Pastorale, op.23
no.3 = op.27, by “Anton Vodorinski”
Originally for organ, but published for piano
in 1916.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary Tuck |
Marco Polo 8.223700 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
|
|
|
Re-issue |
- Naxos 8.574299 |
CD |
|
2021 |
Awards 21 p.84 |
NX TM |
Hear
this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz-7Ry1Yz7g
The Pearl of My
Heart
A song of lovers parting, published in the USA in 1912.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Tom McCanna |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2020 |
PD, TM |
The singer has been replaced
by a cello. http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Pearl of my
heart for cello sync.mp3
Pensée Fantastique (= Impromptu
no.2)
Piano piece from around 1897, first published
simply as Impromptu no.2, and dedicated to Major-General Edward Meredith-Harnett. The more colourful title dates from 1927.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary
Tuck |
Marco
Polo 8.223699 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
Hear
this at https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Y51te6NF8_E&list=RDAMVMY51te6NF8_E
Pensée Intime
This tuneful piece for flute and piano was deposited in the British Museum in
1897.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Stephen Berry |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2016 |
PD, TM |
To hear this realisation, click here http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Pensee Intime,
Flute and Piano synth.mp3
Pensées Joyeuses
Cheerful piano piece from around 1898.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary Tuck |
Marco Polo 8.223700 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
|
|
|
Re-issue |
- Naxos 8.574299 |
CD |
|
2021 |
Awards 21 p.84 |
NX TM |
Hear
this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gemNQjsVUhQ
Petite Caprice
This piece for piano with orchestral accompaniment was
published in 1923. Correct French would
spell it “Petit Caprice.” It is almost
certainly the same piece as the Caprice for piano and orchestra which Ketèlbey performed at Trinity College of Music on 6th April
1892. The review in The Musical Times (May 1892) ran:
At the Orchestral Concert given at Princes' Hall, on the 6th ult., two new
works by students were played for the first time… a Caprice, for
pianoforte and orchestra by A.W. Ketelbey. The latter
young gentleman is evidently old-fashioned enough to take Mendelssohn for a
model, and to believe in the value of an extended, formal melody, such as he
has been so fortunate as to invent for his charming second subject. His music is clear, graceful, and continuous;
it displays an agreeable fancy, lightness of touch, and considerable knowledge
of effect.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Stephen Berry |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2016 |
PD, TM |
To hear this realisation,
click here http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Petite Caprice
- piano and orchsynth.mp3
Petite Danse
This attractive piece for
flute and piano dates from 1898.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Stephen Berry |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2016 |
PD, TM |
To hear this realisation
click here http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Petite Danse,
Flute and Piano synth.mp3
Playtime’s Golden Hours
A two-part song published in the prestigious
series School Music Review in 1895.
A review of a performance on 28th July 1894 described it as
“very poetical and expressive”.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Tom McCanna |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2020 |
PD, TM |
The realisation is for violin, viola and
piano, and can be heard at http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Playtime's
golden hours for violins sync.mp3
Poetical Fancies: songs without words
By 1924, Ketelbey
had become a best-seller, and his publishers were re-issuing much of his early
music. These four pieces are all songs
with strong melodies, arranged as piano solos.
- 1. The lotus, gentle flower, dreams
till the day is done.
The original song is lost.
- 2. Joy of a day gone by = Golden
eye of tearful morn
(No.1 of 3 Songs op.52)
- 3. List to the message (no.7 of 12 Lyrics)
- 4. Soft soft
wind (no.10 of 12 Lyrics)
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Tom McCanna |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2019 |
PD, TM |
To hear these realisations,
click here.
http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Lotus%20gentle%20flower%20for%20piano%20sync.mp3
http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/joy
of a day gone by for piano sync.mp3
http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/List to the
message for piano sync.mp3
http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Soft soft wind
for piano sync.mp3
Polly: selection, “arranged by Albert W. Ketelbey from
Mr Gay’s music”
Polly was an 18th-century
ballad opera with libretto by Gay and music consisting mainly of pre-existing
tunes, harmonised merely by a bass. It
was a sequel to the well-known Beggar’s Opera. When it was revived for the London stage in
1923, the composer Frederick Austin undertook the arrangement of the music,
which involved new harmonies and orchestrations. This was to be recorded by HMV.
