Vocal Works
Vocal Works
An Australian National Song
M-H 4/1-1
Autograph full score of a work for SATB chorus and an orchestra consisting of 3 flutes, 2 hautboys, English horn, 2 clarinets in A, bass clarinet in A, 3 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 3 trumpets in C, 2 tenor trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, cymbals, strings. 4 sheets (8 pages) of 20-stave score paper unpaginated and unbound. Black inked score. Imprinted ‘B.C. No.5’ on a lyre emblem. 26.75 cm x 34 cm. The first recto holds an inscription in red pencil in the composer’s hand: ‘An Australian National Song by G.W.L. M-Hall.’ The score begins on the second recto which holds a red pencilled addition: ‘Transpose to E’ in the composer’ s hand at the head of the page. The fourth recto similarly holds ‘Riten.’ The fourth verso is inscribed in pencil: ‘Australian National Song. Parts.’
M-H 4/1-2: 1 to 44
A set of orchestral parts for ‘An Australian National Song.’ Each part is on a page of cut score paper 27cm x 17 cm. Imprint: B.C. No.2 on lyre emblem. Parts present: 7 first violin parts, 2 second violin, 3 viola, 3 violoncello, 3 double bass, 3 flute, 2 oboe, 1 English horn, 2 clarinet, 1 bass clarinet, 1 first bassoon, 1 second and third bassoon, a pencilled bassoon, 1 first and second French horn, third and fourth French horn, 1 first and second trumpet, 1 third trumpet, 1 first and second trombone, bass trombone, 1 tuba, 1 kettledrum, 1 cymbals.
Choral Ode from Goethe’s Faust (Part II, Act III)
M-H 4/2-1
Bound full score. Composer’s autograph with possibly another hand. 26.75cm x 33.25cm x 1.25cm in a hardboard and beige linen cover. The front cover is embossed in black: ‘Choral Ode.’ Two endpages and 103 paginations in pencil through 108 pages (54 sheets of score paper). 18-stave score paper used, imprinted ‘B.C. No.5’ on a lyre emblem. Black inked score. The first recto is inscribed in the composer’s hand: ‘Choral Ode from the “Helena” of Goethe. Set to music by G.W.L. Marshall-Hall. Composed for, and dedicated to the Melbourne Liedertafel. 1898.’ The first verso is inscribed ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall. “Easterton” Parkstone Dorset. Available copies: 2. Full scores; 2. PF & vocal scores; 1. chorus-master’s score; Orchestral parts Chorus do. (c/o A. Schulz-Curtius Esq. 44 Piccadilly Circus).’ These are no longer all present in the collection. The score then begins. The text of the chorus appears in English and in German. Page 1 is headed in pencil: ‘Choral Ode.’ The work is scored for: flauti, oboi, clar. B, fagotti, 4 corni F, 2 trombe C, 2 ten. Trombe, brass tromb and bass tuba, timpani (E-flat, F-flat, G), violini, viole, coro (Soprani, Alti, Tenori, Bassi), celli e c. bassi.
M-H 4/2-2
Piano and choral score of Choral Ode from the ‘Helena.’ Autograph piano and choral score in a manila folder, the pages folded but not bound and in two sections. Paginated to 40 where the first section ends and continuing in the second section from 41 to 48. These are preceded by 2 unpaginated sheets (4 pages) of which the first recto is occupied by the inscription: ‘Choral Ode from the “Helena” (Faust Part II. Act III of Goethe. Set to music by G.W.L. Marshall-Hall. Composed for and dedicated to the Melbourne Liedertafel.’ The second verso is inscribed ‘‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall. Easterton. Parkstone. Dorset.’ These inscriptions resemble the composer’s hand on the first recto, but the unevenness of the style puts this matter in doubt. The inscription on the second verso is more certainly Marshall-Hall’s signature. The score ends with 2 unpaginated sheets (4 pages). The final verso contains pencilled workings, minus the implied treble clef, of a single melodic line, partly accompanied by English words.
12-stave score paper imprinted ‘B.C. No.2’ with lyre emblem. 34.25cm x 27cm x 0.5cm. Black inked score. Page 1 is headed: ‘Choral Ode from “Faust” Part II Act III by G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The text is given in English and German as an underlay to the choral section. Black inked alphabetical rehearsal cues occur throughout. This score and the two scores which are here indicated as M-H 4/2-3 and M-H 4/2-4 are held within a general manila folder inscribed in pencil in Percy Grainger’s hand: ‘Marshall-Hall. 3 vocal scores of Choral Ode (The “Helena,” Faust II Act III) (MSS).’
