Christian Darnton(1905-81): A Catalogue of the Orchestral and Choral Music

[Dundonnell]

Christian Darnton

Alan Bush was not the only British sympathiser with Soviet Russia in the period from the 1930s, through World War Two and into the 1950s. Christian Darnton was another British composer who, after a period of radical experimentation in the 1930s, simplified his musical style after 1945. He did not enjoy much support however from the BBC(an organisation which seemed prone to losing his scores ) and gave up composition altogether in the mid-1950s. It was not until 1970 that he returned to composition with the Concerto for Orchestra and the Symphony no.4 (both available here). Today Darnton is a largely forgotten figure, yet his early radicalism would win him admiration in some quarters if only his music received some exposure.

An interesting article by the Darnton expert Andrew Plant:

http://www.musicweb-international.com/darnton/darnton.htm

The catalogue below has been extremely difficult to compile and it is possible that there are more works listed which are in fact lost

CHRISTIAN DARNTON: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL AND CHORAL MUSIC

1924:   "Monet" for orchestra
              Two Preludes for orchestra, op.22
1925:    Sinfonietta for woodwind and brass, op.32
              Piece for Chamber Orchestra, op.17(2)
              Two Preludes for orchestra, op.25(1-2)
c.1925:  Overture
1926:   Concertino for Piano and Chamber Orchestra
c.1927-28:   Intermezzo for chamber orchestra
1928:   Violin Concerto
c.1928:  Overture "Ernste"
               Lustspieloverture
1929:     Movement for orchestra
1929-31:Symphony No.1
c.1930:   Violin Concerto
1933:   Piano Concerto
1933-34:Sinfonietta for chamber orchestra
1933-35:Concerto for Viola and Strings
1934:   Concerto for Harp and Winds (lost)
             Four Pieces in the First Position for strings(two sets)
             Three Easy Pieces in the First Position for strings
1935:   "Swansong"-Five Songs for Soprano and Orchestra (lost)
1936:   Sinfonia/Suite Concertante for Violin and Chamber Orchestra
1938:   Five Orchestral Pieces: 8 minutes
             Studies for strings
             Ballet "Floriana"
c.1939-40:Symphony No.2 "The Anagram" (lost)
1939-40:Triptych Variations for strings: 15 minutes
1941-42:Cantata "Ballad of Freedom" for tenor, narrator, chorus and orchestra
1943:   Overture "Stalingrad"
c.1944:   Two Songs for chorus and orchestra
1944-45/1961:   Symphony No.3
1946/1947:  Cantilena for strings
1948:   A Country Overture(A Comedy Overture)
             Concertino for Piano and Strings: 16 minutes   + (Naxos cd)
1952:   Cantata "Jet Pilot" for baritone, chorus and orchestra
1953:   Epic for orchestra: 12 minutes
1970-73:Concerto for Orchestra: 27 minutes   *
1975-78:Symphony No.4 (Twenty- Minute Symphony) "Diabolus in musica": 21 minutes   *
and   "A Set of Loves" for speaker, baritone, chorus and orchestra

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Once more, indispensable Dundonnell, much gratitude to you. When I spotted 'Christian Darnton', I thought (and I guess the reaction was common to many others): Who???

I confess I'd never heard of Darnton, which is odd since I thought myself reasonably knowledgeable on composers who had some contact with Lennox Berkeley. (Moral: look steadfastly at yourself in the bathroom mirror each morning and proclaim 'All of what I claim to know is very limited indeed!')

I went on to read (carefully, and I'd recommend it to others) the Andrew Plant article: that is fascinating stuff, and it made me think that Darnton is someone I really want to hear.

Later I recalled that I had encountered the name before. As you indicate in the catalogue there is a Naxos recording of the Piano Concertino. The CD is one in the 'British Piano Concertos' series where Peter Donohoe gives performances of four works. Naxos should be criticised here for two of the works (by Howard Ferguson and Roberto Gerhard) are shown on the CD cover, but the other two (by Alec Rowley and Darnton) merely appear in small print on the back cover. Shameful!

However I gave that CD a miss since I already have the really excellent recording of the Ferguson (and terrific work it is) by Howard Shelley, LSO / Hickox) that was released by EMI some years ago. And I further decided against the Naxos CD since there's a rather hostile comment by no less than Raymond Clarke on Amazon who refers to Donohoe's performance of the Ferguson as "pedantic, unimaginative and lacking in refinement" (whoops, oh dear!).

But the Naxos CD is now ordered to enable me to get to know at least one work by Darnton (and to test out Clarke's view!)

And from claims in the Andrew Plant article how I would relish hearing the Darnton string quartets. Fine as those works are, I think it wretched that we have something like 17 uniformly excellent recordings of the Britten quartets and none at all of composers like Darnton.

Hum, those Darnton quartets look an absolute natural for Toccata. How about it, Martin Anderson?!!!!

Many thanks again, Dundonnell.

[Elroel]

Hi Dundonnell,

I found your list with the works of Christian Darnton. Ialso didn't know this composer, until I found a piano concertino on Youtube.
This work was interesting enough wishing to hear and know more of this composer's work.
When I looked into my list of symphonies (over 16.000 now) I found his 3 S., but without any information. Thanks to you I no a little more now.

Elroel

[Dundonnell]

Yes...an interesting composer (and character ).

You can, of course, listen to the Concerto for Orchestra(conducted by Colin Davis) and the Symphony No.4 on here