Carillons, for oboe and orchestra

Carillons was composed by Grace Williams for oboe and symphony orchestra (but without woodwind instruments) in 1965 in response to a request from the BBC for a light, entertaining piece. Carillons originally included three movements but Williams revised the work in 1973, adding a fourth movement.

Carillons
Concertino by Grace Williams
Composed1965 (1973)
PublishedCuriad, Caernarfon
Recorded
Premiere
Date1 March 1967 (1967-03-01)
ConductorRae Jenkins
PerformersBBC Welsh Orchestra, Philip Jones (oboe)

Composition history

Grace Williams composed Carillons in 1965 from a commission by the BBC in Wales, who requested "something light-weight and entertaining" for the programme Auditorium.[1] By omitting the usual orchestral woodwind section and making use of high-pitched percussion (triangle, glockenspiel, celesta and tubular bells) Williams created a distinctive orchestral colour with bell-like sounds which inspired the title of the work (A carillon is musical instrument including a number of bells usually played with a keyboard, and originally from the French for bells or chimes).[1]

Although completed in 1965 the premier was postponed to coincide with the official opening of the BBC's new studios at Llandaff on St David's Day, 1967.[2] The work was premiered by Philip Jones (oboe) with the BBC Welsh Orchestra conducted by Rae Jenkins.[3]

Music

The work is composed for solo oboe and orchestra and comprises four movements:

  1. Moderato con moto
  2. Allegretto alla pavana
  3. Lento rapsodico
  4. Allegro agitato[4]

The third movement was added in 1973 and is in the style of an unaccompanied cadenza which adds to the soloistic display of the piece.[1] The piece is scored for solo oboe, 2 french horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, percussion (including triangle, glockenspiel, celesta and tubular bells), harp, and strings (violins, violas, cellos, and double-bass).[1][3]

Publication

Carillons has been published by Curiad, Caernarfon.[3][5]

Recordings

Carillons was recorded by Anthony Camden (oboe) with the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Atherton in 1974 (HMV ASD3006), and re-issued in 1995 (Lyrita SRCD323).[3] The recording was one of a series of recordings of Williams' works in the 1970s to promote her work, made with the help of the Welsh Arts Council.[4][6]

References
  1. Boyd, Malcolm (1980). Grace Williams. Composers of Wales. 4 (1st ed.). Cardiff: University of Wales Press, on behalf of the Welsh Arts Council. pp. 48–9. ISBN 0-7083-0762-0. OCLC 7547501.
  2. Cotterill, Graeme James (12 January 2012a). Music in the Blood & Poetry in the Soul? (National identity in the life and music of Grace Williams) (PDF). eBangor – A digital repository of Bangor University's electronic output (PhD). Bangor: University of Wales. p. 60. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-04-27. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  3. Cotterill, Graeme James (2012). A catalogue of the works of Grace Williams (PDF). eBangor – A digital repository of Bangor University's electronic output (PhD). Bangor: University of Wales. p. 31. Retrieved 1 May 2016.
  4. Boyd, Malcolm (1995). "Carillons". Grace Williams (CD booklet). Burnham, Buckinghamshire: Lyrita. OCLC 883978208. UPC: 502092603234.
  5. "Orchestral Music". Curiad. Talysarn, Caernarfon. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  6. Cotterill 2012, p. 32.
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