Chamber Works
Chamber Works
Horn Quartet in B Major
- M-H 3/1-1: 1 to 21
Twenty-one printed copies of the full score. The score is undated. It is headed at p.1: ‘Quartett for horn in F, violin, viola and Pianoforte by G.W.L. Marshall Hall’ (the hyphen of the name is missing). The scoring is then arranged (in descending order): violin, viola, horn in F and piano. The first verso holds the imprint of a purple rubber stamp reading: ‘Auto-copyist Print by Edmanson & Co.’ All scores are 40.75cm x 33cm x 0.7cm. The four movements are marked with Roman numerals:
- I Allegro at p.1
- II Lento penseroso at p.12
- III Allegretto grazioso at p.18
- IV Allegro animato at p.25
The 21 scores are numbered M-H 3/1-1:1 to M-H 3/1-1: lt. Of these, M-H 3/1-1: 1b is held in a torn cover of cardboard and parts of envelopes and is inscribed ‘Marshall-Hall MSS’ in pencil, and below in ink ‘horn Quartet (also horn part arr. for cello).’ (The cello part mentioned is now stored as a separate item, M-H 3/1-3, see below.) The score contains additions in the composer’s hand i.e. an X in pencil sporadically throughout; the pencilled dynamic markings at pp.6, 13, 20, 21, 37; pencilled notation corrections at pp.5, 6, 7, 17, 27, 31 and added tempo markings at pp.25 and 28. This copy appears to have been one used by Marshall-Hall for a performance or rehearsals.
M-H 3/1-1: 1d contains the pencilled word ‘corrected’ on the recto of the loose front cover but appears unaltered. M-H 3/1-1: 1e holds a black-inked arithmetical calculation on the final verso and the pencilled inscription: ‘Separate parts for violin, viola, horn (or cello) 1 copy’ on the second recto. M-H 3/1-1: 1l contains some pencilled notation corrections at p.12. Pages 17 to 20 are cut with a razor blade, and a sheet numbered 19-20 is missing three-quarters of the length of the page, while p.21-22 (a single sheet) is missing.
- M-H 3/1-2
Horn Quartett in B Major. Parts. 93 parts are present, all printed by the method used for M-H 3/1-1 (see above). 13-stave pages. No imprint. 32cm x 25.5cm. 12 pages. The three non-piano parts exist in multiple copies: M-H 3/1-2-1: 1 to M-H 3/1-2-1: 1bb are violin parts; M-H 3/1-2-2: 1 to M-H 3/1-2-2: 1ee are viola parts; M-H 3/1-2-3: 1 to M-H 3/1-2-3: 1ee are horn parts.
- M-H 3/1-3
Horn Quartett in B Major. Arrangement of horn part for cello. A brown envelope containing the score holds an inscription in black ink: ‘Grainger Museum. G.W.L. Marshall-Hall: horn part of Horn Quartet arr. for cello by composer (composer’s MS).’ The envelope contains a light yellow cardboard folder 28.5cm x 37cm. The top edge is reinforced with brown cardboard. Inscribed in black ink on the outer cover, on a pasted-in white strip of paper, is: ‘G. W. L. Marshall-Hall: horn Quartet (Quartet, F# min, for horn, viola and Piano) horn Part arr. for cello by composer (composer’s MS) Original MS.’ Inscribed on the first recto: ‘(horn arranged for V.cello).’ Headed: ‘QUARTETT.’ Some re-notation occurs at p.7. Sewn into the folder is a MS of 6 sheets (12 pages) of 12-stave paper. Blue-black ink is used. A composer’s autograph. Pages 26.75cm x 36.25cm with the imprint: A.L. No.6 below a circular emblem containing the drawing of a sailing ship are used.
String Quartet - F Major
The archive consists of:
M-H 3/2-1—A full score of movements 1-3.
M-H 3/2-2—A full score of the fourth movement.
M-H 3/2-3—Parts.
M-H 3/2-4—Fragment.
The archive of the Quartett in F is contained within a manila folder 27cm x 35.5cm inside a manila envelope 40cm x 30.5cm. The outer envelope is inscribed in pen: ‘Marshall Hall, Quartet in F, 2 violins, viola and cello. Score and Parts (complete).c’ The inner folder is inscribed in pencil: ‘Quartet movement, F Major. marked IV’ and, crossed out, ‘Score only.’