M-H 4/2-3
Chorus Master’s score of Choral Ode. A manila folder containing the choral sections with piano cues of the Choral Ode on 10-stave score paper without imprint in 10 paginations. The 5 sheets are held in a brown paper cover, now torn at the left edge, the back missing, and inscribed ‘Choral Ode. G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ At the base of the cover at the right corner are the words ‘Chorus Master.’ Text underlay in English and German. 32.5cm x 26cm.
M-H 4/2-4
Piano and choral score of Choral Ode. A manila folder holding a black inked autograph score in two sections of score paper of differing sizes: 1) paginations 1 to 32. 12-stave score paper imprinted ‘Austral No.3: in a circle. 26.5cm x 34.5cm; 2) paginations 33 to 46 with seven additional pages partially occupied as indicated below. 31cm x 23.5cm. Imprinted ‘A & Co M’ on a 4- bell emblem with No.1 below and the bells tied. Page 1 is headed ‘Choral Ode. From Faust 2nd Part. Act III. G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The score is not in the composer’s hand.
La Belle Dame Sans Merci
M-H 4/3-1
Composer’s autograph full score. A purple linen and hardboard bound volume 38.25cm x 49cm x 0.5cm. The front cover is embossed in gold, ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci. G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The back cover holds the remnants of brown paper labels. One blank front endpage and one back endpage. 6 unpaginated sheets (12 pages). Black inked score. The left edges of the pages are reinforced with white tape. The first recto is inscribed ‘“La Belle Dame sans Merci” ballad for Tenor voice and orchestra. Poem by Keats.’ and is signed ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The work is scored for tenor and orchestra of 2 flutes, 2 oboes, clarinet in B, 2 bassoons, 2 horns in F, 2 trumpets in C, 2 tenor trombones, bass trombone, 3 kettledrums, harp, strings. The final recto is signed at the end of the score ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The final verso is blank. No dating is given.
M-H 4/3-2
Composer’s autograph score. Unbound, 12 sheets (24 pages) of unpaginated 20-stave score paper imprinted ‘B.C. No.20’ on a lyre emblem. Black inked score with the final sheet a blue inked added leaf pasted to the rest of the score and of a slightly smaller format. The general size is 26.5cm x 34cm. The first recto is inscribed ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci. Ballad for Tenor Voice and Orchestra. Poem by Keats. G.W.L. Marshall-Hall. Return to Fischer-Sobell.’ At the bottom of the page in pencil and in reverse position is inscribed ‘Schumann S. Akad. Berlin. Chor. ode (Choral Ode from the ‘Helena’) or thinks [? Kings] Nevil Smith do. Delmer.’
M-H 4/3-3
Xerox copy of a piano and vocal ms. score of ‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci.’ 12 paginations of 12-stave score paper. No imprinted. The first recto inscribed ‘‘La Belle Dame Sans Merci’ words by J. Keats. Music by G.W.L. M-H.’ No additions.
M-H 4/3-4
Another copy of M-H 4/3-3.
M-H 4/3-5: 1 to 17
Orchestral parts of La Belle Dame Sans Merci. Xerox copies only of MS orchestral parts: 1 first violin, 1 second violin, 1 viola, 1 violoncello, 1 double bass, 1 first and second flute, 1 piccolo, 1 first and second oboe, 1 first and second clarinet, 1 first and second bassoon, 1 first and second French horn, 1 trumpet, 1 first and second trombone, 1 bass trombone, 1 kettledrum, 1 triangle and cymbals, 1 harp.
Soliloquy from Tennyson’s Maud
Also known as Long After: A Study on Tennyson’s ‘Maud.’ This work also exists as a song with piano accompaniment as No.6 of the publisher’s galleys volume here given as M-H 4/7-5.
M-H 4/4-1
A Xerox copy of a MS piano and vocal score in the composer’s hand prefaced by two pages of the words, also in the composer’s hand. The words are from Tennyson’s Maud: A Monodrama, Part II Section IV. The verses used are Verses I, II, III, VI (with an added line: ‘In a moment—ah’) and the last four lines of verse XIII. The original was on 12-stave score paper. 20 Xerox sheets are present, representing a half page of the original on each sheet. The original paper was imprinted ‘Boomerang Brand No.l’ below a five-boomerang emblem.
M-H 4/4-2: 1 to 29
A set of orchestral MS parts. These are on varying sizes of score paper. 12-stave score paper. Varying imprints. Parts present: 5 first violin parts, 5 second violin, 4 viola, 4 violoncello, 3 double bass, 1 flute, 1 hautboy, 1 clarinet, 1 bassoon, 1 first and second French horn, 1 third and fourth French horn, 1 first and second trumpet, 1 kettledrum.
