Vaughan Williams, Ralph: Nocturne & Scherzo, & Scherzo (parts) / Faber Music

Setting: String Quartet

Length: 60 pages

Publisher: Faber Music

Item number: 0571521754

ISMN: 9780571521753 / 978-0571521753

Hangszer/letét: Vonósnégyes

Terjedelem: 60 oldal

Kiadó: Faber Music

Katalógusszám: 0571521754

Of all his early chamber works, the 'Nocturne' is most clearly by the mature Vaughan Williams, almost anticipating the influence of Ravel which followed his lessons from the French composer in 1908. In the veiled beauty of its highly chromatic harmonies we hear already the tone-poet of the slow movement of 'A London Symphony', while in the fleet-footed 'Scherzo' there is already a French influence in the way the folk-song is subtly woven into the texture, only brief snatches of the tune being heard until the penultimate page when it receives fuller treatment. The work plays for about 10 minutes. The 1904 'Scherzo' is a vigorous march with fugal episodes which lasts some 6 minutes and may effectively be performed by itself.