William Henry Reed String Quartets 4 & 5

[Dr Gradus]

I return to this site after a long absence to alert members to a project I have been working on for a while, that is about to come to the first stages of fruition...

William Henry Reed (1876-1942) has not been much performed since his death in 1942, and there is currently only one disc of his music available - Dutton's recording of his works for violin.

For some time my string quartet, Cirrus, and I have been working on the idea of making a disc of some of his works for string quartet, and I am happy to say we are nearly there.

Only Reed's Quartet no. 5, which placed in the 1915 Cobbett Prize, was ever published, but the score and parts of his Fourth, and a couple of smaller works, are held in MS in the RCM Library. I have now edited the Fourth and have nearly finished one smaller piece, Legende, and we hope to go into the studio in mid February to put down the Fifth and these two pieces.

It's remarkably good stuff - written by a man not only with a deep and practical knowledge of string technique, but also a remarkably good ear for timbre and sound. The writing ranges from the most delicate to an Elgarian fullness. Harmonically and stylistically Elgar is there, of course, but also I would say some French influence and some similarity to VW and Bridge, Reed's near contemporaries. There is seriousness, whimsy, passion and sensitivity.

I hope this may arouse some interest.

[Alan Howe]

This is exceptionally interesting news. Please keep us informed of your progress.

[Dr Gradus]

I certainly shall! I hope also to publish the results of my editing labours in some form eventually. Getting up close and personal with manuscripts is something I thought I'd put behind me 40 years ago when I opted for conservatoire instead of university - it's been one of the most fascinating experiences of my professional life.

[matesic]

It certainly arouses mine so I'll await the CD with frenzied excitement (well, eager anticipation). I tackled the fifth quartet a number of years ago but it wasn't much fun playing from the score which is all they have on IMSLP. If you've discovered or created a set of parts it would be much appreciated if you're willing to upload them.

[Alan Howe]

The Cirrus Quartet:
https://www.cirrusstringquartet.com/theplayers

[Dr Gradus]

Alas, with regard to parts of Reed 5 all I have is my own - we sourced our set, I believe, from the library in Cambridge U, and the other players, of course, have their parts. But there are parts in the BL IIRC. I really ought to go and scan them. When I feel confident enough about the work I've done on 4 and the Legende I'll see about it - but, to be honest, I might try and sell a few copies of them; they are the product of many hours' work. Though I appreciate that's not a popular position to take, these days. That's a decision I've not yet taken.

[Gareth Vaughan]

World Cat lists sets of parts at RCM, University of Cambridge Library, Trinity College Dublin and University of Columbia Library, as well as BL.

[matesic]

I suspect scanning library material and uploading it to IMSLP would bring down the full wrath of the law, or at least the disapproval of the librarian. One day (actually more like one month) I may get around to transcribing my score of Billy Reed 5 to create parts and then upload them. Charles Wood's 8 quartets were in a similar state semi-limbo since all but two of them were only printed and published as scores, manuscript parts available for hire from OUP and now probably long gone. At least transcribing those scores was a lot easier than deciphering manuscripts.

[Dr Gradus]

Well, as I said above but perhaps did not make clear, our set of parts were copied from the ones in Uni of Cam, or so I believe. And they're long out of copyright. So it ought to be possible to scan and upload them, and I might ask our cellist (whose parts they are) if I can do so. But that'll obvs be after the recording. I do agree that the music should be out there - otherwise, I wouldn't be doing this at all!

[matesic]

No problem with the copyright but a question of property. I may be wrong but you may find the library only allows copying of their material for "personal" use. Not that they stand to gain anything by prohibiting dissemination, but in my experience librarians like to stick to the letter of the law.

[Dr Gradus]

Thanks for that clarification. I understand.

What I DO have, and will explore perhaps a little further, is scans of a manuscript set of parts of Quartet 5. These were taken from the RCM Archive about 15 years ago, for the person who then, many years later, passed them on to me. I will contact the RCM to see how they feel with my disseminating them. I have promised them sets of the scores and parts I have made for Quartet 4 and the Legende, so they may be favourably disposed. But, bearing in mind what you have said, I will approach them with respect. Again, this would be after the recording takes place.

[Martin Eastick]

I do have a set of parts for the 5th Quartet, in A minor, which Croydon Public Libraries were discarding some 30 years ago, and which I was lucky enough to obtain with much other "redundant" material at that time! I do not have the ability to scan this, but I am happy to help in any way that i can for anyone interested.

[matesic]

Thanks Martin, I'll PM you

[rosflute]

This composer is new to me. Thanks for the introduction. I like what I am hearing.

[Dr Gradus]

Just found a 1923 review of the "Legende" we will be recording: "like all Mr. Reed's work, it shows a refined and sensitive quality of musical thought and considerable ingenuity in quartet-writing." Which is absolutely true.