Alun Hoddinott(1929-2008): A Catalogue of the Orchestral and Choral Music

[Dundonnell]

This has been, without any doubt at all, the most complex and difficult catalogue to compile and has taken several days to complete   Hoddinott wrote an immense amount of music in all forms. Even within certain single opus numbers there are several works numbered. There is a comprehensive bio-bibliography compiled by Stewart Craggs and the catalogue of compositions in that work runs to 170 pages. I have only had access to certain parts of this book but the catalogue below is as comprehensive as can be found anywhere else on the net. There will, doubtless, be certain omissions but-I hope-only a limited number

ALUN HODDINOTT: A CATALOGUE OF THE ORCHESTRAL AND CHORAL MUSIC

1946:   Rhapsody for Violin and Orchestra
1947:   Adagio for Strings
             Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra
             Phantasy Overture
1948:   Cello Concerto
             Nocturne for Orchestra
             Serenade for Orchestra
1949:   Two Impressions for Orchestra
             Pastorale for small orchestra
             Scherzo for small orchestra
             Symphonic Suite
1950:   Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra(Clarinet Concerto No.1), op.3: 14 minutes  * + (Lyrita and Metronome cds)
1951:    A Requiem for the Living for soprano, chorus and orchestra(lost)
1953:   Fugal Overture, op.4(2): 10 minutes
             Nocturne for orchestra, op.5: 12 minutes
1954-55:Symphony No.1, op.7: 35 minutes
1955:   Concerto for Oboe and strings, op.8: 20 minutes
1957/1970: Harp Concerto, op.11: 17 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
1958:   Serenade for String Orchestra, op.13
             Concertino for Viola and Small Orchestra, op.14: 22 minutes  *  + (Lyrita cd)
             Four Welsh Dances for orchestra, op.15: 7 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
1959:   Nocturne and Dance for Harp and strings, op.16
             (and Prelude, Nocturne and Dance for Harp and strings, op.16(2): 11 minutes)
1960:   Piano Concerto No.1 (with woodwind and percussion), op.19: 19 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
1960/1969: Piano Concerto No.2, op.21: 16 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
1960:   Violin Concerto No.1, op.22: 25 minutes
             "Entry" for orchestra(from Suite for St. Cecilia's Day): 3 minutes
1961:   Masque "The Race of Adam" for soprano, treble, tenor, bass, chorus, organ and orchestra, op.23: 2 hours
1962:   Folk Song Suite for orchestra: 27 minutes
             (and shortened version: 10 minutes)  *
             Oratorio "Job" for bass, chorus and orchestra, op.24: 44 minutes
             Symphony No.2, op.29: 27 minutes   + (Lyrita cd)
             Variations for Orchestra, op.31: 10 minutes
1963:   Sinfonia for string orchestra, op.34: 12 minutes
1964/1980: Overture "Jack Straw", op.35: 5 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
1964:   Four Welsh Songs for chorus and orchestra, op.38(3): 10 minutes
1965:   Cantata "Dives and Lazarus" for soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, op.39: 14 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
             Concerto Grosso No.1 for orchestra, op.41: 14 minutes  *  + (Metronome cd)
             Aubade and Scherzo for Horn and Strings, op.42: 8 minutes
1966:   Piano Concerto No.3, op.44: 23 minutes  *
             Overture "Pantomime", op.45: 3 minutes
             Concerto Grosso No.2 for orchestra, op.46: 13 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
             Variants for Orchestra, op.47: 24 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
             Night Music for Orchestra, op.48: 8 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
1967:   Organ Concerto, op.51: 18 minutes  *
1968:   "Roman Dream" for soprano and ensemble, op.54: 7 minutes  *
              Sinfonietta No.1, op.56: 11 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
              Ballad "Black Bart" for mixed voices and orchestra, op.59: 18 minutes
             "Fioriture" for orchestra, op.60: 20 minutes
             Symphony No.3, op.61: 21 minutes   + (Lyrita cd)
1969:   Nocturnes and Cadenzas for Cello and Orchestra, op.62: 21 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
             Welsh Dances for orchestra, Set 2, op.64: 9 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
             Horn Concerto, op.65(1): 13 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
            "Eryri" for sixteen soloists, chorus and orchestra, op.65(2)
                    (and revised version for baritone, chorus and orchestra)
            Investiture Dances for orchestra, op.66: 7 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
            Sinfonietta No.2, op.67: 15 minutes  *
            Divertimento for chamber orchestra, op.69: 12 minutes