Am Grabe Anselmo’s
M-H 4/5-1
A torn brown paper cover holds both the full score and the orchestral parts. The cover is 37cm x 28.75cm. It is inscribed on the front of the cover ‘Am Grabe Anselmo’s’ in black ink. Two stamped addresses occur above this, one over the other. These read ‘The Conservatorium of Music Melbourne. Albert St. East Melbourne,’ in purple, over a fainter stamp ‘The University Conservatorium of Music, Victoria Street Carlton.’ The contents are then listed at the right lower corner of the cover ‘l Score’ (written in pencil) and under this (in black ink) ‘4 Viol I, 4 Viol II, 2 viola, 2 V’cello, 1 Basso, 1 Flauto, 1 Clarinetti, 1 Oboi, 1 Fagotti, 1 Corni. 18 parts.’ The full score consists of 4 sheets (8 pages). Black ink composer’s autograph. 15-stave score paper once the upper halves of 30-stave score paper. No imprint. Unpaginated. The first recto is headed ‘Am Grabe Anselmo’s’ and holds the same stamped addresses as above. The text is in German. The work is scored for voice, flute, 2 hautboys, 2 clarinets in A, 2 bassoons, 2 horns in E, strings.
M-H 4/5-2: 1 to 18
Orchestral parts.12-stave score paper with the imprint ‘B.C. No.2’ on a large emblem. 27cm x 34cm. All bear the above title and the same stamped addresses as for M-H 4/5-1. None are given a heading which includes the composer’s name. The lack of a signature on the full score and the lack of a composer’s name on the parts casts some doubt on the author-ship of this work. Parts present: 4 first violin parts, second violin, 2 viola, 2 violoncello, 1 double bass 1 flute, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet, 1 bassoon, 1 French horn.
Die Blumen - Sextet for Voice and Strings
M-H 4/6-1
Autograph full score. A torn olive-brown paper cover 28cm x 38cm contains three sheets (6 pages) of 24-stave score paper. No imprint. Unpaginated. The front cover inscribed in black ink ‘(Die Blumen. Schuller). Flowers. Sextet for Voice, 2 Violins, Violoncello and Double-bass, Viola by George W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The first recto is inscribed ‘Flowers. Die Blumen. G.W.L. Marshall-Hall 1886.’ A note in pencil on the right margin states that this is ‘not M-H’s handwriting.’ The final recto is signed and dated ‘GWL Marshall-Hall. 1886.’ The black inked score is certainly signed in Marshall-Hall’s hand. The work is scored for 1st violin, 2nd violin, viola, voice, cello, double bass. The text appears in German above the vocal line and in English below it. No amendments have been made.
The back cover holds a postage stamp for 2d. A duty stamp showing a purple facing, portrait of the young Queen Victoria and the word ‘Victoria’, indicating the state, rather than the Queen. A postal date appears in black in a circle: ‘Melbourne 14 S. SE 10 89.’ The cover has once been folded and used as an outer postal cover. It bears the address in black ink: ‘Otto Fischer, Esq. Marshall’s Warehouse, Rundle Street, Adelaide.’
Published songs
A set of publisher’s galleys with navy hardboard cover 29cm x 37cm x 1.5cm. No inscription on the outer cover but stamped on the inner back cover ‘The Conservatorium of Music. Melbourne. Albert St. East Melbourne.’ Remnants of labels inside the front cover hold the purple pencilled date ‘1/10/’08.’ The folder is held together by 4 navy tapes capable of being loosely tied. One of these, from the front lower cover, is missing. The printed songs are held together at the left edge by sewn in string and are not bound into the folder. The six songs present occupy 41 sheets and are thus paginated. All sheets bear the publisher’s number N.8395 at the base of the page. Page 1 of the volume is inscribed in pencil in the composer’s hand, ‘Another proof please. G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’
M-H 4/7-1
No.1: ‘Life and Love’ by G.W.L. Marshall-Hall. Occupies pp.1 to 7.
M-H 4/7-2
No.2: ‘A Voice from Dreamland’ by G.W.L. Marshall-Hall. Occupies pp.8 to 10.
M-H 7/11
No.3: ‘Meeting’ by A.S. M-H. This work is not by G.W.L. Marshall-Hall, but by his brother Algernon. Thus, the work is not given a number within the sequence in use here but bears instead the number of the section in which works written by other composers, but held within the Marshall-Hall collection, are included. It is listed also in that section (ie Miscellaneous Music). It is listed here because it is physically an integral part of a volume of songs by G.W.L. Marshall-Hall and obviously intended to be publicly issued together with works by that composer.]
M-H 4/7-3
No.4: ‘Foreboding’ by G.W.L. Marshall-Hall. Occupies pp.15 to 24.
M-H 4/7-4
No.5: ‘Past.’ No composer’s name appears. Occupies pp.25 to 29. It is headed ‘A Study on Tennyson’s Oriana.’
