Lincolnshire Posy

Lincolnshire Posy is a piece of music by composer Percy Grainger for Concert Band . The piece is one of Grainger's most frequently performed works and is regarded by experts as one of the most important works in wind orchestra literature.

history

Lincolnshire Posy was created in 1937 for the American Bandmasters Association . It is considered his masterpiece by John Bird, the author of Grainger's biography. The 16-minute piece consists of 6 movements, each based on an English folk song. He had collected these between 1905 and 1906 on a trip to Lincolnshire and recorded them using an Edison phonograph . The first performance of 3 movements took place on March 7, 1937 by the Milwaukee Symphonic Band, a selection orchestra with musicians from various orchestras, among others. a. hosted by orchestras from local beer factories such as Valentin Blatz Brewing Company and Pabst Brewing Company in Milwaukee , Wisconsin . Half a year later he also wrote a version for two pianos (British Folk-Music Settings No. 35).

In contrast to other composers such as B. Ralph Vaughan Williams , Grainger did not try to change and modernize the folk songs for the orchestral arrangement. Instead, he wanted to convey the exact feeling that the singers conveyed. He valued them above all because of the artistic freedom with which they gave their lectures; he saw her as the guardian of a living tradition, which he saw threatened by the progressive modernization, increasingly higher education of the rural population and the rejection of these songs by younger singers and "serious" music lovers. He wrote:

“Each number is intended to be a kind of musical portrait of the singer who sang its underlying melody ... a musical portrait of the singer's personality no less than of his habits of song, his regular or irregular wonts of rhythm, his preference for gaunt or ornately arabesque delivery, his contrasts of legato and staccato, his tendency towards breadth or delicacy of tone. "

“Each part is intended as a musical portrait of the singer who sang the underlying melody ... A musical portrait of his personality and, last but not least, his singing habits, his regular or irregular rhythmic habits, his preferences for lean or artful arabesque performances, his opposites of legato and staccato , its tendency towards broad or delicate tones. "

Grainger dedicated this "bouquet of wildflowers" to the "old folk singers who sang so sweetly to him".

In 1987 the composer Frederick Fennell published a critical edition of the work; this was performed for the first time by the "United States Navy Band" at the "Midwest Clinic". In 2002, composer Steven Bryant processed fragments from Lincolnshire Posy in his piece ImPercynations , which forms a movement in his Parody Suite . The first movement, Dublin Bay, forms the melodic and rhythmic framework .

instrumentation

The piece is set for flute piccolo , 2 flutes , 2 oboes , English horn (ad libitum), 2 bassoons , contrabassoon (ad lib.), Eb clarinet , 3 B flat clarinets (at least double), alto clarinet, bass clarinet , 6 saxophones ( soprano saxophone , 2 Altsaxophone , tenor saxophone , baritone saxophone and bass saxophone (ad lib.)), 3 cornets or trumpets , 4 horns , 3 trumpets , Baritonhorn , Euphonium , tuba , bass , drums , xylophone , chimes , hand bells , chimes (ad lib.) , Snare drum , bass drum and cymbals .

sentences

I. "Lisbon" ( Lisbon )

Originally called "Dublin Bay", the first movement of the Lincolnshire Posy is also its shortest; a quick, simple, warbling melody in ⁶ / ₈ time. The dominant theme is played at the beginning by muted trumpets and bassoon and contrasted with a military motif in the horns. As in the fourth set, "Lisbon" ends in an in pianissimo set Serenade , which contrasts with the overall tonality. It has a strophic form. Grainger published a version of this song for mixed choir as early as 1906; In 1931 an edition for wind quintet was published .

II. "Horkstow Grange" (Horkstow Farm)

The second movement presents a slow, repetitive, reharmonisierendes Legato - motive . It often jumps between ⁴ / ₄ and ⁵ / ₄ and produces a trumpet solo (alternatively soprano saxophone). This is the most famous movement of the piece, played by orchestras around the world due to its outstanding composition and orchestration.

III. "Rufford Park Poachers" (poachers in the Rufford area)

As the technically most demanding movement, “Ruffort Park Poachers” begins with an asymmetrical melody between Bb clarinets and piccolo, two eighth notes later followed by Eb and bass clarinet. In a second version, written by Grainger, the melody begins in piccolo and alto clarinet and is followed by oboe and bassoon.

