production of Charles B. Cochran’s was Wake up and Dream at the London Pavilion (1929), with music by Cole Porter. In his article ‘North Sea Crossings: Walter Leigh, Hindemith and English Music’ (Tempo, 64/252, April 2010, pp. 44–64) David Drew mentions that Spike Hughes and Walton may have orchestrated some of the numbers for this musical. In a letter, dated 2 March 1930, Walton told Siegfried Sassoon that ‘I had a letter from C. B. Cochran hinting that he would like my help in his next review, both as a ballet & as a “jazz” merchant. I cordially accepted, & hope that something will come of it’ (WW archive). The First Shoot is the only ballet Walton wrote for Cochran. A report in the Oldham Standard (16 Jan 1932) reveals that Cochran had also asked Walton to write the music for the musical comedy The Cat and the Fiddle, with libretto by Otto Kern. In a letter to the present author, dated 25 February 1978, Walton wrote that he had suggested to Cochran that Hyam Greenbaum should conduct the musical. He was duly appointed and became musical director to the impresario for his reviews between 1930 and 1934 (Craggs archive). The following year, Cochran brought Elisabeth Bergner to London and Manchester to star in the stage production of Margaret Kennedy’s play Escape Me Never. This resulted in the 1935 film version of the play (C28) and As You Like It (C31) in 1936, both directed by her husband, Paul Czinner. J. M. Barrie also admired her and wrote his final play, The Boy David (C30), for her, a rare failure. Other versions C29a Medley for Brass Band by the composer Date of composition: 1978–9 C29 The First Shoot 39 Holograph: Beinecke: GEN MSS 601 (FRKF 612) Commissioned by: the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain as a possible test piece for the 1979 championships Instrumentation: s ct, 4 1st ct, 2 2nd ct, 2 3rd ct, flugel, solo hn, 3 t hn, 2 bar, 3 t tbn, btbn, 2euph, 2b tuba, 2 cb tuba, timp, perc (cym, xyl, sd, td, bd, tamb) Duration: 11 minutes First performance: unable to trace Publication: WWE vol. 21, pp. 34–85 (2006) Bibliography: Elgar Howarth, WWE vol. 21 C29b The First Shoot arrangement for brass band by the composer, who records his gratitude to Elgar Howarth for his expert advice on the preparation of the score 1. Giocoso; 2. Andantino; 3. A tempo di ‘Hesitation Waltz’; 4. subito Vivace; 5. Vivace Date of arrangement: 1979 Holograph: Beinecke: GEN MSS 601 (FRKF 594) Dedication: In Mem. C. B. Cochran and his Young Ladies Instrumentation: s ct.8ct.flugel.3hn.2bar.2tbn.b t hn. 2euph.2E♭bass.2B♭bass/timp/perc Duration: 10–11 minutes First performance: London, Goldsmiths College, 19 December 1980; Grimethorpe Colliery Band, conducted by Elgar Howarth. This performance was filmed, recorded, and subsequently used in part in Tony Palmer’s film At the Haunted End of the Day (a ‘Profile of the Life and Work of William Walton’) transmitted on the ITV network (South Bank Show), 19 April 1981. Available on DVD: Decca 074 150–9, 1981/2002. First public performance: London, Royal Albert Hall, 7 September 1981 (Prom broadcast on BBC Radio 3); Grimethorpe Colliery Band, conducted by Elgar Howarth. Publication: score and parts: OUP, 1986 • WWE vol. 21, pp. 91–143 Bibliography: Elgar Howarth, WWE vol. 21 • Gdn, 9 Sept 1981, p. 10 (E. Greenfield); MT 121 (November 1981), 764 (J. Nagley); Ob, 13 Sept 1981, p. 26 (P. Heyworth); Times, 9 Sept 1981, p. 9 (P. Griffiths) Recordings: CD Black Dyke Mills Band / James Watson. ASV CD WHL 2093 (1995) For perusal purposes only C29c The First Shoot arranged for symphony orchestra from the arrangement for brass band by Christopher Palmer