The rival record company Columbia decided to cash in
on the publicity, and commissioned their house musician Ketèlbey to make his
own arrangement from Gay’s original source, which was of course out of
copyright. His selection was duly
recorded in direct competition with HMV’s version.
HMV and Austin sued Columbia and Ketèlbey for breach
of copyright. After a very colourful
trial (reported in Musical Opinion August 1923, p.1085-1087) judgement
was awarded in favour of HMV and Columbia.
The judge pointed out that there were cases where Ketèlbey had clearly
copied the dramatic context of Bridge’s version. For instance, where Bridge wrote an exit
symphony, Ketèlbey followed suit (in Depair leads to battle). Several of the melodies had been divided
between soprano and baritone voices, and Ketèlbey’s orchestration had similar
divisions between high and low melodic instruments at the same phrases (e.g. Though
woman be a pretty craft). My own
comparison of the two versions has discovered that 6 of the 18 songs have at
least a tenuous resemblance.
The recording was withdrawn from sale, and the
remaining stock of records destroyed (apparently Columbia dumped them on HMV’s
doorstep!). But by this time many sets
had already been sold. Ironically, the
stage show was a flop.
From a modern perspective, these arrangements
demonstrate Ketèlbey’s skill as a harmonist and orchestrator, and his Polly
Selection deserves to be regarded as part of his oeuvre, in the same way
that Benjamin Britten is credited for his arrangement of The Beggar’s Opera,
or Igor Stravinsky for Pulcinella.
Contents
Side 1. Laugh
boys – I will have my humours – Virtue’s treasure – Despair leads to battle –
The world is always jarring.
Side 2. Sleep
o sleep – Though woman be a pretty craft – Honour calls me – As sits the sad
turtle – A woman when battle presses.
Side 3. By
bolder steps – The crow or daw – For all his pain – Wait until you spy.
Side 4. Brave
boys prepare (March from Handel’s Scipio) – With sad emotion – By women
won – A pirate either must sink.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Matrix |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Orchestra |
Court Symphony Orchestra, Ketèlbey |
73254, 73255, 73256, 73257 |
10” 78, 4 sides |
UK |
[Apr 23] |
Apr 23 p.21 |
BL, (TM CD) |
Popular Patriotic Songs
A selection to promote the war effort, including the
following, and more:
Side 1. Farewell, Isabelle – Your dear old Dad was
Irish – Cheer up, Molly – Your king and
country need you – Are we downhearted?
Side 2. Sandy Boy – Kiss me
goodbye – Little soldier boy – Au revoir my sweet Marguerite – My Bob – In
Khaki
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Matrix |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Review |
Locations |
|
Orchestra |
Regal Orchestra,?Ketèlbey |
29187, 29188 |
10” 78, 2 sides |
UK |
[Dec 14] |
TM, (TM CD) |
Prelude in C sharp minor, op.16 (by “Anton Vodorinski”)
The most famous of all the pieces written
under this pseudonym, going to at least 16 arrangements or editions. An unsubtle basher, which grinds inexorably
to the final chord – which in some editions is minor, in others major!
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary Tuck |
Marco Polo 8.223700 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
Hear this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9sksuJSFSM
Rapsodie Sérieuse, op.24 (by “Anton
Vodorinski”)
A calm well-constructed piano piece. It was published in 1914 with this title and
pseudonym, but was actually a reprint of A Prelude published around 1905
under Ketèlbey’s real name.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary Tuck |
Marco Polo 8.223700 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
Hear this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AxJbGNexVM
The Realms of Promise
1898 song.