Counting between counterpoint , unusual rhythms and peculiar time signatures that change quickly is particularly difficult . Grainger wrote two versions: one with flugelhorn and one with soprano saxophone as soloist. It is known that Grainger preferred the version with soprano saxophone, provided that the player could play the solo with expression and precision. Most of the recordings use this version in order to stay true to the composer's wishes.

This movement was not performed at the premiere because the professional wind orchestra selected by Grainger could not play it.

It is based on the ballad "Rufford Park Poachers", which Grainger learned from folk singer Joseph Taylor .

IV. "The Brisk Young Sailor"

A simple, short, lively song that is supposed to conjure up the image of a staunch guy who wants to find his great love. The key is B flat major . It starts with a clarinet ensemble playing a simple melody. This is then expanded until the entire orchestra plays it in various complicated ways. A remarkable passage is when a solo of the baritone horns takes over the melody, while 1st clarinets, Eb clarinets, flutes and piccolo play incredibly fast sextoles and arpeggios , before it dissolves into a fugue-like adjustment of the melody by a solo of soprano saxophones and oboe .

The movement is considered to be one of the most difficult parts of the work because of its speed and accuracy.

V. "Lord Melbourne" (Lord of Melbourne )

A heavy, combative song originally known as "The Duke of Marlboro". It begins freely from a time signature, the conductor gives every single beat in the first section. Then it turns into a trumpet solo, followed by a heavy, repetitive motif. This movement changes quickly between different, also unusual, time signatures such as ⁵ / ₈ and ³ / ₈ as well as sections that are free of time signatures.

The movement also demands a high pitch range from the musicians . The clarinets play a high G, the flutes a high B and the high trumpets a high C sharp in the final chord.

This movement, like the third movement, was not performed at the premiere because the professional wind orchestra selected by Grainger could not play it.

VI. "The Lost Lady Found" (The Lost Lady Found)

A fast, nervous, straightforward ³ / ₄ melody with ordinary accompanying rhythms. It is often directed to the whole . The movement contains a repetitive motif, interrupted by a bridge . The motif runs through almost every register in this hectic finale . This movement was not yet completed at the premiere.

Recordings (selection)

Orchestral version

• The Cleveland Symphonic Winds, Frederick Fennell (Telarc, 1978)
• Central Band Of The Royal Air Force, Eric Banks (Angel Records, 1986)
• City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra , Simon Rattle (EMI Classics, 1997)
• Royal Northern College Of Music Wind Orchestra, Timothy Reynish (Chandos, 1997)

Version for two pianos

• Leslie Howard , David Stanhope (His Master's Voice, 1977)

Web links

• A Source Guide to the Music of Percy Grainger by Thomas P. Lewis
• Lincolnshire Posy : Sheet Music and Audio Files in the International Music Score Library Project
• Recordings of the folk songs on which the work is based; collected by Grainger between 1905 and 1905 (Youtube channel of the United States Navy Band).

Audio samples

Concert of the College of Music of the University of North Texas

• Lincolnshire Posy

1. Lisbon
2. Horkstow Grange
3. Rufford Park Poachers
4. The Brisk Young Sailor
5. Lord Melbourne
6. The Lost Lady Found

Individual evidence

1. ^ Clifford Towner: An Evaluation of Compositions for Wind Band According to Specific Criteria of Serious Artistic Merit: A Second Update . In: Student Research, Creative Activity, and Performance - School of Music . tape 44 , 2011, p. 98 ( digitalcommons.unl.edu [accessed January 10, 2019]).
2. ^ Richard K. Hansen: The American wind band: a cultural history . GIA Publications, 2005, ISBN 978-1-57999-467-9 , p. 71.
3. ^ Norman E. Smith, Albert Stoutamire: Band music notes . Kjos West, 1979, ISBN 978-0-8497-5401-2 , p. 97.
4. ↑ John Bird: Percy Grainger . Oxford University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-19-816652-4 , p. 127.
5. ↑ ^{a b} The recordings have been preserved to this day, for example on the United States Navy Band's YouTube channel
6. ^ History 1978-1989. The United States Navy Band, accessed January 10, 2019 . 
7. ↑ ImPercynations. Steven Bryant website, accessed January 10, 2011 . 
8. ^ John Roberts, Tony Barrand: Lincolnshire Folksongs collected by Percy Grainger . Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved on July 12, 2012.
9. ^ Percy Grainger's collection of ethnographic wax cylinders . British Library . February 20, 2018. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
10. ^ Percy Grainger ethnographic wax cylinders - World and traditional music . British Library . Retrieved February 22, 2018.