Parlett's Catalogue of music by Bax (1920-1924)

1926

Symphony No. 2: 276. Said to be in E minor and C, though Bax's tonal base was always somewhat fluid. This one is richly thematic and typical of the "brazen romantic" that Bax declared himself to be, though he also says that its conception was associated with "much trouble and unhappiness". In some respects the mood recalls November Woods (1917).
Romantic Overture: 277. For chamber orchestra and piano, written at the home of "Peter Warlock" (Philip Heseltine) at Eynsford, Kent.
Walsinghame: 278. Tenor, soprano obbligato, chorus (SATB) and orchestra. Text: 16th century, attributed (questionably) to Walter Raleigh. The poem was introduced to Bax by Philip Heseltine.
Piano Sonata No. 3: 279. In three movements, unlike its predecessors (in one), but like the unnumbered third that was subsequently converted into a symphony (No 1). Bax said its composition gave him a lot of trouble, which is surprising for something that turned out so well. According to Harriet Cohen "The first [movement] was once strangely used by Marie Rambert as the basis of a ballet on the death of Cuchullain. Bax did not think this experiment a success".
Three Carols: 280. Arrangements for voice and piano of
   (1) Haut, haut, Peyrot (baritone)
   (2) Laisse-quy tas affaires (contralto)
   (3) Guillô, pran ton tamborin (voice, piano, flute, tambourine)
Texts: Presumably A Book of Old Carols (London 1907), ed. Massé and Scott. Arrangements known only from newspaper reports of their premiere and of another performance at the Wigmore Hall on 16 December 1930. The flute and piano scoring was no doubt influenced by the inclusion in the programme of Now is the Time of Christymas (247), written for men's chorus, flute and piano. (Although Bax writes a part for tambourine, the 'tamborin' of the title is in fact a narrow Provençal drum.)
In the Morning - On the Bridge - Out and Away: 281 - 283. For voice and piano; texts respectively A E Housman, Thomas Hardy, James Stephens.
I sing of a Maiden: 266. For five unaccompanied voices (SAATB). Text: Anonymous, 15th century. The referend is Mary the mother of Jesus. Philip Heseltine ("Peter Warlock") wrote to Bax: "I am delighted with 'I sing of a maiden'. It is by a very long way the best setting of the poem that has been made, and it should be quite thrilling in performance". (Entry previously misdated 1923.)
Ballad (for violin and piano): 300. Revision of the 1916 original (GP181), of which Bax wrote (to its dedicatee Winifred Small) "It turned up two years ago and I revised it heavily and put it in a drawer and never thought of it again. Today I believe it is rather good - it's a wild stormy thing". (Previously misdated 1929.)

1927

Fantasy Sonata: 284. A beautiful piece in a surprising number of movements (four) for the unusual combination of viola and harp. It was first performed and recorded by Raymond Jeremy (viola) and harpist Maria Korchinska, its dedicatee.
Three Songs from the Norse: 285. (1) Irmelin Rose, (2) Lad Vaaren Komme, (3) Venevil. Text: J P Jacobsen (1-2), Bjørnstjerne Bjørnsen (3).
Concerto in D Minor by Antonio Vivaldi (RV 540) (arr): 286. A "rather free arrangement" (G.P.) for harp and string quartet.
Hardanger: 287. Short piece or two pianos, dedicated to Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson. "Hardanger is a district on the west coast of Norway, and Bax's piece is in the style of a Norwegian 'halling', a reel-like dance adopted by Grieg in several of his works. The legend 'With acknowledgments to Grieg' appears at the head of the score" (G.P.)
Overture, Elegy and Rondo: 288. A quasi-sinfonietta, very representative of the composer's thematic and orchestral style, and justifiably described by him as "Amongst my brightest and most optimistic compositions". It makes a good companion piece to the structurally similar Sinfonietta of 1933.
Violin Sonata No. 3: 289. Violin and piano. In two movements, the second containing a section designated "planxty". For its definition, the Oxford English Dictionary quotes a 19th-century musical dictionary thus: "A harp tune of a sportive and animated character, moving in triplets... slower than a jig". According to the Wikipedia entry, however, "[It] is believed to be a corruption of the Irish word and popular toast "sláinte", meaning "good health". Others claim that the word is not Irish in origin but comes from the Latin "plangere," meaning to strike or beat...)
Fantasia by J. S. Bach (BWV 572) (arr): 290. No 2 in A Bach Book for Harriet Cohen, with arrangements by 11 other British composers.

1928

Sonata for Flute and Harp: 291. Dedicated to Count Benckendorff, husband of harpist Maria Korchinska. Rearranged in 1936 as a Concerto (for seven instruments, so better regarded as a Septet).
Violin Sonata in F: 292. Bax's 4th violin sonata is better known in its more engaging rearrangement as a Nonet (1930).
The Devil that Tempted St. Anthony: 293. Piece for two pianos dedicated to Bartlett and Robertson, possibly revised from the now lost piano solo of the same title dated 1920. "The title refers to St Antony the Abbot, whom the Devil's temptations failed to deflect from the path of righteousness. He [later became] the patron saint of basket-makers, butchers, domestic animals, and grave-diggers" (G.P.)
Pæan (Passacaglia): 294. A noisy little piano piece. Orchestrated, even more noisily, in 1938 (GP343).
Three Pieces: 295. For small orchestra, revised from Four Orchestral Pieces (1912)
   (a) Evening Piece
   (b) Irish Landscape
   (c) Dance in the Sunlight
"I think they have a certain freshness which might please, although of course they are unfashionably romantic" (A.B.)
The Poisoned Fountain: 296. Piece for two pianos dedicated to Bartlett and Robertson. "The programme behind this work comes from Irish mythology. The fountain of the title was the Secret Well of Segais, the source of knowledge, which stood on Sídhe Nectain, the hill of the water-god Nectan. Only the god and his three cupbearers could approach the fountain without burning their eyes. According to one version of the story, Nectan's wife, Boann, scorned the danger and walked round the fountain three times anticlockwise. The waters rose up in pursuit, drowning her and forming the river Boyne" (G.P.).

1929

Symphony No. 3: 297. Nominally in C, the Third combines the emotional depth of the Second with the tightly controlled structure of the First. An anvil-blow at the feroce climax of the first movement is particularly striking. (Or should be - in some performances it sounds more like a tin can.) The final section of the third movement, marked "Epilogue" for the first time in the cycle, is particularly satisfying. (Vaughan Williams quoted its theme in the finale of his Piano Concerto, written for Harriet Cohen, but later deleted it from the score.)
Sonata for two Pianos: 298. Yet another dedication to Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson, it is cast in the usual three movements, the third based on Hebridean dance rhythms.
Legend (for viola and piano): 299. A rather grim 10-minute piece.

BAXWORKS : 1925-1929

The music of Sir Arnold Bax (1883-1953)
Edited by David Parlett from the catalogue by Graham Parlett

1925

1926

1927

1928

1929