Holdings
- M-H 3/2-1
A full score of 3 movements of the Quartett in F Major. 12-stave score paper, 27cm x 33.75cm. Composer’s autograph score. Folded score paper, not bound. Once held together by adhesive tape. Black inked score. 50 paginations in 25 sheets. Imprinted ‘Bell Brand No.3a’ under a bell emblem. The first recto is headed: ‘Quartett for 2 Violins, viola and violoncello.’ It is signed by the composer at the right upper edge in pen. Under this in purple pencil is the address: ‘12 Yarra Street Hawthorn.’
The page is then marked: ‘I. Allegretto’, indicating the start of the first movement, which ends at p.25 where it is signed: ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The word ‘attacca’ has been added in pencil at the bottom of the page; p.26 is blank. The second movement begins at p.27 which is headed: ‘II. Adagio molto sostenuto, con sentimento.’ The rest of the inscription is pencilled out, but formerly read ‘e sottigliezzia di suono.’ Above the notation in pencil words are inscribed from p.27 to p.32. These are: ‘Once [replaced by an overwritten O], once again to hear thee say I love thee. Once, once again to read it in thine eyes, That here in quiet night our souls might flow, In kisses forth [?] and music with the night air that night.’ Thereafter, several words are not decipherable, but no longer occur solely above the score but through it at pp.28-29. At pp.30-31 the words occur sporadically. Decipherable fragments are:
p.28: ‘That we might die …’, ‘Thou in my arms … a cloud’
p.29: ‘but we might cease … evenings …’
p.30: ‘with us pain’The second movement ends at p.40, where it is signed: ‘G W.L. Marshall-Hall.’ The third movement begins on the same page (p.40). It is headed ‘Scherzo. Allegretto vivace.’ This movement ends at p.50 and is not signed.
- M-H 3/2-2
Fourth movement. The composer’s autograph black inked score. The paper is of a different format to M-H 3/2-1. It was once bound as a separate item, with brown paper at the left edge. 15 staves remain of a 30-stave score paper cut roughly at the lower edge to give a format of 37.5cm x 24.5cm. The pages are numbered from 1 to 12 in black inked pagination with a blank sheet at the end of the score, ie 7 sheets, 14 pages. Page 1 is inscribed in black ink: ‘Quartet in F (Finale), Marshall Hall. IV. Allo con brio.’
Pencilled words occur above the score at pp.2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10. Most are not decipherable. Fragments readable are:
p.2: ‘Do you remember the day when you came to see me and I forgot how terrified I was as I stood waiting for you …’
p.3: .’.. so? I pictured you, a gruff old man, with great bushy beard … coming … time … able to answer … For my part, I was … very well … come, and every time I say to myself …’
p.4: ‘… my fortune … You only saw … with … round frightened eyes. Who would not speak, yes, but your eyes, your eyes, spark my heart’
The score ends at p.12 without a concluding double bar line and is unsigned and undated.
- M-H 3/2-3: 1 to 4
Parts. M-H 3/2-3: 1 is a first violin part.
M-H 3/2-3: 2 is a second violin part.
M-H 3/2-3: 3 is a viola part.
M-H 3/2-3: 4 is a cello part.These are four separated folded sets of pages of the same size and imprint: 25.25cm x 32cm with ‘S.A. Press Australian Broadcasting Commission (Victorian Division)’ at the base of the page. 12 stave. Black inked notation. The parts are therefore of a much later date than the score itself. Possibly intended for broadcasting at the time of Prof. Sir Bernard Heinze, perhaps at the instigation of Percy Grainger. Four movements are present in all copies: Allegretto, Adagio Molto Sostenuto e con sentimento, Scherzo Allegretto Vivace, Allegro Con Brio.
- M-H 3/2-4
Fragment. A half sheet of score paper containing 18 bars of pencilled notation. Sheet 17.75cm x 25.5cm. Possibly a re-working intended for the 1st movement violin part. Two blank pages have been left loose with the above items. They are of the same format as the score pages of the 4th movement (see above).
String Quartet - C Major
The archive consists of:
M-H 3/3-1—A full score of the second movement.
