From Baroque to Folk
DOWLAND
- Flow my Tears
Originally composed as an instrumental piece under the name “Lachrimae pavane” in 1596, it is Dowland’s most famous ayre, and became his signature song, literally as well as metaphorically: he would occasionally sign his name “Jo: dolandi de Lachrimae”.
- O Sweet Woods
“O sweet woods” by John Dowland is a beautifully poignant and introspective song that examines the theme of solitariness and the complexities of love.
- Come Ye Heavy States of Night
This was published in 1600 in the Seconde Booke of Songs and Ayres, another beautiful, if melancholic song.
J.S.BACH
- Prelude from Cello Suite No.1 in G Major – cello
- Prelude from the Cello Suite No.2 in D Minor – guitar
- Prelude from the E major partita – violin
HANDEL-HALVORSEN
- Passacaglia op 20.no 2 for violin and cello
The theme of this Passacaglia is from the final movement of Handel’s Harpsichord Suite in G Minor. The penultimate variation is one of the most virtuosic for both musicians, featuring thrillingly dramatic scales spanning the extreme low and high registers of each instrument. This, in turn, leads into the final variation, which is a series of double-stop sixteenth notes that charge all the way to the finish line in breath-taking culmination.
SCHUBERT
- Allegro Moderato from Arpeggione Sonata D.821
Invented in 1823, the Arpeggione was a combination between a guitar and a cello: it had a fretted fingerboard and six strings, and was tuned like a guitar, but was positioned to be played between the legs and bowed, like a cello. Schubert composed this Sonata in 1824. It is thought the first performance was given by Schuster, an early exponent and Schubert himself on the piano.
KODÁLY
- First movement (Allegro serioso, non troppo) from Duo forViolin and Cello Op .7
Kodaly’s pioneering work in the study and collection of ethnic music involved visiting remote villages and recording folk songs. Formally trained, Kodaly was also influenced by the music of Debussy who, in turn, was influenced by Indonesian music and American jazz. He wrote the Duo in 1914 at the start of World War I and it is a case study in the fusion of classical forms with folk melodies and rhythm.
VILLA-LOBOS
- Bachianas Brasileiras No 5 (Aria)
Fifth of a set of nine works inspired by both Bach and Brazilian folkloric musical forms, this was originally written for eight cellos and soprano. Villa-Lobos later made an arrangement for soprano and guitar. Tonight, the cello takes the soprano line and with guitar accompaniment.
RAVEL
- Pièce en forme de Habanera
Written in 1907 as a ´vocalise´ (a song without words) for bass and piano. The famous Habanera rhythm (also used in Bizet´s Carmen) originated in Havana, Cuba during the eighteenth-century colonial period. The slow and sensual ambience of Spain and Cuba on the guitar complements the winding, gypsy-like melody on the violin.
ALBÉNIZ
- Mallorca Op. 202
Although written for the piano, Albéniz´s works frequently emulate the guitar. One of his most famous works is his Suite Española, depicting scenes, towns and cities of Spain. In Mallorca and one can hear the sea and feel the mystery of this beautiful Spanish island steeped in ancient Moorish history.
DE FALLA
- Siete canciones populares españolas
“Seven Spanish Folksongs” is a 1914 set of traditional Spanish songs originally arranged for soprano and piano. The styles and provenance of the songs are strikingly diverse. They are from different parts of Spain: an asturiana is from Asturias, in the north; the seguidilla, a type of flamenco, from Murcia, in the southeast, “Jota” is from Aragón in the northeast.
BARTOK
- Six Roumanian Folk Dances
This collection of dances is based upon the fiddle-tunes of the Transylvanian districts and vary in mood from the vital haughtiness of the Stick Dance, to the insinuating flirtatiousness of the Sash Dance, the Orientalism of the dance to be performed “In one spot,” the gentility of the Horn Dance, the rhythmic lift of the Romanian polka, and the bold vigour of the final two dances.
Notes – Ball, Johnston and Szymanski 2024