M-H 4/7-5
No.6: ‘Long After—A Study on Tennyson’s Maud.’ Occupies pp.30 to 41. Although this song does not bear a composer’s name it is identical with M-H 4/4-1 (see above). It is therefore the work of G.W.L. Marshall-Hall. The first recto holds the red-inked inscription ‘insert in small letters—arranged from the orchestral score.’ This is meant as a direction to the printer. Below the title of p.30 is printed ‘Composed for Madame Sophie Loewe von Glehn.’
See also M-H 1/4-6, ‘Where the Thorny Brake.’
Unpublished songs
The following songs were originally housed together and are therefore retained here as an entity.
M-H 4/8-1
‘By the Stream.’ Song with piano accompaniment. A four-leaf, 12-stave score paper in black ink. No imprint. Unpaginated. Signed at the first recto and the last verso ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The first recto holds the inscription ‘By the Stream. To Mrs Pettie,’ followed by a verse in the composer’s hand commemorating the New Year. These are not the words of the song which follows. MS 24.5cm x 30.9cm. Cover 25.5cm x 32.25cm.
M-H 4/8-2
‘Little Miss Muffet.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Unpaginated. A single sheet of 12-stave score paper. No imprint. Blue inked score. Unsigned. Not in the composer’s hand. Occupied on the recto only. 35cm x 25.3cm.
M-H 4/8-3
A sketch for a song with piano accompaniment, the text beginning ‘O lady of woe.’ 4 folded sheets of 12-stave score paper. No imprint. Unpaginated. Black inked score heavily corrected in pencil and overscored in ink. Unsigned. The first recto and verso unoccupied. 24.75cm x 31.25cm.
M-H 4/8-4
‘On a Picture.’ Four folded sheets of 12-stave score paper. Black inked score for a song with piano accompaniment. Unpaginated. Signed at the first recto ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The page is headed ‘On a Picture. (by Sandys).’
M-H 4/8-5
‘The Lady Janet.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Unpaginated. 4 folded sheets of 12-stave score paper. No imprint. Black inked score. Unsigned. Not in the composer’s hand but headed at the first recto ‘The Lady Janet. by G.W.L. Marshall-Hall’ in another hand. 24.5cm x 30.75cm.
M-H 4/8-6
‘To Constantia.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Unpaginated. 4 folded sheets of 12-stave score paper. No imprint. Black inked score. Signed at the first recto ‘G.W.L. M-H’ and at the last verso ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The first recto is headed ‘To Constantia. Shelley.’ There is a couplet in German at the upper left corner: ‘Krone des hebens, Gluck dem [?] RUH [?] Liebe bist du, O Liebe bist du!’ The text of the song is in English. 23.5cm x 30cm.
M-H 4/8-7: 1
‘Tristesse (Melancholy).’ Song with piano accompaniment. 2 folded sheets of 12-stave score paper. No imprint. Unpaginated. Black inked score. Signed at the first recto ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The first recto headed ‘Tristesse. (Melancholy). (Alfred de Musset).’ 25.5cm x 35cm. Text in English and in French.
M-H 4/8-7: 2
‘Tristesse (Melancholy)’, a second copy.
M-H 4/8-8
‘Yearning.’ Song with piano accompaniment. A torn brown paper cover 24cm x 30.5cm, holding 6 sheets of 12-stave score paper. Unpaginated. Black inked score. 23.75cm x 29cm. Signed at the first recto ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall’, and headed ‘Yearning. Die Schusucht. Schuller.’ The text is in German and English. Additions have been pinned to the score at the first verso, third recto and fifth recto and verso. On the final recto there is a pencilled inscription ‘Hubert M-H. says it may be an early M-H ms.’
Miscellaneous Vocal Album
A bound volume consisting of works for piano, songs with piano accompaniment, duets and choral workings. It includes the duet extract from the operetta Leonard (see 4/8-9:18). 24cm x 29.75cm x 1.75cm. A cardboard, lemon-leatherette bound volume of score paper. The front cover of faded purple embossed in gold ‘Music.’ The corners and spine are of navy leatherette. There are 133 pencilled foliations contained on the upper right of each recto page only, the even numbers being omitted. From p.66, one volume has been occupied in reverse, the numbering being retained in the original position. It is black inked throughout. There are 3 front papers of which the third recto is occupied by a purple stamp reading ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ These and subsequent pages to 25 are stained through with brown markings. Three sheets have been roughly cut from the volume preceding the present pagination 1. Page 1 is signed ‘by G.W.L. M-H.’