40 C30 The Boy David Date of arrangement: 1987 Instrumentation: 2(III + picc).2(II + ca).3(III + bcl). 2/4.3.3.1/timp/perc (3: tri, cym, sus cym, wb, glock, xyl, vib, sd, td, bd, tamb)/pno/strings Duration: 10 minutes First performance: London, St Jude’s Church, Central Square, 8 and 21 January 1991 (recording sessions for the Chandos CD, see below) Publication: score and parts on hire: OUP, 1989 Recordings: CD London Philharmonic Orchestra / Bryden Thomson. Chandos CHAN 8968 (1991); CHAN 9426 (1995) C29d The First Shoot arrangement for concert band by Ray Farr Date of arrangement: 2001 Commissioned by: Bergen Military Band Duration: 10 minutes First performance: Bergen, Grieg Hall Foyer, unable to trace any date; Bergen Military Band, conducted by Ray Farr Publication: score and parts: OUP, 1986, 2001 C29e Three Pieces from The First Shoot arranged for clarinet and piano by Christopher Palmer Publication: Christopher Palmer, ed., William Walton: A Clarinet Album, OUP, 1992 C30 Th e Bo y Da v i d Incidental music for J. M. Barrie’s play (originally called David) in three acts. Date of composition: 1935 Holograph: whereabouts unknown Play details: Directed: Komisarjevsky; produced: Charles B. Cochran; scenery designed: Augustus John; costumes designed: Ernst Stern. Music composed for the following: Details of the music plot taken from a leaf of manuscript in the Yale General Collection in the Beinecke Library (I.D.2082): Overture to Act 1; • Interval before Act 2, scene I: The Camp before David’s encounter with Goliath; • Interval before Act 2, scene II: Introduction: tumult (‘barbaric dancing and wild shouts after the death of Goliath’); • Interval before Act 2, scene III: David playing his harp in the tent of the dead Goliath; • Interval before Act 3, scene I: ‘low music’ when, in his vision, David first sits on the throne; • “Distant music (reveille for battle) in the early morning” Interval before Act 3, scene II: Entr’acte/Pastoral music; • Remaining: incidental music throughout Act 2. Note: The music in Act 2, scene II (‘barbaric dancing . . .’) sounds similar to the Indian chorus in part 2 of Christopher Columbus (C46). In the absence of any score, it is difficult to ascertain whether Walton reused this music in 1942. Instrumentation: unable to trace First performance: Edinburgh, King’s Theatre, 21 November 1936; unable to trace orchestra or conductor. The music was pre-recorded and the conductor may have been Walton, Hyam Greenbaum, or Ernest Irving (Walton to the present author, 25 February 1978; Craggs archive). Cast included Elisabeth Bergner (David), Jean Cadell (Wife of Jesse), Peter Bull (Amnon), Bobby Rietti (Jonathan), Godfrey Tearle (Saul), and Leon Quartermaine (Ophir). The premiere was originally to have been on 15 February, but this was postponed because of Bergner’s illness, first to 14 March and later to November. First London performance: His Majesty’s Theatre, 14 December 1936 Bibliography: Cynthia Asquith, Portrait of Barrie (London: Barrie, 1954), 201–16 • Peter Bull, I know the Face, but . . . (London: Davies, 1959), 128–34 • Charles B. Cochran, Cock-a-doodle-do (London: Dent, 1941), 1033 • Janet Dunbar, J. M Barrie: The Man behind the Image (London: Collins, 1970), 291–8 • Sam Heppner, Cockie (London: Frewin, 1969), 190–201 • Denis Mackail, The Story of J.M.B.: A Biography (London: Davies, 1941), 663–707 • GlasHer, 13 Nov 1936, pp. 10, 11, 12; MG, 16 Jan 1936, p. 8; Times, 26 March 1936, p. 12; 23 Nov 1936, p. 10: 15 Dec 1936, p. 14; WScots, 28 Nov 1936, p. 5; 28 Nov 1936, p. 7 (Galleryite) Recordings: Three sections of the pre-recorded music still exist on 10" single-sided 78 rpm discs and are now in private hands, having previously belonged to the actor Peter Bull, a member of the original cast, who lent them to the present author. All relate to Act 2: OCB 279–2 Cue 22A [David before his encounter with Goliath] OCB 290–2 Cue 29 [Barbaric dancing and wild shouts] For perusal purposes only