Edward Elgar
IN SMYRNA for piano
Goodmusic GM568
A new edition by Peter Lawson.
In Smyrna was composed in October 1905, whilst Elgar was on an a four-week exclusive cruise in the eastern Mediterranean. He was holidaying aboard HMS Surprise, a naval vessel used to transport diplomats and officials. On board was a piano, which he used to compose this piece. Elgar had had a busy year, having received a doctorate at Oxford University, an honorary doctorate at Yale University in the U.S. and had just conducted the Three Choirs Festival premiere of his Introduction and Allegro in Worcester. Here he had dined with Frank Schuster, a patron of the arts, who managed to get Elgar added to Lady Charles Beresford’s invitation list for the cruise - her husband was Vice Admiral and Commander-in Chief in the Mediterranean. After visiting Constantinople (now Istanbul), they sailed south to the port of Smyrna (now Izmir), which, for Elgar, appeared to be the highlight of the cruise and the inspiration for the piano piece. In a sketch, he added the subtitle In the Mosque. He wrote in his journal "went to the bazaar, much finer sight than Constantinople…drove thro’ the town right up to the fortifications…tremendous view…drove to the Mosque of dancing dervishes…received in great style. Music by five or six people very strange and some of it quite beautiful - incessant drums and cymbals (small) thro’ the quick movements…This was my first touch with Asia & I was quite overcome…the endless camels…the extraordinary colour and movement, light and shade were intoxicating."
The skilful piano writing is testament to Elgar’s mastery of the instrument - the outer sections are haunting and more ‘eastern’, a middle section contains some bars which are quintessential Elgar - as if reflecting him and his travel companions - the cadenza section near the end could perhaps represent swirling Turkish designs on the walls of the mosque. Peter Lawson
Duration 3 minutes
In Smyrna was composed in October 1905, whilst Elgar was on an a four-week exclusive cruise in the eastern Mediterranean. He was holidaying aboard HMS Surprise, a naval vessel used to transport diplomats and officials. On board was a piano, which he used to compose this piece. Elgar had had a busy year, having received a doctorate at Oxford University, an honorary doctorate at Yale University in the U.S. and had just conducted the Three Choirs Festival premiere of his Introduction and Allegro in Worcester. Here he had dined with Frank Schuster, a patron of the arts, who managed to get Elgar added to Lady Charles Beresford’s invitation list for the cruise - her husband was Vice Admiral and Commander-in Chief in the Mediterranean. After visiting Constantinople (now Istanbul), they sailed south to the port of Smyrna (now Izmir), which, for Elgar, appeared to be the highlight of the cruise and the inspiration for the piano piece. In a sketch, he added the subtitle In the Mosque. He wrote in his journal "went to the bazaar, much finer sight than Constantinople…drove thro’ the town right up to the fortifications…tremendous view…drove to the Mosque of dancing dervishes…received in great style. Music by five or six people very strange and some of it quite beautiful - incessant drums and cymbals (small) thro’ the quick movements…This was my first touch with Asia & I was quite overcome…the endless camels…the extraordinary colour and movement, light and shade were intoxicating."
The skilful piano writing is testament to Elgar’s mastery of the instrument - the outer sections are haunting and more ‘eastern’, a middle section contains some bars which are quintessential Elgar - as if reflecting him and his travel companions - the cadenza section near the end could perhaps represent swirling Turkish designs on the walls of the mosque. Peter Lawson
Duration 3 minutes
