- Bassoon Sonata (Hurlstone)
The Sonata in F major is a
bassoon sonata with piano accompaniment written byWilliam Hurlstone in 1904, two years before his untimely death. It was first published byAvision in 1907, and was later re-issued byEmerson in 1976 [http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/Oct04/Hurlstone_Moore.htm] .The piece is divided into four movements:::1:
Vivace ::2: Ballade:Moderato , ma sempre a piacere::3:Allegretto -Poco maestoso -Tempo I-Piùlento ::4:Moderato -Vivace Movement 1
The first movement is divided into six sections. It opens in 6/8 with a forte statement of the theme on the bassoon.
After 40 measures, the second section begins. It is in 2/4, and modulates from F to C. The
tempo remains the same, but it is marked "ma più lente". Thepiano has the first statement of the second theme, which is morelegato then the first theme. After a series ofminor third s descending chromatically, the second section ends.The third section is once more in 6/8, but is still has the key signature of C major. The key changes frequently, however, as the section is mostly composed of scales and
arpeggio s with many accidentals. After working up to a high b in the bassoon part, it gradually slows and decreases in pitch and volume, before ending with a low b flat on the piano.The fourth section is a restatement of the first section, once more in F. It begins piano this time, but quickly grows back to a forte. It is followed by the fifth section, which is a shortened version of the second section, this time transposed to F.
The final section is marked "
Animato " and begins with a three measure bassoon solo. The melody is sharplystaccato , and the movement ends with the last four notes of an F major scale.Movement 2
The second movement (ballade) is in G minor. It remains in 4/4 throughout. The piano opens with the melody, a very legato one with many dotted notes. The bassoon soon enters, with a long, mourning line. Variations on the melody are played, before a brief section in G major. The movement returns to G minor with a long bassoon line that slowly grows into a brief Poco animato in A major. The movement returns to G minor with a statement of the orriginal theme, and gradually fades out, to end on a final G major
chord .Movement 3
The third movement is a clumsy
waltz . Although marked "Allegretto", there is much give and take with the tempo. It has many runs that are cut short by sharp staccatos. About a third of the way through the movement, it abruptly modulates into D flat major, and the Poco maestoso is reached. Although more legato, it still retains the light-hearted clumsiness of the earlier section. The movement then returns to F major, and the first theme returns. The last section is marked "Più lento", and the movement ends on a V chord.Movement 4
The final movement opens with an "
ad lib " statement of the theme from the second movement. Soon, however, the sprightly Vivace in F is reached. The melody (in 2/4) uses many synchopated rhythms, along with many sixteenth notes. A second theme follows, which is comprised almost entirely of dotted-eight/ sixteenth rhythms, however the first theme restates itself quickly. Soon, however, the theme from the second movement is restated, this time in B flat minor. This quickly evolves back to the first theme of this movement, now in E major. After much modulation, the theme returns to its original form in F major. The piece ends with a final Animato. The last strains of the theme are heard, and the piece ends on a pedal F in the bassoon part.ee also
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Sonata
*Bassoon Sonata
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