NEGLECTED CELLO REPERTOIRE OF TWENTIETH CENTURY ENGLISH COMPOSERS
NEGLECTED CELLO REPERTOIRE OF TWENTIETH CENTURY ENGLISH COMPOSERS
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Date
2006
Authors
Lim, Yekyung
Advisor
Elsing, Evelyn
Citation
DRUM DOI
Abstract
In the Twentieth Century, the proliferation of cellists and the exceptional
development of cello techniques, combined with composers' acceptance of the challenges
by these developments, led many British composers to contribute to the enrichment of the
cello concert repertoire.
A great number of compositions written for the cello in the Twentieth Century
England have been long neglected. In comparison with their other works in the genres of
concerto, symphony, and opera, works for cello by prominent Twentieth Century English
composers Elgar, Walton, and Britten are relatively unknown, except for Elgar's cello
concerto.
There are also many lesser-known composers like Delius, Bax, Bridge, and
Clarke, who flourished in the fmt half of the century, but eventually became disregarded.
Some reasons for this neglect may be as follows: the reluctant attitude toward new trends
in the English musical establishment around the turn of the century; a lack of readily
available editions of these composers' compositions; an over-abundance of fine
composers at one time; and lastly, an overly individualistic approach to the music
restricting a general public appreciation and recognition.
Encountering a recording of the Walton cello concerto prompted me to further
study the neglected Twentieth Century English cello repertoire. Many works of the
above-mentioned composers still have not been fully valued in the cello repertoire. For
this reason, the purpose of this project was to inspire cellists to learn and broaden as well
as to appreciate the beauty of the Twentieth Century cello literature.
As part of the doctoral performance project, three recitals featuring the works by
six English composers were performed. My collaborator in all three recitals was pianist
Eunae KO. The fmt recital included the Sonata for cello and piano by Frank Bridge and
the Concerto by William Walton. The second recital was comprised of relatively
unknown cello works: Sonatina in D major by Arnold Bax, Romance by Frederick Delius,
and the Sonata Op. 40 by Rebecca Clarke. The third recital consisted of Folk-Tale by
Arnold Bax and the Symphony for Cello and Orchestra Op. 68 by Benjamin Britten.