Edward German (1862-1936) - orchestral and dramatic works

[albion]

1883 – The Guitar, for string orchestra (St James's Hall, London, 27th June 1883)
1884 – Bolero, for violin and orchestra (St James's Hall, London, 4th July 1884) (lost)
c.1885 – Antigone, incidental music
1886 – The Two Poets, operetta (Royal Academy of Music, London, July 1886) [revised as The Rival Poets, 1901]
1887 – Symphony No.1 in E minor (St James's Hall, London, 16th July 1887)
1889 – Richard III, overture and incidental music (Globe Theatre, London, 16th March 1889)
1890 - Marche solennelle in D minor, for orchestra (St James's Hall, London, 15th January 1891)
1891 – Overture on German Airs (lost)
1891-92 – Henry VIII, overture and incidental music (Lyceum Theatre, London, 5th January 1892)
           Gipsy Suite, for orchestra (Crystal Palace, London, 20th February 1892)
1893 – The Tempter, overture and incidental music (Haymarket Theatre, London, 20th September 1893)
           Symphony No.2 in A minor, The Norwich (Norwich Festival, 4th October 1893)
1895 – Romeo and Juliet, prelude and incidental music (Lyceum Theatre, London, 21st September 1895)
           Symphonic Suite in D minor, The Leeds (Leeds Festival, 3rd October 1895)
1895-6 - Michael and His Lost Angel, incidental music (Lyceum Theatre, London, 15th January 1896) (lost)
1896 – As You Like It, overture and incidental music (St James's Theatre, London, 1896)
1897 – In Commemoration (Queen's Hall, London, 17th June 1897) [revised as March Rhapsody on Original Themes, 1902]
            Hamlet, symphonic poem (Birmingham Festival, 5th October 1897)
1897-98 – Much Ado About Nothing, overture and incidental music (St James's Theatre, London, 16th February 1898)
1899 – The Seasons, symphonic suite (Norwich Festival, 5th October 1899)
1900 – English Nell (Nell Gwyn), overture and incidental music (Prince of Wales's Theatre, London, 2nd August 1900)
1901 - The Emerald Isle; or, The Caves of Carrig-Cleena, comic opera (Savoy Theatre, London, 27th April 1901) [completion of unfinished comic opera by Arthur Sullivan]
1902 – Merrie England, comic opera (Savoy Theatre, London, 2nd April 1902)
1902-03 – A Princess of Kensington, comic opera (Savoy Theatre, London, 22nd January 1903)
1904 – Welsh Rhapsody, for orchestra (Cardiff Festival, 21st September 1904)
1905 – The Conqueror, incidental music (Scala Theatre, London, 23rd September 1905)
1906-07 – Tom Jones, comic opera (Prince's Theatre, Manchester, 30th March 1907)
1909 – Fallen Fairies; or, The Wicked World (Savoy Theatre, London, 15th December 1909)
1911 – Coronation March and Hymn (Westminster Abbey, London, 22nd June 1911) [based on music to Henry VIII]
1918-19 – Theme and Six Diversions, for orchestra (Queen's Hall, London, 26th March 1919)
1922 – The Willow Song, tone picture (Royal Academy of Music, London, 19th July 1922)

Commercial recordings -

Symphony No.1 in E minor (Dutton CDLX 7156)
Richard III, overture (Marco Polo 8.223695)
Marche solennelle in D minor (Dutton CDLX 7285)
Henry VIII, overture and incidental music (Dutton CDLX 7285; Marco Polo 8.223419 [Three Dances only])
Gipsy Suite (Marco Polo 8.223419)
The Tempter, overture (Dutton CDLX 7156) and incidental music (Dutton CDLX 7285; Marco Polo 8.223419 [Berceuse* only])
Symphony No.2 in A minor, The Norwich (Dutton CDLX 7202; Marco Polo 8.223726)
Romeo and Juliet, prelude (Dutton CDLX 7156) and incidental music (Dutton CDLX 7285; Marco Polo 8.223419)
Symphonic Suite in D minor, The Leeds (Dutton CDLX 7202; Marco Polo 8.223726 [Valse Gracieuse only])
March Rhapsody on Original Themes (Dutton CDLX 7202)
Hamlet, symphonic poem (Dutton CDLX 7156)
Much Ado About Nothing, overture and incidental music (Dutton CDLX 7285)
The Seasons, symphonic suite (Marco Polo 8.223695)
English Nell, overture and incidental music (Marco Polo 8.223419)
The Emerald Isle; or, The Caves of Carrig-Cleena (Pearl GEMS 0189)
Merrie England (EMI CFP 575767-2)
Welsh Rhapsody (Marco Polo 8.223726; EMI CFP 352405-2)
Tom Jones (Naxos 8.660270-71)
Coronation March and Hymn (Dutton CDLX 7285)
Theme and Six Diversions (Marco Polo 8.223695)
The Willow Song, tone picture (Dutton CDLX 7156)

* incorrectly listed on the disc as from The Conqueror

Downloads -

The Seasons, symphonic suite
The Conqueror, incidental music

[Balapoel]

