Alan Rawsthorne

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

By a curious coincidence I have been listening to Rawsthorne's two violin concertos - both wonderful pieces. There is something in Rawsthorne's style that is oddly appealing. He is prickly and poetic at the same time... Why am I reminded of Raymond Chandler and Humphrey Bogart all of a sudden?!

[vandermolen]

By a curious coincidence I have been listening to Rawsthorne's two violin concertos - both wonderful pieces. There is something in Rawsthorne's style that is oddly appealing. He is prickly and poetic at the same time... Why am I reminded of Raymond Chandler and Humphrey Bogart all of a sudden?!

An excellent analysis! 'Prickly and poetic' very true. 

[snyprrr]

Rawsthorne SQs 1-3; Theme & Variations for Two Violins/ Maggini Qrt> (NAXOS):



Finally!

I really wanted this to complement the Maggini's Arnold and Alwyn. Though I've never heard these SQs, I had the other Rawsthorne/NAXOS disc of his chamber music (which,...eh,mmm,uh,...is alright for what it's worth), so, I figured I knew what to expect.

The Th&V for Two Violins really has a nice tradjectory(?). It made me want to brush up on this combo (and get the Pettersson!). At this point (1937), I don't know who R is sounding like, it's just nice early modern sounding music.

SQ No.1 (1939) has everything I like in a piece from this year. It, too, is called Theme & Variations, and is in a sectional one mvmt., at 10mins. The Theme is a sinewy up-&-down motif that goes through the paces, maybe feeling a bit of Berg, I don't know. Pijper + Honegger + Berg + ?,... it's in the suburbs here. I like it, not much to say.

SQ No.2 (1954) is getting into the "poetic & thorny" typical '50s stuff, which I ALWAYS find instantly appealing and unappealing at the same time. It has that anonymous gruff and bittersweet yearning that wants to tend towards the hysterical (either R's grateful writing, or the Maggini's nicely recorded ensemble, tends to hold back just enough to keep from being grating). I know I've heard this stuff a hundred times by others, but I can't quite put my finger on it ((Chavez + Malipiero) - Bloch?). This kind of music always tends to challenge; I'm sure I'll warm to it.

I'm saving No.3 (1965) from the drive today. It's the one I am most interested in, though, I must say that I was immediately impressed with No.1.

It's probably not fair to apply a random moniker like "THe English Honegger", but, as the 2nd SQ's finale (more Th&Vs!) begins, that is what I feel like I'm hearing. I think I'm going to be listening to this a lot (makes me really look forward to the drive later!). I do wish I still had the other chamber disc (w/ Violin, Cello, Viola Sonatas, and Piano Trio (all fairly shortish)), but this music for SQ does seem to bring out just a tad "more" out of Rawsthorne than did those other works (which I just wasn't able to assign any personal importance to (yes, who? am I, indeed!)).

There is also a cd on ASV with the SQS (I think there is even an extra, "early" work). I've got to believe that someone here has these pieces, no?

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Thanks for the write-up, snyprrr!

[snyprrr]

Thanks for the write-up, snyprrr!

Thanks.

I did listen to No.3, and must say, of course, it is the most difficult sounding of the three. This is his late phase, after all. It pretty much continues on from No.2, though quite distilled and thorny (I've been failing to hear too much of the "poetic" side of the coin ). I'll tell you, I listened to this cd in the car driving in the snow the other day, and, it's NOT snow music, haha!

Therre is a bit of existential ennui in Rawsthorne, I'm thinking. He uses a lot of the rarified harmonies of angst, a la Schoenberg in his String Trio (1949), which od course makes sense. I think 2-3 are the epitome of "tough nuts to crack". Though I'm not totally won over by the sound of semi-hysterical expressionism, Rawsthorne seems to understand the ever increasing need, in his own particular lifetime, of this "way", and, perhaps, we can call him the "Faure of Expressionism"?

The 2violin variations, and SQ No.1 are immediately more attractive, though, they carry the seeds within themselves of the future explosions. I'll continue to work on 2-3.

[Sid]

I just reviewed this Rawsthorne disc on the "what are you listening to" thread & thought I'd post it here.