1970:   Symphony No.4, op.70: 24 minutes  *
             Sinfonietta No.3, op.71: 13 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
             Suite No.1 for orchestra, op.72(1)
             Concertino for Trumpet, Horn and orchestra, op.72(2): 9 minutes
             Sinfonietta No.4
             Aubade for small orchestra, op.72(4): 8 minutes
             "The Hawk is Set Free" for orchestra, op.72(5): 14 minutes  *
             "The Floore of Heaven"(Study for Orchestra), op.72(6): 5 minutes
             "The Sun, The Great Luminary of the Universe" for orchestra, op.76: 11 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
1971:    Oratorio "The Tree of Life" for soprano, tenor, chorus, organ and orchestra,op.79: 35 minutes
1972:   Symphony No.5, op.81: 25 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
1974:   Ritornelli for Trombone, wind instruments and percussion, op.85: 11 minutes
1975:   Welsh Airs and Dances for symphonic wind band: 9 minutes  *
1975/1976: Landscapes for orchestra, op.86(1): 21 minutes  *
1975:   Ballet "Lyn-y-fan"
1976:   "A Contemplation upon Flowers" for soprano and orchestra, op.90:14 minutes  + (Chandos cd)
             French Suite for chamber orchestra, op.91: 18 minutes
1977:   Nightpiece: Music for orchestra, op.86(2): 10 minutes
             "Passagio" for orchestra, op.94: 14 minutes  + (Nimbus cd)
             Sinfonia Fidei for soprano, tenor, chorus and orchestra, op. 95: 20 minutes  + (Lyrita cd)
1978:   "Voyagers" for baritone, male chorus and orchestra, op.75
1979:     Ballet "Dawns and Dusks"
1980:   "A Heaventree of Stars": Poem for Violin and Orchestra, op.102: 11 minutes  + (Nimbus cd)
1981:   "Lanterne des Morts" for orchestra, op.105 (2): 11 minutes  + (Chandos cd)
               Ballet "DramaDance"
1982:   "Doubles": Concertante for Oboe, string orchestra and harpsichord, op. 106: 17 minutes  + (Nimbus cd)
             Five Studies for orchestra, op.107(1): 18 minutes
             Hommage a Chopin for orchestra, op.107(2): 12 minutes
             Quodlibet on Welsh Nursery Tunes for orchestra: Ballet Suite "The Runaway Children": 12 minutes
1984:   Scenes and Interludes for trumpet, harpsichord and strings, op.115: 20 minutes
              Symphony No.6, op.116: 20 minutes  + (Chandos cd)
             Christmas Cantata "The Bells of Paradise" for baritone, chorus and orchestra, op.117
             Scena for string orchestra, op.119: 15 minutes  + (Chandos cd)
             Theatre Overture: 8 minutes
1985:   Welsh Dances for orchestra, Set 3, op.123: 12 minutes  *
             Concerto for Piano Trio and orchestra, op.124: 20 minutes
1986:   Concerto for Orchestra, op.127: 19 minutes  + (Classico cd)
             Clarinet Concerto No.2, op.128: 18 minutes  + (Clarinet Classics cd)
             "In Praise of Music" for voices and orchestra: 6 minutes
1987:   Cantata "The Legend of St.Julian" for narrator, chorus and orchestra, op.129
             Improvisations on an Old Welsh Tune for orchestra
1988:   Tarantella for Harp and Orchestra
1989:   Lines from Marlowe's 'Doctor Faustus' for chorus, brass and percussion,  op.131
             "Noctis Equi": Scena for Cello and Orchestra, op. 132: 21 minutes  + (Warner cd)
             Songs of Exile for tenor and orchestra, op.133: 18 minutes
             "Star Children" for orchestra, op.135: 18 minutes  + (Nimbus cd)
             Symphony No.7 for organ and orchestra, op.137: 27 minutes  *
             Cantata "Emynau Pantycelyn" for baritone, chorus and orchestra, op.138: 16 minutes
             Rhapsody on Welsh Tunes for orchestra: 8 minutes
1992:   Symphony No.8 for brass and percussion, op.142: 16 minutes  *
             Symphony No.9 "A Vision of Eternity" for soprano and orchestra, op.145: 29 minutes  *
1993:   Improvisations on an Old Welsh Tune for soprano, chorus and orchestra
1995:   Violin Concerto No.2 "Mistral", op.153: 35 minutes  *
             Trumpet Concerto "The Shining Pyramid", op. 154: 19 minutes  *
1996:   "Tymhorau" for baritone and strings, op.155b  + (Metronome cd)
1998:   "Dragon Fire": a Concerto for Percussion and Orchestra, op.167
1999:   Celebration Dances for orchestra, op.169: 14 minutes
              Symphony No.10, op.172: 26 minutes  *
              Concerto for percussion and brass band, op.175: 20 minutes
2002:   Euphonium Concerto "The Sunne Rising, The King Will Ride", op.180: 22 minutes  *
2003:   "Lizard: a Concerto for Orchestra", op.181
2004:   "The Promontory of Dreams" for baritone, horn and strings, op.183  + (Metronome cd)
             Overture "Badger in Bag", op.184
             Trombone Concerto, op.185: 20 minutes  *
2005:   Celebration Tribute for orchestra
2007:   "La Serenissima: Images of Venice" for soprano, baritone and orchestra, op. 189: 25 minutes  *
             "Taliesin" for orchestra