M-H 4/8-9: 1 | ‘I feel thy breath in sweetness. Duett.’ Occupies pp.1 to 5. Duet for two voices with piano accompaniment. Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 2 | ‘Die Alten Lieder.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.6 to 7. Unsigned. Text in German. |
M-H 4/8-9: 3 | ‘Caroline.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.8 to 11. Headed ‘‘Caroline.’ G.W.L. M-H.’ with the word ‘Campbell’ on the left upper corner of page 8. Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 4 | ‘As from Thine Eyes.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.12 to 13. Text in both German and English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 5 | Pages 14, 15 and 16 contain an untitled vocal and piano working beginning ‘Wie large ich.’ The word ‘Recit’ (recitative) is written over the first vocal entry. An aria-like area begins at p.14, bar 16. The text is in German only. The work is incomplete and unsigned. |
M-H 4/8-9: 6-7 | The lower halves of pp.16 and 17 are occupied by a piano sketch of a contrapuntal working. The two pages appear to be related but are here given two numbers. Unsigned. |
M-H 4/8-9: 8 | ‘Ihr Bild.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp 18 to 19. Signed ‘G.W.L. M-H.’ Text in German. |
M-H 4/8-9: 9 | ‘Auf dem miere.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.20 to 21. Signed. ‘G.W.L. M-H.’ Text in German. |
M-H 4/8-9: 10 | ‘Die Alten Lieder.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.22 to 23. Signed ‘G.W.L. M-H.’ Text in German. Pages 24 and 25 of the volume are blank. |
M-H 4/8-9: 11 | ‘Fort aus dem augen.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.26 to 27. Signed ‘G.W.L. M-H.’ Text in German. |
M-H 4/8-9: 12 | ‘Mignon.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp 28, 29 and the upper half of p 30. Unsigned. Text in French. |
M-H 4/8-9: 13 | ‘Die Ruhe.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.30 (lower half) and 31. Unsigned. Text in German. |
M-H 4/8-9: 14 | ‘Warum.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.32 to 33. Unsigned. Text in German. |
M-H 4/8-9: 15 | Untitled song with piano accompaniment, beginning ‘O du leichter lose wind.’ Occupies pp.34, 35 and upper part of p.36. Unsigned. Text in German. Pages 36 and 37 hold a purple stamp reading ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ |
M-H 4/8-9: 16 | ‘Parting and Meeting.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.36, to 38. Unsigned. Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 17 | Untitled song with piano accompaniment, beginning ‘Hand clasped in hand.’ Occupies p.39. Incomplete. Unsigned. Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 18 | ‘Duett from the Operetta Leonard by G.W.L. MHall’ (the M is joined to the H without use of the hyphen). Duet for 2 voices with piano accompaniment. Occupies pp.40 to 45. Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 19 | Untitled song with piano accompaniment, beginning ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day.’ Occupies pp.46 to 48 where a sheet is cut from the book. Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 20 | Untitled song with piano accompaniment, beginning ‘What time the sombre shades of evening fall.’ Occupies pp.49 to line 1 of p.53. Unsigned. Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 21 | ‘To Constantia.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Headed also: ‘No 3. Dec. 1883.’ Occupies p.53 to the upper half of p.56. Unsigned. Text in English. (See also M-H 4/8-6). |
M-H 4/8-9: 22 | ‘To Constantia.’ Song with piano accompaniment. Headed also ‘No 2.’ Occupies p.56 (lower half) to p.59. Unsigned. Undated. Text in English differing from that used for M-H 4/8‑9 21. Incomplete. |
M-H 4/8-9: 23 | ‘Life and Love.’ Duet with piano accompaniment. Signed ‘GWL MH.’ Occupies pp.60 to 65. Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 24 | Page 130 holds 10 incomplete bars of a song with piano accompaniment, the words beginning ‘bringing radiance for a seraph’s flight.’ Page 133 holds a pencilled fragment of a bar of treble clef music. At p.66 the volume reverses. Thus the order of the works also reverses, running consecutively from p.133 backwards to 66, the pencilled paginations thus appear upside down at the left edge of the left hand pages. |
M-H 4/8-9: 25 | Untitled working for solo voice, 4-part choir and piano (possibly intended for organ) of the biblical text beginning ‘Lord I cry unto thee make haste unto me Lord, I cry.’ Occupies pp.131 to 119; p.118 is blank. |
M-H 4/8-9: 26 | Untitled working of the ‘Magnificat’ for 4-part choir with sketch below of organ (?) part. Occupies pp.117 to 111 (upper half of the page). Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 27 | Untitled working of the ‘Gloria in excelsis’ using the English text (‘Glory to God in the highest’). For 4-part choir. Occupies pp.111 (lower half of the page) to p.109. |