Rawsthorne
Theme & Variations for two violins (1937)
String Quartet No. 1 (Theme & Variations) (1939)
String Quartets Nos. 2 (1954) & 3 (1965)
Maggini Quartet
Naxos

[asin]B000I2IUWA[/asin]

I bought the Rawsthorne earlier this week, it is the first time I have heard his music. These works come from the 1930's to the '60's. Rawsthorne came from the North of England, and his music reflects the directness and no-nonsense attitude of how we tend to stereotype people from those parts. A book I have describes his music as having "terseness & tension." Norman Lebrecht wrote that he was kind of like a Birtwistle in embryo. Rawsthorne initially studied in Manchester, then went on to Berlin. His music shares a vagueness of tonality common in some other continental European composers around that time, like Frank Martin, Bartok, & especially Hindemith. They are "ambitonal" as one reviewer on Amazon aptly describes. These works are all short and to the point, four works fit onto an hour long disc. Here we have all of his string quartets, except for an unpublished one.

J. S. Bach's Double Violin Concerto immediately came to mind when I first heard the Theme & Variations for two violins. There is something very Baroque about the counterpoint here. This work consists of a theme and 9 variations, the 5th variation marked Notturno being the "pivot." At times I thought I was listening to four violins, not two, so complex are the harmonies here. This was the first work of Rawsthorne's to be recorded, one of the violinists back then in the late '30's was actually his wife.

The String Quartet No. 1 is subtitled Theme and Variations. Obviously, Rawsthorne liked this form. There is a theme and 6 variations, again a slow movement - the 4th movement Adagio - forming the heart of the work. This can be quite an approachable work, if you listen to it a few times.

The String Quartet No. 2 is my favourite work on the disc. The theme is stated at the beginning of the first and second movements. It makes me think of something like when you open a window and a strong rush of air comes into the room. The first and second movements are quite similar, almost as if the second one is like an "alternate take." The second movement has an intense and lyrical theme which leads into the third movement where the main theme is modified. This slow movement has a Bergian sombreness and intensity. The same material is slowed right down at the beginning of the final movement - which is a theme, 5 variations and coda, almost like a mini string quartet in itself. This concision reminds me of Webern, though the style is different. Here, the theme is disassembled & put back together again. There is some counterpoint in the middle which reminds me of Beethoven. The work ends mysteriously, with low notes from the cello accompanied by high notes on the other instruments.

The final String Quartet No. 3 is perhaps the most "difficult" work on the disc. At 7 minutes, the opening movement is the longest track on the disc. It opens with a fragmentary emotional theme played by the violin, which goes in and out of focus as it is taken up by the other instruments. The second movement marked Andante is the emotional core of the work. It has a feeling of mourning and suspension of time which reminds me of Bartok. The final movement is in a lighter mood, nimble and fast. Baroque like rhythms are mixed up with decidedly c20th dynamic shifts. Fragments of the second movement, with it's suspension of time return briefly, accented by heavy chords. The theme from the first movement closes the work.

All in all, I think this is pretty full on music, quite serious. In my limited experience, these works compare very well with other major string quartets of the c20th. I think that it is better to beging exploring Rawsthorne with these smaller scale works, because I imagine his orchestral works to be quite complex. I really enjoy the Magginis playing - I also have their Walton & Bliss discs, and I definitely want to get the Elgar.

[Mirror Image]

Sid, you really should hear Rawthorne's symphonies (he composed three in all). Man, these works are just oozing with 20th Century Modernism. The first and third symphonies share a common jagged or edgy quality which I love, but the second (titled "Pastoral Symphony") is a bit more mellow and has a lovely part for soprano in the final movement, it's so beautiful. You will enjoy these symphonies I'm quite certain. Next I would try to hear the concerti and then Symphonic Studies which isn't a very creative title, but titles aside, the music in this work is just awesome really grand stuff.

[Sid]

Yes, I want to get into his orchestral stuff some time down the track. But before that, I want to further explore his chamber output. That's how I tend to go about things with composers new to me, as chamber music is my favourite genre. So I want to get the other Naxos chamber disc, his music for piano & strings. One thing I like about Rawsthorne is that he really doesn't beat about the bush. A bit like Webern, he gets to the point very quickly, & is never long-winded. I like how his works are very concentrated and direct...