A list of works once gave this piece not as a song but as a violin solo.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Tom McCanna |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2020 |
PD, TM |
Hear the realisation, for viola rather than violin,
at http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Realms of
promise for viola sync.mp3
Recital Pieces Book 1
A collection of organ pieces published in
1896, with 3 of the 6 items by Ketèlbey. All three were later issued in other
collections – Lento espressivo in a book of preludes, Allegretto
semplice in a book of voluntaries, and Andante religioso in a
collection for Lent and Easter. The
gorgeous bass melody in the middle of Lento espressivo later became the
main theme of Sunset Glow.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Tom McCanna |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2019 |
PD, TM |
To hear these pieces, click on the link.
- Lento Espressivo. http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Lento
espressivo for organ sync.mp3
- Allegretto Semplice. http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Allegretto
semplice for organ sync.mp3
- Andante Religioso. http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Andante
religioso for organ sync.mp3
- No.1. Lento
Espressivo only
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Organ |
David Christensen (1966 Moller pipe organ, Eden Lutheran Church,
Riverside, CA) |
private recording |
mp3 |
US |
2017 |
|
Hear this at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy5OFVp3h28
Reflections: romantic/poetical
melody
Piano piece from 1921.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary
Tuck |
Marco
Polo 8.223699 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
|
|
|
Re-issue |
- Naxos 8.574299 |
CD |
|
2021 |
Awards 21 p.84 |
NX TM |
Hear this at https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=EUyIawfP-sM&list=RDAMVMEUyIawfP-sM
Remembrance: elegy
This is the first work produced by Ketèlbey after
the death of his first wife, Lottie, on 20th February 1947. It uses melodies from Elegy (2nd
movement of Cockney Suite) and Sanctuary of the Heart, and was
probably first conceived as an organ solo, though this was actually published
later than a brass band arrangement.
The original synopsis of Elegy ran
This
represents the serious thoughts which would occur to anyone passing the
Cenotaph in Whitehall. The 2nd part, in
the major key, suggests the feelings of affection and tender remembrance which
would prevail in the hearts of sweethearts and wives, yet with a feeling that
their loved ones had died in a noble cause.
The melody quoted from Sanctuary of the Heart
originally set the words:
It
told of the Joy and the Gladness
That
comes from the One above -
"Oh
Lord, hear our prayer
Take
away all our care,
And fill all our hearts with
love."
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Wind band |
Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, Akiyama |
Kosei KOR 7907 |
LP |
Japan |
1983 rec.1982 |
|
|
|
|
Re-issue |
- Kosei KOCD 3073 |
CD |
Japan |
1988 |
|
TM |
The wind band
arrangement is by Harold Moss. This is actually
a brass band arrangement with added woodwind parts. The track numbering on the case and liner is
incorrect – Remembrance is Track 6.
Rêverie
The piano copy was
deposited in the British Museum in 1894, and a version for violin and piano
mentioned in Musical Opinion in 1895. It shares a melody with Petite
Caprice, which had been performed by Ketèlbey at Trinity College of Music in 1892.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary Tuck |
Marco Polo 8.223700 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
Hear this at https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=KcNQmM4woTA&list=PL8el21DD62rDgGY6nwy5ZLb1Wu0FwefFj
Rêverie Dramatique: op.23/2 & 30, by “Anton Vodorinski”
This piece was first published around 1911 in a collection of three Organ Recital Pieces, op.23. My own copy of no.2 Rêverie Dramatique has the pencil annotation “17 Sept 1911,
Antwerp, 4½ min”.