M-H 4/8-9: 28 | Fragment of a working for 4-part choir, text beginning ‘He that hath pity.’ Occupies p.108. Text in English. |
M-H 4/8-9: 29 | ‘Nunc Dimitus’, so titled but the English translation (‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace’) used as the text. 4-part choir. Occupies pp.107 and 106. Incomplete. Pages 105 and 104 are blank. |
M-H 4/8-9: 30 | Pages 103 to 100 (to the half page) are occupied by a piano work. Untitled and unsigned. |
M-H 4/8-9: 31 | Pages 103 (commencing 2 lines before the end of the page) to the first line of p.96 are occupied by a piano work. Untitled and unsigned. |
M-H 4/8-9: 32 | ‘Sonata 26’, for piano. Signed ‘G.W.L. M-H.’ Occupies pp.96 to 88. |
M-H 4/8-9: 33 | ‘Deliver Me’ (vocal trio indicated), ‘Anthem for Soprano Solo and Trio.’ Signed G.W.L. M-H.’ Occupies pp.87 to 84. Organ (?), soprano solo and trio of Soprano, Contralto and Bass indicated at the end of p.86. |
M-H 4/8-9: 34 | Piano work. Occupies pp.83 to 79. Incomplete, though a possible repeat of the ‘Allegro vivace’ section is indicated where the work breaks off. Page 78 contains a 7-chord inked sketch. |
M-H 4/8-9: 35 | Piano work. Occupies p.77 and the top line of p 76. |
M-H 4/8-9: 36 | Piano work. Occupies pp.76 and 77. |
M-H 4/8-9: 37 | Piano work. Occupies pp.74 to 69; p.68 is blank. |
M-H 4/8-9: 38 | Piano work for which the opening appears to be missing. Occupies pp.67 and 66. |
At this point, as noted above, the volume reverses.
Aristodemus
An opera in twenty-five scenes requiring a minimum of two alternating sets. All major characters are non-singing actors. Major musical forces are a double SATB chorus and an orchestra of 3 flutes and piccolo, 2 oboes, hautboys, 3 clarinets, 1 bassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 2 tenor trombones, 1 bass trombone, 1 bass tuba, 1 harp, timpani, violins, violas, cellos and double basses.
The libretto is based on the legend of the Messenian king, Aristodemus (reigned 731–724 BC). According to J. Lempriere’s A Classical Dictionary (London, 1860), this king conducted a successful campaign against Sparta during which the proud Spartan women were prostituted as part of the policy of conquest. When Aristodemus found his own unmarried daughter with child, however, with clear double standards, his rage was turned against the girl, whom he murdered. Thereafter the king was haunted by visions of his daughter’s long hair, the symbol of womanhood. He commits suicide, leaving a bloody war behind him as his only heir. G.W.L. Marshall‑Hall’s version of this story is much more complex.
Synopsis: The virgins of Sparta, coming to worship before the shrine of Artemis, are raped by the Messenian youths. Out of shame the maids commit mass suicide by slitting open their veins. King Teleklus, hearing their cries, attempts to rescue them but is killed by Artander. As he lies dying, the King grasps the feet of the statue of the goddess and begs retribution. In reply Artemis sends pestilence and death to the Messenian youths and war to Sparta. The Messenian king, Aristodemus, is forced to retreat with the remnants of his army to the citadel of Ithome. Artemis pursues him, predicting that to appease her Aristodemus will sacrifice his daughter in vain, that all his house will die as suicides and that his subjects will be forced from the land or given into slavery.
Tisis, son of Alcis, is sent by Aristodemus to the Pythian Apollo at Delphi to ask how the anger of Artemis should be appeased. Apollo answers that a virgin of the blood of Aephytus was to be elected from the descendants of Herakles and sacrificed to Artemis. If no‑one of that clan could be found then a maiden of another race could be substituted, but only with the consent of her father. The lot falls on the daughter of Lyciscus. Ophineus, a blind sage tries to warn Aristodemus that the oracle has deceived him and the elected virgin is not a descendant of Herakles. Aristodemus refuses to listen. Apollo restores Ophineus’s sight and sends the sage into a frenzied trance during which he sees a vision of the deaths of the King and Queen. A guard finds Lyciscus and his daughter have escaped, leaving a message with a slave that the girl was adopted and Lyciscus therefore was not free to give her in sacrifice. Aristodemus’s daughter, Taira proudly offers herself as a replacement since she is of the blood of Herakles and her paternity certain. A messenger brings news of disaster on the nearby battlefield and Aristodemus steels himself to the death of his child whose life must be sacrificed by his own hand as chief priest of his people.
