Edward Elgar arr. Lawson
IN SMYRNA
Goodmusic Concert Classics GMCL249
Catalogue Number: GMCL249
Difficulty level: D What's this?
ISMN: 9790222340589
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Orchestration: 2 Flutes (2nd db.Piccolo), 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in Bb, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns in F, 2 Trumpets in Bb, 3 Trombones, Tuba, Timpani, Percussion (2 players: Triangle, Cymbal). Harp
Strings (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass)
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 US 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 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. In orchestrating this section, the harp plays a prominent part, but to keep players together in a free cadenza with bars of differing (and undescribed) lengths, I have added time signatures, some grouped unusually, such as 9/8 grouped as 4+2+3 rather than the compound 3 x 3. Peter Lawson
Duration 3 minutes
A PACK includes a full score plus all wind, brass and percussion parts and strings 4/4/3/4/2.
Strings (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass)
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 US 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 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. In orchestrating this section, the harp plays a prominent part, but to keep players together in a free cadenza with bars of differing (and undescribed) lengths, I have added time signatures, some grouped unusually, such as 9/8 grouped as 4+2+3 rather than the compound 3 x 3. Peter Lawson
Duration 3 minutes
A PACK includes a full score plus all wind, brass and percussion parts and strings 4/4/3/4/2.