[petershott@btinternet.com]

Hurrah, and hats raised to you for your sterling efforts with the catalogue of Hoddinott. I'm much looking forward to going carefully through it. At a glance there are no glaring omissions, but if I spot small ones I'll alert you to them so that your catalogue can be even more complete.

With the exception of some of the unrecorded symphonies and important orchestral works I thought I had a reasonably complete collection of Hoddinott on the shelves. What a very very silly thing to have thought!!

Of course, there is far more there than I had imagined. The last work of which I have a recording is the Op. 190 Towy Landscape of 2006 (which being a work for Soprano, Baritone and Piano Duet is not on your list), and, as you say, several of the opus numbers contain more than one work. So this amounts to a pretty formidable list. I've read that Hoddinott was an energetic teacher, so he was clearly a man who didn't need much sleep.

One slightly odd, or rather unusual, feature of his worklist is that whilst there is a considerable quantity of instrumental music (the series of 10 Piano Sonatas for example) and many song collections (especially settings of Welsh texts), there is an absence of chamber music - quartets, trios, sonatas for piano & string instrument and so on. Perhaps I just haven't come across any of it?

[albion]

Indeed, a stupendous effort, Colin.

These composer-catalogues are worth far more than their weight in gold: it is enormously valuable to have a concise overview of a composer's principal works especially with a discography (archiveography?) thrown in for good measure...

[Dundonnell]

Thank you both

It is indeed absolutely staggering to reflect on just how much music Hoddinott was able to compose. Had he been a full-time composer it would amazing enough but of course he was also Professor of Music at University College, Cardiff from 1967 until 1987. That post alone absorbed a great deal of his time in both teaching and administration but he was also simultaneously Artistic Director of the Cardiff Festival. Yet it was during these two exceptionally busy decades of his life that so much of the music was written. And yes...it was during the night that Hoddinott did compose (perhaps a reason for the generally dark hue of so much of the music ).

I have, incldentally, already had to add yet another work to the list: the orchestral tone poem "Taliesin" which was the last work Hoddinott composed before being taken ill in 2007.

[20thCfan]

Bravo for taking up the flag for Hoddinott.
I am a big fan of this composer, ever since hearing his Proms commission Star Children in the late 80s at the RAH.

Might I add to your list what was described recently in a review as his 'most important work for voice and piano':
'Towy Landscape' (words John Dyer), a quasi-cantat commissioned by soprano Claire Booth and pianist Andrew Matthews-Owen in 2006, which they subsequently recorded to critical acclaim on this Gramophone Recommendation of the Month CD 'Landscapes: Song Cycles and Folksongs'

It has brought me much pleasure. Booth and her pianist are very fine advocates and the tenor cycles, and folk songs (the latter using English translation by Hoddinott's wife Rhiannon) are very atmospheric and thought provoking.

Beautiful John Piper cover too:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0041XSB6C/ref=dm_dp_cdp?ie=UTF8&s=music