Damis, who is betrothed to Taira, accuses Aristodemus of being deceived by the oracle and thus the murderer of his own child. He claims she is no virgin but already pregnant to him and the sacrifice has been in vain. Aristodemus rushes to the altar of Artemis where Taira is preparing for her death. The King takes the girl by the hair, and shouting ‘liar’ cuts her throat, splits open her belly and demands that all should look on her innocence. Aristodemus is told by Ophineus that the sacrifice is not acceptable to the goddess. Aristodemus prays for a sign to contradict the sage but the shield of Artemis falls and shatters on the shrine’s floor and the palace doors clash in a sudden burst of lightning and thunder. The Queens hangs herself. Aristodemus, on finding her, orders three perfumed litters to be placed before the shrine. He lays out the bodies of mother and daughter on either side of the empty central bier and goes to meet the enemy at the city gates. There he tells the people to abandon the land and take ship to safety. He then returns to the shrine of Artemis and commits suicide. He is found there by the Spartans who see the vision of Ophineus of the three funeral biers and the three furies standing by each, one with a knife, one with a halter and one with a sword.
Holdings
The archive consists of:
- M‑H 1/2‑1—Full score.
- M‑H 1/2‑2—Piano and vocal score.
- M‑H 1/2‑3—Second piano and vocal score.
- M‑H 1/2‑4—Printed choral score of Act I Scene II.
- M‑H 1/2‑5—Published libretto in English.
- M‑H 1/2‑6—German libretto.
M‑H 1/2‑1
Full score of Aristodemus. Calf bound. Composer’s autograph. 27.5cm x 35cm x 5.25cm. The front and back covers are tooled at the edges in black patterns and with the title ‘Aristodemus’ also in black tooling in a design on the front cover only. Black inked score except for Scene XX which is in blue ink. The first recto is inscribed ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall, Melbourne c/o Fischer‑Sobel [sic] , 1 Harley Rd., Swiss Cottage N.W.’ in the composer’s hand. The second recto holds the top page of a published libretto reading: ‘Aristodemus. A Tragedy by G.W.L. Marshall‑Hall. “Alle Schuld racht sich auf Erden”—Goethe.’ The libretto is, therefore, by the composer. The second verso holds a page from a published libretto reading:
‘Aristodemus. Characters:
Artemis
Aristodemus, King of Messenia
His Queen
Taira, his Daughter
Ophioneus, a soothsayer, blind
Messenger
Damis, a youth betrothed to Taira
Coryphoeus
A Boy
Chorus of Messenian women and old men
Spartans
Soldiers, attendants, etc
Tisis, Bearer of the Oracle
The Scene is laid before the Palace of the King of Ithome.’
Only the members of the Chorus of Messenian women and old men are required to sing. The score reveals that this list of characters does not indicate singers but actors who are required to declaim extensive poetic passages throughout with orchestral accompaniment.
The final occupied page (p.528) is signed and dated: ‘Aug 11th 1902. G.W.L. Marshall‑Hall.’ The score consists of 528 paginations and eight blank leaves of score paper. There are three frontpapers, as described above, and two blank endpages. 20-stave score paper, imprinted ‘B.C.’ on a bar across a lyre emblem, underwritten ‘No.6.’ No orchestral parts are present in this collection, but the instrumentation indicated by this score is for: 3 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes (with Hb, p.14, and Hob., p.16, indicating the use of the hautboy after the opening scene), 3 clarinets, 1 bassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 2 tenor trombones, 1 bass trombone, 1 bass tuba, harp timpani, violins, violas, cellos, double basses.
Note: the University of Melbourne holds the library of the Royal Victorian Liedertafel. This contains an uncatalogued holding of 125 printed copies of the chorus: ‘Honour the mighty Father’ from Scene V of Aristodemus and the orchestral parts to the same chorus consisting of 6 first violin parts, 6 second violin, 3 viola, 2 cellos, 2 double basses, a combined part for first and second flute, another for third flute and piccolo, a clarinet part, a harp part, and single parts for bass clarinet, for 4 horns in two divisions, bass tuba, bassoon, contra bassoon, a fourth horn together with a third bassoon, an oboe, two trumpets together and a third separate, two trombones, a bass trombone and timpani.
