Harold Darke 1888-1976

[Wheesht]

Coming across Harold Darke's symphony "Switzerland" from 1910-14 recently has prompted me to look for more information, and it turns out that although he was/is known chiefly for his choral and organ compositions, he also wrote orchestral, chamber and piano pieces.
His Wikipedia entry does not mention these, but they are listed in the library catalogue of the Royal College of Music.
Here's a list of works in that list dated from before 1918:
•   The Evening Cloud, for chorus and orchestra.  Full score in ink.  1905.
•   Concert Overture in D minor.  Full score in ink.  1907.
•   Works for piano (2 Pieces, op 2; 3 Concert Studies, op 7; 6 Characteristic Pieces, op 13; Variations on a theme of Beethoven, op 15; Fancies, op 18.  In ink, 1907-15.
•   Overture 'Lyonesse', op 5.  Full score in ink.  1908.
•   Quartet in B minor for clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano, op 6.  Full score in ink.  1908.
•   'Confitemini Domino': A Hymn of Thanksgiving, for chorus and orchestra, op 8.  Full score in ink.  1910.
•   'The Love that Passeth Knowledge': motet for solo bass, chorus, strings, organ and tympani, op 10. Full score in ink. 1909.
•   Phantasie for piano and orchestra, op 11. Full score in ink. 1910.
•   Symphony, op 12. Full score in ink. 1910-14.
•   'How lovely are thy dwellings fair', for chorus, soloists and string orchestra, op 16. Full score in ink. 1914.
•   Overture, op 17. Full score in ink. 1914.
•   The Beatitudes: cantata for chorus, soloists and orchestra, op 21. Full score in ink. 1916.
•   The Beatitudes: cantata for chorus, soloists and orchestra, op 21. Vocal score in ink. 1916

[Alan Howe]

Now that is interesting. Thanks.

[Wheesht]

I've changed published to dated, which is what I meant to write... they are, after all, manuscripts.

[semloh]

His beautiful Fantasy in E major, arranged for string orchestra, can be heard here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFDEa048t2s

That's a fascinating list Wheesht. Let's hope we will hear more of his music in the future.

[Martin Eastick]

There is, of course, his superb violin sonata in E minor, which some may not be aware of! https://www.em-records.com/discs/emr-cd029-details.html. Perhaps the title of the release somewhat conceals its contents. The Sumsion is not bad either, but forget the other item, which in any case, is not relevant here!

[dmitterd]

I can second Martin's recommendation of the violin sonata - it is excellent!

As a chorister, I've sung a fair number of works by Harold Darke and enjoyed them immensely. I'd been interested to see what his other works are like, and two years ago I wrote to the RCM to ask whether I might have permission to obtain copies of the piano works. They duly put me in touch with his son Michael who kindly gave permission to obtain scans. In my opinion, the unpublished piano works are very good and certainly are well worth publishing and performing.

In 2010, Michael wrote a 64-page book that was circulated to close friends and family, and a copy was given to the RCM. Of the Symphony, he writes:

"In the autumn of 1910, Harold started writing his Switzerland Symphony for full orchestra- 'in remembrance of a holiday in Switzerland, it is dedicated to my friends Mr and Mrs H B Calkin'. It was two years before this was completed. It was never published, but a first performance was given by the Guildford Symphony Orchestra. Later, Harold arranged it as a Sextet for strings, horn and piano."

cheers,
Daniel

[Wheesht]

Thank you to all who have contributed here. The Fantasy is indeed beautiful, both in the original form for organ and in the arrangement for string orchestra. I'll also consider getting the CD with his violin sonata, and I might even try to get the Zermatt festival interested in the symphony. The movement titles couldn't be more local! The Sextet for strings, horn and piano is not in the list of mss on the RCM website, though. I wonder if the movement titles are the same.

[eschiss1]

RCM certainly does list the sextet. 7877 a-b.

[Wheesht]

Indeed! Stupidly, I only looked at the top, where it said: 7304-7321 Manuscripts of Harold Darke, presented by his son Michael Harold Darke, 18 January 2000.

I feel a bit like the hunter in "Hellzapoppin'" who is told by the bear: "You missed me. You need glasses." (Except I already have glasses...). So the sextet was first and the symphony came later – or did it?

[eschiss1]

That happened with Klughardt too, though in his case the original sextet is lost.

[giles.enders]

Peter Horton, formerly of the Royal College is the expert on Harold Darke and was in touch with Darke's son before he died. For some years I have been trying to get someone interested enough to perform the Phantasie for piano and orchestra.

[dmitterd]

Having seen the manuscript of the Phantasie, it is certainly very worthy of performance/recording. I'm currently preparing a typeset edition that would enable such a performance to take place...watch this space!

cheers,
Daniel