[Mirror Image]

Yes, I want to get into his orchestral stuff some time down the track. But before that, I want to further explore his chamber output. That's how I tend to go about things with composers new to me, as chamber music is my favourite genre. So I want to get the other Naxos chamber disc, his music for piano & strings. One thing I like about Rawsthorne is that he really doesn't beat about the bush. A bit like Webern, he gets to the point very quickly, & is never long-winded. I like how his works are very concentrated and direct...

Oh yes, he is very direct in his music. He's aggressive as hell in the first and third symphonies. Symphony No. 2 is a totally different sound-world, but still distinctively Rawsthorne.

[Mirror Image]

I can't believe this great composer only has two pages. For shame...

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I can't believe this great composer only has two pages. For shame...

Please enlighten me. I've never heard the works of Mr. R. I like a lot of mid-century Anglo-American symphonism: VW, Walton, Rubbra, Simpson, Schuman, Piston, Rochberg, guys like that. How does Rawsthorne stack up against them?

[Lethevich]

Your list is interesting, as Rawsthorne may act a bit of a missing link for you - he's more rough and tumble than the English lot you mention, and bar Simpson also more harmonically tough. MI will elaborate more, I'm sure.

A few samples should be all it takes to prick your ears up I'll wager

[vandermolen]

Works I especially like:

Symphonic Studies (Pitchard/Lyrita)

Symphony No 1 (Lyrita)

Piano Concerto No. 2 (Naxos/Lyrita/Chandos  etc)

The Cruel Sea (Chandos Film Music Series or Silva Screen) - my first encounter with this worthwhile composer.

[Mirror Image]

Please enlighten me. I've never heard the works of Mr. R. I like a lot of mid-century Anglo-American symphonism: VW, Walton, Rubbra, Simpson, Schuman, Piston, Rochberg, guys like that. How does Rawsthorne stack up against them?

Rawsthorne's music is highly dramatic, at times angular, dissonant, but with shades of light here and there. A lot of his music, especially the symphonies, which I have been listening to lately, are quite turbulent works. They have a certainly Simpson boldness to them, but unlike Simpson, Rawsthorne doesn't completely abandon a melody. Overall, I think if you're at all interested in 20th Century English composers, then you should try your hand at his music.

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Rawsthorne's music is highly dramatic, at times angular, dissonant, but with shades of light here and there. A lot of his music, especially the symphonies, which I have been listening to lately, are quite turbulent works. They have a certainly Simpson boldness to them, but unlike Simpson, Rawsthorne doesn't completely abandon a melody. Overall, I think if you're at all interested in 20th Century English composers, then you should try your hand at his music.

It's the presence of melody in Rawsthorne's music which makes it easier to latch on to. Simpson is all motive and development. To put it a bit harshly, Simpson sounds like desiccated Beethoven or Nielsen, a skeleton on the move... Rawsthorne, to quote myself, is both prickly and poetic, which makes his music much more attractive.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

Thanks for the feedback. He sounds like someone I would like.

I see he also studied dentistry. I wonder if this is reflected in his work (sounds of drilling, evocations of pain, etc.).

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

Thanks for the feedback. He sounds like someone I would like.

I see he also studied dentistry. I wonder if this is reflected in his work (sounds of drilling, evocations of pain, etc.).

Haha! As I said, he is rather prickly...

[springrite]

Thanks for the feedback. He sounds like someone I would like.

I see he also studied dentistry. I wonder if this is reflected in his work (sounds of drilling, evocations of pain, etc.).

Oh，you forgot polishing as in dental hygiene. 

[Sid]

I read that he also studied architecture, so it's obvious that a certain sense of structure would be present in his music. & dentists do detailed work, so that sense of detail isn't missing from his music either (at least of what I've heard so far, which is the Naxos string quartets disc)...

[J.Z. Herrenberg]

I have found, when listening to Rawsthorne, that local anaesthetic and a glass of water never came amiss.