All three items were later published as piano pieces with new opus numbers.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary Tuck |
Marco Polo 8.223700 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
|
|
Organ |
Hans Uwe Hielscher (Dunedin Town Hall) |
IFO ORG 72112 |
CD |
NZ |
2004 |
|
WC, TM |
Hear Tuck at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTuDnkwiqPE
Hielscher’s performance follows the composer’s metronome marking far more
closely than my anonymous Antwerp organist, and takes 3’ 37”. Hear him at https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ7qxL3mZLs&list=RDAMVMXJ7qxL3mZLs
A River Rêverie: a souvenir
The music of River
Rêverie had appeared in the 1913 edition of Wildhawk. A subsequent re-issue of Wildhawk in
1924 added narration, with the relevant sections having the caption "The
song of the western lovers" and "A sudden attack on the coach".
The
piece may derive from a lost string quartet, mentioned in British Musician
December 1896, page 271. According to Radio
Times (4th September 1931) page 203,
Finding no market for these and other works [i.e. the String Quartet & Piano Quintet, etc.], he tried the experiment of taking their melodious "second subjects", dressing them up with variations, and trying them on the publishers. In this way he "murdered his innocents" (as he puts it) with great success: the slow movement from a String Quartet made an admirable background for a river-scene in a music-hall sketch…
A
River Rêverie
is the only known piece from the relevant period that specifically refers to a
river, and the inner moving parts could be a realisation of a quartet texture.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary Tuck |
Marco Polo 8.223699 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
|
|
|
Re-issue |
- Naxos 8.574299 |
CD |
|
2021 |
Awards 21 p.84 |
NX TM |
Hear this at https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1JnWlt5gnQ&list=RDAMVMZ1JnWlt5gnQ
Romance (1894)
A copy of the score, with parts for violin and cello accompanied by piano,
was deposited in the British Museum in 1894.
The work is dedicated to Mrs Alfred Hoare, Ketèlbey’s landlady in London
and mother of his collaborative partner Florence Hoare.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Tom McCanna |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2018 |
PD, TM |
To hear a realisation for violin and piano, click here http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Romance for
violin and piano synth.mp3
To hear a realisation for cello and piano, click here http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Romance for
cello and piano synth.mp3
A Romantic Melody
First published around 1896 with the less
interesting title Melody in A flat, although the composer’s manuscript
had the French word Mélodie.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Piano |
Rosemary
Tuck |
Marco
Polo 8.223700 |
CD |
UK |
1993 |
BL, NX, PD, TM |
Hear this at https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=_bpSzjgITtA&list=RDAMVM_bpSzjgITtA
Romany Rhapsody
A
“commercial arrangement” of With the Roumanian
Gypsies, for piano, string orchestra with optional organ and timpani. It isn’t certain whether this piece was ever
published, if so the performing material has been
lost, but Ketelbey’s autography short score has
survived.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Tom McCanna |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2021 |
PD, TM |
The
realisation is based on McCanna’s own elaboration of the score. Hear it at http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Romany
rhapsody for orch.mp3
The Rose-Girl
A bright song written for Florence Smithson in
the 1918-19 pantomime Babes in the Wood.
The first-night programme has the title simply as Roses. Unusually, the printed music has the singer’s
melody in tonic solf-fa as well as staff
notation. The refrain is doubled by the
chorus.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Locations |
|
Synthesized |
Tom McCanna |
private recording |
mp3 |
UK |
2020 |
PD, TM |
The realisation is for oboe and piano, with the chorus represented
by flute and bassoon. http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Rose-girl for
oboe sync.mp3
Royal Cavalcade: coronation march
The copyright to this piece was allocated to
Bosworth on 19th February 1937, and several versions were published
in the same month, some having the note "Composed in honour of the forthcoming
coronation of George VI”. However, the
copyright date actually given in the parts is 1936, suggesting that the piece
was held back, perhaps due to doubts about Edward VIII’s abdication and who
would actually be crowned.
