The Wand of Youth Suites No. 1 and No. 2 are works for full orchestra by the English composer Edward Elgar. The titles given them by Elgar were, in full: The Wand of Youth (Music to a Child's Play) First Suite, Op. 1a (1869–1907) and The Wand of Youth (Music to a Child's Play) Second Suite, (Op. 1b).
As a boy Elgar composed some tunes for use in a play staged by the young members of the Elgar family. He noted the tunes down in a sketchbook and in 1907, four decades later, he arranged the music as the two Wand of Youth suites. Elgar also used material from some of the dance music he wrote when as a young man he was employed at what was then the Worcester City and County Lunatic Asylum, now Powick Hospital. He gave the suites the opus number 1 in recognition that they were his earliest surviving compositions, albeit now scored for full orchestra with the mature Elgar’s mastery of orchestration. Many years later Benjamin Britten followed Elgar’s precedent using his own juvenilia as the basis of his Simple Symphony.
The two suites were published by Novello & Co. in 1908.
First Suite
The First Suite is dedicated "To my friend C. Lee Williams".[1] It consists of seven sections:
1. Overture
2. Serenade
3. Minuet (Old Style)
4. Sun Dance
5. Fairy Pipers
6. Slumber Scene
7. Fairies and Giants
It was first performed at the Queen's Hall, London on 14 December 1907, conducted by Henry Wood.
The Second Suite is dedicated "To Hubert A. Leicester, Worcester".[2]
It has six sections:
1. March
2. The Little Bells (Scherzino)
3. Moths and Butterflies (Dance)
4. Fountain Dance
5. The Tame Bear
6. The Wild Bears
It was first performed at Worcester (as part of the Three Choirs Festival) on 9 September 1908, conducted by the composer.
The suite contains excerpts from music Elgar composed for the Powick Asylum in 1879. The first movement "March" is the opening of the 3rd quadrille of "Die Junge Kokette", and the last movement "The Wild Bears" is from the 5th quadrille of "L'Assomoir".
It is scored for 2 flutes (2nd player with piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B♭ & A, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in B♭ , 3 trombones, tuba, timpani (3), 3 percussionists (with tambourine, bass drum & cymbals, side drum & triangle), harp and string section. Not all these instruments are played in all sections.
Selective discography
Though the complete suites are not frequently programmed in the concert hall, individual numbers are, and were required repertoire for small salon orchestras from c.1910 through to the 1960s. The length of these individual pieces was well-suited to 78 rpm recordings, and they were recorded under the baton of the composer and by several other conductors. In the era of the LP record a full Suite (each lasting around 20 minutes) fitted conveniently on one side of a disc. The suites have continued to be recorded on CD, often in tandem with other shorter pieces by Elgar such as the Nursery Suite.
Reed, W. H., Elgar, J M Dent & Sons Ltd, London, 1939
Notes to recordings listed above by LPO/Boult and RLPO/Handley
Notes
^Charles Lee Williams, Mus.B. was a former organist of Gloucester Cathedral, nicknamed the 'Father of the Three Choirs'.
^Hubert Leicester was a boyhood friend of the composer, who played the clarinet in Elgar's wind quintet while young Edward played the bassoon and cello.
wand, youth, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, 202. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources The Wand of Youth news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Wand of Youth Suites No 1 and No 2 are works for full orchestra by the English composer Edward Elgar The titles given them by Elgar were in full The Wand of Youth Music to a Child s Play First Suite Op 1a 1869 1907 and The Wand of Youth Music to a Child s Play Second Suite Op 1b First page of Suite No 1 Contents 1 History 2 First Suite 3 Second Suite 4 Selective discography 5 References 6 Notes 7 External linksHistory EditAs a boy Elgar composed some tunes for use in a play staged by the young members of the Elgar family He noted the tunes down in a sketchbook and in 1907 four decades later he arranged the music as the two Wand of Youth suites Elgar also used material from some of the dance music he wrote when as a young man he was employed at what was then the Worcester City and County Lunatic Asylum now Powick Hospital He gave the suites the opus number 1 in recognition that they were his earliest surviving compositions albeit now scored for full orchestra with the mature Elgar s mastery of orchestration Many years later Benjamin Britten followed Elgar s precedent using his own juvenilia as the basis of his Simple Symphony The two suites were published by Novello amp Co in 1908 First Suite EditThe First Suite is dedicated To my friend C Lee Williams 1 It consists of seven sections 1 Overture 2 Serenade 3 Minuet Old Style 4 Sun Dance 5 Fairy Pipers 6 Slumber Scene 7 Fairies and GiantsIt was first performed at the Queen s Hall London on 14 December 1907 conducted by Henry Wood It is scored for 2 flutes 2 oboes 2 clarinets in B amp A 2 bassoons 4 horns in F 2 trumpets in B amp C 3 trombones tuba timpani 3 2 percussionists with bass drum amp cymbals triangle amp snare drum harp and string section Not all these instruments are played in all sections Second Suite EditThe Second Suite is dedicated To Hubert A Leicester Worcester 2 It has six sections 1 March 2 The Little Bells Scherzino 3 Moths and Butterflies Dance 4 Fountain Dance 5 The Tame Bear 6 The Wild BearsIt was first performed at Worcester as part of the Three Choirs Festival on 9 September 1908 conducted by the composer The suite contains excerpts from music Elgar composed for the Powick Asylum in 1879 The first movement March is the opening of the 3rd quadrille of Die Junge Kokette and the last movement The Wild Bears is from the 5th quadrille of L Assomoir It is scored for 2 flutes 2nd player with piccolo 2 oboes 2 clarinets in B amp A 2 bassoons 4 horns in F 2 trumpets in B 3 trombones tuba timpani 3 3 percussionists with tambourine bass drum amp cymbals side drum amp triangle harp and string section Not all these instruments are played in all sections Selective discography EditThough the complete suites are not frequently programmed in the concert hall individual numbers are and were required repertoire for small salon orchestras from c 1910 through to the 1960s The length of these individual pieces was well suited to 78 rpm recordings and they were recorded under the baton of the composer and by several other conductors In the era of the LP record a full Suite each lasting around 20 minutes fitted conveniently on one side of a disc The suites have continued to be recorded on CD often in tandem with other shorter pieces by Elgar such as the Nursery Suite Mono London Symphony Orchestra Sir Edward Elgar London Philharmonic Orchestra Eduard van BeinumStereo London Philharmonic Orchestra Sir Adrian Boult Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Raymond Leppard Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields Sir Neville Marriner English String Orchestra William Boughton Ulster Orchestra Bryden Thomson Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Vernon Handley New Zealand Symphony Orchestra James Judd Welsh National Opera Orchestra Sir Charles MackerrasReferences EditReed W H Elgar J M Dent amp Sons Ltd London 1939 Notes to recordings listed above by LPO Boult and RLPO HandleyNotes Edit Charles Lee Williams Mus B was a former organist of Gloucester Cathedral nicknamed the Father of the Three Choirs Hubert Leicester was a boyhood friend of the composer who played the clarinet in Elgar s wind quintet while young Edward played the bassoon and cello External links EditThe Wand of Youth Suite No 1 Scores at the International Music Score Library Project The Wand of Youth Suite No 2 Scores at the International Music Score Library Project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Wand of Youth amp oldid 1111749409, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