Here are the other works:

Chamber

Nocturne (1882)
Trio in D for Violin, Violincello, and Pianoforte (c. 1883)
Bolero (1883)
Chanson d'Amour (1880s)
Barcarolle (1880s)
Album Leaf (1880s)
Sprites' Dance (1880s)
Saltarelle (for woodwinds) (1889)
Scotch Sketch for 2 Violins and Pianoforte (1890)
Moto Perpetuo Pour Violin Accompagnement de Piano (1890)
Pastorale and Bourrée (for woodwinds) (1891)
Suite: Three Pieces (for woodwinds) (1892)
Andante and Tarantella (for woodwinds) (1892)
Romance (for woodwinds) (1892)
Intermezzo (for woodwinds) (1894)
Serenade (for chamber ensemble) (1890's)
Souvenir for Violin and Pianoforte (1896)
Three Sketches: "Valsette", "Souvenir", "Bolero" (1897)
Song without Words (1898)
Early One Morning (for woodwinds) (1900)

Opera/Incidental Music

The Two Poets (1886), later revised as The Rival Poets (1901)
Richard III (1889)
Henry VIII (1892)
The Tempter (1893)
Romeo and Juliet (1893)
Michael and his Lost Angel (1896)
As You Like It (1896)
Much Ado about Nothing (1898)
English Nell (1900), later known as Nell Gwyn
The Emerald Isle (1901; completion of the opera left unfinished by Sullivan at his death)
Merrie England (1902)
A Princess of Kensington (1903)
The Conqueror (1905)
Tom Jones (1907)
Fallen Fairies (1909)

Keyboard

Andante in B Flat (for organ) (1880s)
Suite for Pianoforte: "Impromptu", "Valse Caprice", "Bourrée", "Elegy", "Mazurka", "Tarantella" (1889)
Four Pianoforte Duets (1890)
Graceful Dance in F (1891)
Polish Dance in E (1891)
Valse in A Flat (1891)
Album Leaf (1892)
Intermezzo in A Minor (1892)
Valsette in e minor Piano (1892)
Minuet in G (1893)
Concert Study in A Flat (1894)
Second Impromptu (1894)
Gipsy Suite: Four Characteristic Dances -duet- (1895)
Melody in E Flat (1895)
Suite for Four Hands (1896)
Columbine Air de Ballet (1898)
Abendlied "Evensong" (1900)
Melody in E. "The Queen's Carol" (1905)

Vocal

Te Deum in F (1885)
The Chase (1886)
Antigone (c 1887)
O Lovely May (1894)
Who is Sylvia? (1894)
Banks of the Bann (1899)
Just So Songs (originally written for solo voice in 1903, part-song arrangements by the composer from 1916–1933)
Canada Patriotic Hymn (1904)
O Peaceful Night (1904)
Introit: Bread of Heaven (1908)
Grace: Non Nobis Domine (1911)
Pure as the Air (1911)
The Three Knights (1911)
Beauteous Morn (1912)
In Praise of Neptune (1912)
My Bonnie Lass (1912)
Sleeping (1912)
Sweet Day So Cool (1912)
Morning Hymn (1912)
Intercessory Hymn: Father Omnipotent (1915)
Have You News of My Boy Jack? (1916)
London Town (1920)
Rolling Down to Rio
All Friends Around the Wrekin: A Song of Shropshire
Big Steamers
Be Well Assured (from The Fringes of the Fleet)
Charming Chloe
Cupid at the Ferry
Love the Pedlar
Sea Lullaby
Heigh Ho
Bird of Blue
Glorious Devon
Who'll Buy My Lavender?
Recompense

[albion]

In retrospect, it is a pity that German was deflected from writing a Violin Concerto (promised for the Leeds Festival of 1901) in order to concentrate on completing The Emerald Isle: although he was perhaps the sole purveyor of quality light opera in the Edwardian decade (leaving aside many splendid musical comedies), this concerto might have led to a reinvigoration of his concert work. The continued pursuit of success in comic opera led instead to the debacle of Fallen Fairies (ironically a highly accomplished and attractive score) which effectively traumatised the composer to the extent that he more or less gave up on composition.

[semloh]

Albion - I think your list of recordings testifies to the debt that lovers of German's music owe to Dutton! Still, there's so much that isn't recorded.

Which unrecorded work of his would you most like to see on CD?

[albion]

Albion - I think your list of recordings testifies to the debt that lovers of German's music owe to Dutton! Still, there's so much that isn't recorded.

Which unrecorded work of his would you most like to see on CD?

As is clearly the case, German has been very well served first by Marco Polo and latterly by Dutton. A better commercial recording of The Seasons would be very welcome (the Groves broadcast in the archive knocks spots off the Marco Polo version in terms of both orchestral playing and interpretation), as would complete professional recordings of The Emerald Isle and A Princess of Kensington.

[alberto]

Three Dances from Henry VIII and Three Dances from English Nell exist also on Emi Cd (1996 release , Sir Malcolm Sargent, "Pro Arte" Orch.).