|
Medium |
Artists |
Label |
Matrix |
Format |
Country |
Date |
Gramophone Review |
Locations |
|
Military band |
Band
of HM Coldstream Guards, Windram |
HMV
B 8556 |
OEA 4693-1 |
10” 78 |
UK |
[May
37] rec.Mar 37 |
May
37 p.523 |
BL,
(TM CAS) |
|
|
Re-issue |
-
RCA Victor 120894 |
OEA
4693 |
10” 78 |
Canada |
|
|
|
|
Military band |
Massed
bands of Aldershot and Eastern Commands, Seymour (Aldershot Tattoo 1937) |
HMV
B 8585 |
OER 209-1 |
10” 78 |
UK |
[July
37] rec.2.7.37 |
July
37 p.68 |
|
|
|
Re-issue |
-
Victor VA 10077 |
OER 209 |
10” 78 |
Japan |
|
|
|
|
Military band |
Massed
bands of Aldershot and Eastern Commands (Aldershot Tattoo 1937) |
HMV
C 2913 |
2EA 3581-1 |
12”
78 |
UK |
[July
37] |
July
37 p.68 |
BL,
WC |
|
Orchestra |
anon. |
Bosworth
BD 103 |
CP 502 |
10” 78 |
UK |
[1938?] |
Jan
39 p.342 |
WC,
(TM CD) |
|
Orchestra |
Louis
Voss Grand Orchestra |
Bosworth
BC 1146 |
CP 1085 |
10” 78 |
UK |
[1942?] |
WC |
|
|
|
Re-issue |
-
Stebbings ST 37 |
CP 1085 |
10” 78 |
NZ |
|
|
|
|
Re-issue |
-
Bosworth BPM 219 |
CD |
UK |
2001 |
TM |
|||
|
Re-issue |
-
Guild GLCD 5171 |
CD |
UK |
2010 |
LMS Spring 11 p.47 |
|||
|
Orchestra |
anon. |
Bosworth
BD 122 |
? |
10” 78 |
UK |
[1945?] |
|
(TM
CD) |
|
|
Re-issue |
-
Soho Archive SOHOA 126 |
|
CD |
UK |
2015 |
|
|
|
Synthesizer |
Stephen Berry |
private recording |
|
mp3 |
UK |
2016 |
|
PD, TM |
|
Piano |
Adam Ramet (Steinway model K65/88
note pianola player piano) |
private recording |
|
web |
UK |
2021 |
|
|
The Bibliothèque
National in Paris holds a copy of B 8585 which once belonged in Adolf Hitler’s
collection at the Berghof.
C 2913 is only an excerpt
BD 103 is a collection of library music called Sound titles. Tracks
27-29 are brief fragments
of Royal Cavalcade, with titles Eyes
Right - Here come the guards - Plumes and Pennants
BD 122 is another set of library music,
called Main and end titles. Tracks 13-14 are brief fragments of Royal Cavalcade,
with titles Eyes Right - Here come the
Guards. The Soho Archive re-issue has the new titles Sporting Mishap
and Sports March Ending, which can be heard at http://sohoproductionmusic.sg2.harvestmedia.net/album/28cdea200ee7bce0/be494e2af6c0d7c3/en?accountserviceid=145e2b8d68c4a0b6
How
fast is “Tempo di grande Marcia”? The
Coldstream Guards march at a convincing 116 crotchets a minute, but the Louis
Voss Grand Orchestra hurries along at 125.
Both of these recordings make two short cuts of repeated material, the
former totalling 23 bars, the latter 31.
The Massed Bands take a slower pace, crotchet = 108, and cut the entire
reprise and coda (45 bars); this vast ensemble has been recorded remarkably
clearly, with just the bass drums being over-prominent.
Hear
the shorter recording of the Massed Bands at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R41Ua5fUs4Q&t=14s
Hear
Voss at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qT_JRQHZHns
Hear
Berry’s realisation of the orchestral version at http://www.albertketelbey.org.uk/mp3/synth/Royal
Cavalcade orch synth.mp3
Hear
the pianola at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBd8fX8gsw0
Webpage updated 30 Jan 2022