Lord Berners
TROIS PETITES MARCHES FUNEBRES for orchestra
Goodmusic Concert Classics GMCL251
Catalogue Number: GMCL251
Difficulty level: E What's this?
ISMN: 9790222341456
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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 (4 players: Triangle, Swannee Whistle, Clash Cymbals, Side Drum, Tam-Tam. Bass Drum, Glockenspiel, Xylophone)
Strings (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass)
The Trois Petites Marches Funebres for piano were written in 1916, under the composer’s birth name of Gerald Tyrwhitt, in Rome, where he was an Honorary Attache at the British Embassy. They were first performed in that city by the contemporary composer and pianist, Alfredo Casella, on March 30th, 1917, at the Royal Academy of the Santa Cecilia. In September 1918, due to the death of an uncle, Gerald Tyrwhitt became the 14th Baron Berners and the authorship of subsequent editions of his music was changed to Lord Berners.
These witty pieces were amongst the most avant-garde of their time. Berners had been having composition lessons with Stravinsky - and in the 3rd Funeral March, For a Rich Aunt, Berners lets his irreverent, sardonic wit rip with discordant harmonies, probably influenced by Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Stravinsky referred to him as the best British composer of his time and his music as ‘amateur in the best sense’.
The only real funeral march is the second one, For a Canary, but even here, the persistent 'cheeps' are sad, but slightly comical - but genuine it is and Berners marks the music at one point singhiozzando (sobbingly). Berners had a love of animals, particularly birds - and in the dovecote of Faringdon House - part of his inheritance - he was famously, or infamously, known for dying his pet doves in bright colours.
The opening march is For a Statesman and is marked pompeux. After multiple references to the opening motto of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, it lurches into E flat minor and eventually subsides into a spooky, chilling ending. It was originally described as ‘For a Minister of Foreign Affairs’ - Berners twice failed his entry exams to the Foreign Office and evidently intended to ‘send up’ someone. He was either persuaded to modify the opening dedication or thought better of it! Peter Lawson
Duration 6½ minutes
A PACK includes a full score plus all wind, brass and percussion parts and strings 4/4/3/4/2.
Percussion (4 players: Triangle, Swannee Whistle, Clash Cymbals, Side Drum, Tam-Tam. Bass Drum, Glockenspiel, Xylophone)
Strings (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass)
The Trois Petites Marches Funebres for piano were written in 1916, under the composer’s birth name of Gerald Tyrwhitt, in Rome, where he was an Honorary Attache at the British Embassy. They were first performed in that city by the contemporary composer and pianist, Alfredo Casella, on March 30th, 1917, at the Royal Academy of the Santa Cecilia. In September 1918, due to the death of an uncle, Gerald Tyrwhitt became the 14th Baron Berners and the authorship of subsequent editions of his music was changed to Lord Berners.
These witty pieces were amongst the most avant-garde of their time. Berners had been having composition lessons with Stravinsky - and in the 3rd Funeral March, For a Rich Aunt, Berners lets his irreverent, sardonic wit rip with discordant harmonies, probably influenced by Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Stravinsky referred to him as the best British composer of his time and his music as ‘amateur in the best sense’.
The only real funeral march is the second one, For a Canary, but even here, the persistent 'cheeps' are sad, but slightly comical - but genuine it is and Berners marks the music at one point singhiozzando (sobbingly). Berners had a love of animals, particularly birds - and in the dovecote of Faringdon House - part of his inheritance - he was famously, or infamously, known for dying his pet doves in bright colours.
The opening march is For a Statesman and is marked pompeux. After multiple references to the opening motto of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, it lurches into E flat minor and eventually subsides into a spooky, chilling ending. It was originally described as ‘For a Minister of Foreign Affairs’ - Berners twice failed his entry exams to the Foreign Office and evidently intended to ‘send up’ someone. He was either persuaded to modify the opening dedication or thought better of it! Peter Lawson
Duration 6½ minutes
A PACK includes a full score plus all wind, brass and percussion parts and strings 4/4/3/4/2.
