The Carnegie Ensemble - A Centenary Concert for Percy Hilder Miles
18 April 2022
To celebrate the Centenary of Percy Hilder Miles’s death, The Carnegie Ensemble performed a concert at The Exchange in memory and celebration of Miles and his music. Find below the concert programme, and history of the pieces.
Find out more about Percy Hilder Miles here.
Sextet in G minor (1917) for 2 Violins, 2 Violas, Cello and Bass 35’
Percy Hilder Miles - Age 35
1. Moderato
2. Vivace-Trio-Vivace-Trio-Vivace
3. Adagio non troppo
4. Allegro
In January 1919, Percy entered (according to one of his letters), in a “rather half-hearted way” his string sextet for another prize: the Carnegie Trust Award. Later, in May, Percy wrote to his brother Maurice in Canada:
“The Carnegie Trust’s announcement was in yesterday’s Telegraph; 5 works were chosen for publication out of 64 sent in- one is by Stanford. The official note against my Sextet is: “A most valuable addition to the repertoire of Chamber Music, which it represents in its purest form”.
Part of the reason for the selection was the unusual combination of instruments. The famous string sextets of Brahms, Dvorak and Tchaikovsky used 2 cellos rather than cello and bass. There are extremely few examples of this combination, even today. But Percy found himself in distinguished company, as the other award winners included Gustav Holst, Charles Stanford and George Dyson. Along with the prize money (£200) was the publication of the score and parts by Stainer and Bell. It is one of a handful of Percy’s works still available to purchase today.
Although a chamber work, Percy noted that in feel it was rather “orchestral”, perhaps the addition of the double bass was responsible. But he was very fond of using the bass, indeed he composed 3 bass quintets and used it in other chamber works with piano.
The first movement feels symphonic in scale and runs for nearly 10 minutes. The second, a fast Vivace, is unusual in that it comprises not one but two Trio sections; the first uses just 2 violas and a cello, the second, two violins and a viola. The third movement is based on a beautiful, wistful melody introduced by the violin at the outset. It has a slight Scottish feel, bearing a passing resemblance to "Auld Lang Syne” in its shape and rhythm. The finale is a quick and bracing movement, including passages Percy thought reminiscent of Brahms and Dvorak, two of his great chamber music heroes. This spirited movement ends with a race to the finish line.
INTERVAL
“Jupiter” Septet in E flat (1897) for Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Violin, Viola, Cello and Bass 30’
1. Not too fast
2. Scherzo- not too quickly
3. Slowly, with expression
4. Rondo- moderately, without haste
In the Musical Times of 1st July 1898, there is a review of a concert of student pieces written for a prize given by one Mr Lesley Alexander-
Percy Hilder Miles - Age 6
“At the London Organ School and International College of Music[1] on May 27th, the performances of compositions written for the prize by Mr Alexander took place……a “highly commended” production was Percy Hilder Miles’ Septet in E flat…. entrusted to the safe hands of Messrs Arthur Payne, Channell, Hambleton, Winterbottom, Draper, Borsdorf and James. The third (slow) movement made a favourable impression”.
Percy was a 19 year-old student at the Royal Academy of Music in 1897. He frequently submitted his compositions for the various prizes on offer (usually financial). The names of the performers are significant as they were the top London players of the time- violinist Arthur Payne being the Leader of the Queen's Hall Orchestra and later went on to be the first leader of the London Symphony Orchestra; similarly, the horn player Adolf Borsdorf was one of the members of the Queen's Hall Orchestra who broke away in 1904 to form the LSO. It is hard to imagine the new work having a better start in life!
The obvious influence for this slightly unusual piece is the Septet by Beethoven, in the same key of E flat, composed 100 years earlier. It is also scored for the same combination of instruments, though why Percy chose the subtitle “Jupiter” is anybody’s guess- perhaps he thought the music had a certain loftiness and grandness of scale, in line with Mozart’s “Jupiter” symphony.
Where Beethoven’s work is in six movements, Percy’s has four. The first is moderately fast, the second, a jaunty Scherzo and Trio in 6/8 time, the third an expressive Adagio with a beautiful horn melody, and the Finale is a Rondo. The breezy main theme recurs throughout the Rondo until a contrasting sad theme arrives on the bassoon in the middle of the movement. The piece ends joyfully in the home key of E flat major.
[1] This college, (originally in Cavendish Square) merged with various other music and drama schools in 1935 to become the London Academy of Music & Drama (LAMDA).
The Carnegie Ensemble:
The Carnegie Ensemble was formed in 2017 and is comprised of members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, keen to explore the Chamber Music repertoire when their schedule permits. We are also helping to promote the works of the forgotten Erithian Romantic composer Percy Hilder Miles.
Performing on the day:
Anna Smith and Lucy Curnow – Violins
Philip Hall and Peter Mallinson – Violas
Michael Atkinson - Cello
Beverley Jones - Double bass
Jessica Lee – Clarinet
Steve Magee – Bassoon
Martin Owen - Horn