M-H 3/3-2—Violin and cello parts.
Holdings
- M-H 3/3-1
Second movement, known as ‘Fugue-like movement’ because of its inscription. A manila folder 23.5cm x 30.5cm is inscribed on the cover in Percy Grainger’s hand: ‘Fugue-like movement for String Quartet [sic] E Minor with a poem on back ‘Where from the Tree-tops.’ Score only.’ Within the folder is a MS of eight pages on12-stave score paper, imprinted ‘Acme P & W.’ Folded, black inked score. The first unpaginated recto holds the inscription ‘Largo con molto sentimento’ and the faded word ‘Movement.’
This is the full score (for 2 violins, viola and cello) of the Quartett in C Major’s second movement, which is in E Minor. No full score of the three movements of this quartet is present, but the parts extant for first violin and cello (see below) confirm this as the full score of the central movement, the Largo appassionato—E Minor, in a highly chromaticised working of the key.
- M-H 3/3-2: 1 to 2
1st violin and cello parts. Manila covers 25.5cm x 32cm contain the same inscription on the outer rectos: ‘String Quartett. Vivace. Largo Appassionato. Allegro molto. G.W.L. Marshall Hall’ (no hyphen). Both are stamped in an oval on the cover, the first and last pages with an oval design within which is printed: ‘Music Copyist. Allans, Collins St. J W Grainger, clarinet’ [this copyist was not related to the composer Percy Grainger]. The 1st violin part, M-H, 3/3-2: 1, and the cello part, M-H 3/3-2: 2, both contain corrections in Marshall-Hall’s hand.
Jubilum Amoris
M-H 3/4-1
Piano Score. MS and brown paper cover. 36cm x 27cm. 12 stave. Black inked copyist’s score. Imprinted ‘B & H. Vr 4. C.’ with the Breitkopf & Härtel emblem of a bear and shield. Unpaginated nine sheets (18 pages). The outer cover is inscribed in pencil: ‘Jubilum Amoris. Piano Score. G.W. M Hall’ and stamped in purple ‘G.W.L. Marshall-Hall.’
The first recto is inscribed ‘Jubilum Amoris. G.W L. Marshall-Hall. Allegro molto e brioso. Hambourgisch!’ At the eleventh page is ‘(mit Hambourgischer Feinheit).’ [A work of humorous intent?]
On the last line of the fourth page words are introduced above the score: ‘(She:) Lo! as the moonbeams kiss the sea, Thou, O Beloved, kiss thou me! As rocks the sea mew on the sea’s breast, O, on they bosom let me rest!’ The words end at the fifth page. Some key and tempo markings have been added throughout.
Two Violin Fantasies
M-H 3/5-1: 1 to 4
Two printed violin Fantasies. Published by Schott as 28041 and 28042. Present are 4 grey folders 25.75cm x 32.5cm. At the base of the pages is printed: ‘Stich v Druck von B Schott’s Söhne in Mainz’ with the number beneath.
28041 consists of a violin part and a violin and piano score. The work is dedicated to ‘my friend Eduard Scharf.’
28042 consists of a violin part and a violin and piano score. The work is dedicated to ‘Professor Hugo Heerman in memory of his first visit to Australia.’
A Bassoon and Piano Work
M-H 3/6-1
A manila cover and MS. 23.5cm x 31cm. 12-stave score paper imprinted ‘B.C. No.29’ on a lyre emblem. Black inked score. Composer’s autograph. 20 sheets (40 pages), paginated 1 to 12 where the verso is not numbered and commencing again at 1, continuing to 19. The final recto is not signed, but bears an inscription in Marshall-Hall’s hand: ‘don’t boast.’ No date given for the year. Marked ‘Allo con brio’ at p.1. The score is stained.
The verso of p.12 is a sketch in pencil, much reworked. At the following page the numbering begins again at 1 on the recto. The page is set out as if the work were to begin again. There is no marking to indicate a second movement to the preceding Allegro con brio, however. It is headed: ‘In the Orchard, Charterisville’, and is signed: ‘G.W.L. M-H’ and ‘Adagio quasi Andante.’ The tenor clef is used for this area as opposed to the bass clef in the preceding pages. The B.C. No.29 on lyre imprint continues.