The work is divided into 25 scenes, 20 marked in red ink and roman numerals as:
- Scene 1—pp.1–26
- Scene 2—pp.27–83
- Scene 3—pp.84–86
- Scene 4—pp.87–100
- Scene 5—pp.101–164
- Scene 6—pp.165–166
- Scene 7—pp.167–177
- Scene 8—pp.177–199
- Scene 9—pp.200–227
- Scene 10—pp.228–232
- Scene 11—pp.233–248
- Scene 12—pp.249–250
- Scene 13—pp.251–263
- Scene 14—pp.265–289
- Scene 15—pp.289–303
- Scene 16—pp.305–375
- Scene 17—p.376
- Scene 18—pp.377–444 (4 blank pages occur)
- Scene 19—pp. missing from the numbering
- Scene 20—pp.449–493
- Scene 21—p.493
- Scene 22—p.494
- Scene 23—pp.495–511
- Scene 24—pp.514–523
- Scene 25—pp.524–528
M-H 1/2‑2
A piano and vocal score of the opera Aristodemus. Off‑white linen bound. Black inked score. 24cm x 27cm x 3cm. There are four frontpages. The first recto is inscribed ‘G.W.L. Marshall‑Hall. Conservatorium of Music. Melbourne. Victoria.’ The second recto holds the first page of a printed libretto as for M‑H 1/1‑1 (full score). The second verso holds the printed cast list as in M-H 1/1‑1 and of the same origin as M-H 1/2‑5. There are four endpages, the first recto holding an Index of 25 scenes and their definition and pagination viz:
Introduction
Scene I. Artemis. p.3
Scene II. Hymn to Artemis. Chorus. p.13
Scene III. Entrance of Aristodemus. p.50
Scene IV. Entrance of Tisio. p.52
Scene V. Chorus. The birth of Hercules. p.60
Scene VI. Entrance of the Queen. p.105
Scene VII. Entrance of Taira. p.106
Scene VIII. March. p.112
The sacrifice. p.116
Scene IX. Entrance of Ophioneus. p.119
Ophioneus’s frenzy. p.120
Scene X. Chorus. ‘Words of madness’ etc. p.131
Scene XI. Entrance of guard. p.134
Taira’s self‑sacrifice. p.136
Chorus ‘Soundless are the feet.’ p.141
Sceno XII. Entrance of Messenger. p.144
Scene XIII. Farewell of Taira. p.145
Scene XIV. Chorus. ‘The Lament.’ p.151
Scene XV. Entrance of Damis. p.165
Scene XVI. Chorus. ‘Agamemnon’s sacrifice’ [sic]. p.170
Scene XVII. Messenger. Death of Taira. p.221
Scene XVIII. Curse of Ophioneus (Shield scene). p.222
Scene XIX. Chorus. ‘Thou that dwellest’ etc. p.229
Scene XX. Chorus. ‘The Fall of Ilium.’ p.255
Scene XXI. Messenger, Death of the Queen etc. p.278
Scene XXII. Guard. Fall of Ithome etc. p.279
Scene XXIII. Death of Aristodemus. p.280
Scene XXIV. Chorus. ‘Behold! Behold!’ p.286
Scene XXV. The vengeance of Artemis [sic]. p.297.’
There are 298 pencilled paginations. The pages have originally been numbered in another order and replaced throughout. This may have been done to allow for the addition of pp.13–54 which are on smaller paper than that of the general score. 12-stave score paper imprinted ‘Bell Brand No. 3’ with emblem of four bells and tie, the bells marked ‘A & Co M’ (i.e., Allan and Company, Melbourne). The additional smaller pages (pp.13–54) are 12-stave and of the same imprint, but size No.1. These hold Scene 11. The libretto is partly written over the piano scoring for the actors, and partly consists of pasted-in extracts from a printed libretto.
M-H 1/2‑3
Piano and vocal score of Aristodemus. Bound in off‑white linen. Black inked. 27cm x 3cm x 3cm. The front cover is inscribed in black within a design in the upper left corner: ‘Aristodemus.’ 4 front pages. The second recto and verso contain pasted-in title page and character list from a printed libretto, as in M‑H 1/1‑5. 298 paginations on the recto with verso implied. Pencil. 12-stave score paper imprinted ‘Bell Brand No.3’, with the emblem as for M-H 1/2‑2. The published libretto is pasted in at entries throughout for the actors but is otherwise handwritten for the chorus. Occasional handwritten words also occur for the actors. The choral areas are also given a German libretto written above the English.
M-H 1/2‑4
Printed choral score for Act I, Scene II, of Aristodemus. The chorus begins: ‘Woe! Woe! Woe unto us.’ 13 paginations. The endpage is blank. 12-stave music score paper in 4-line accolades. No imprint.
M-H 1/2-5
Published libretto of Aristodemus inscribed as being by G.W.L. Marshall‑Hall. Orange-pink covers of soft paper. 47 pages holding 25 scenes. 18.5cm x 24.75cm x lcm. Printed by the Atlas Press, Block Place, Little Collins St, Melbourne. The text is substantially the same as that used throughout the full score and the vocal scores.
M-H 1/2‑6
Handwritten German libretto for Aristodemus. An exercise book with red marbled hard cover, labelled on the front: ‘Aristodemus in German.’ 63 paginations of blue-lined white exercise paper with one third of the volume blank. A translation from the English by M‑H. Two loose leaves at p.21 containing verses in English. On biscuit-coloured exercise paper, blue lined. 25 scenes marked. Appears to be in M-H’s hand, but the loose leaves are in another hand.