B-flat major
B-flat major is a major scale based on B, with pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two flats. Its relative minor is G minor and its parallel minor is B-flat minor.
The B-flat major scale is:
Changes needed for ...
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
Breitkopf & Härtel
Breitkopf & Härtel () is a German Music publisher, music publishing house. Founded in 1719 in Leipzig by Bernhard Christoph Breitkopf, it is the world's oldest music publisher.
Overview
The catalogue contains over 1,000 composers, 8,000 works ...
in 1913 (no full score, only parts). Each of them used to be referred as ''Maori'', a feature that can lead to confusions. Today the first one is called ''Maori'', while for the second another (longer) subtitle is retained.In notes to Naxo 8.570491 this quartet is called ''Maori''. However, in Stiles's catalogue this title is reserved for the ''Second'', while the ''First'' quartet lacks there any special name. Its approximate duration is 22 minutes.
History
Hill began composing this quartet while he was studying in
Leipzig Conservatory
The University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig () is a public university in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1843 by Felix Mendelssohn as the Conservatorium der Musik (Conservatory of Music), it is the oldest music ...
(between 1887 and 1891), but the two middle movements (''Adagio'' and ''Scherzo'') were later (after 1896) substituted with new music incorporating
Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
ideas. The second theme of the ''Finale'' is actually the same Māori tune that was used as a principal (love) theme in Hill's 1896 cantata ''
Hinemoa
Hinemoa was a woman of the Te Arawa, known in Māori culture, Māori tradition for swimming across Lake Rotorua to Mokoia island to be with Tūtānekai, with whom she was in love. The story has been widely transmitted and forms the basis for one ve ...
'' (though its origin is not indicated in the quartet score). The 1896 as ''
terminus post quem
A ''terminus post quem'' ('limit after which', sometimes abbreviated TPQ) and ''terminus ante quem'' ('limit before which', abbreviated TAQ) specify the known limits of dating for events or items..
A ''terminus post quem'' is the earliest date t ...
'' for this quartet is also based on the composition of ''Hinemoa'': it was by its success that Hill became fond of incorporating Māori tunes into his music.
Even in its final form this quartet remains clearly European in style. The original Scherzo was used by Hill in his '' First Symphony'' (by 1898) and in the '' Fourth Quartet''.
Structure
The Quartet is in four movements:
:I. Moderato — Allegro
:II. ''Waiata (Songs accompanying the Dance).'' Haka Dance (Barbaric) — Trio. Poi Dance (Graceful) — Da capo
:III. ''Tangi (Lament).'' Lento — Con moto — Tempo I — Allegro
:IV. Finale. Allegro moderato
The first movement is a
sonata form
The sonata form (also sonata-allegro form or first movement form) is a musical form, musical structure generally consisting of three main sections: an exposition, a development, and a recapitulation. It has been used widely since the middle of t ...
. Its first subject (in
B-flat major
B-flat major is a major scale based on B, with pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two flats. Its relative minor is G minor and its parallel minor is B-flat minor.
The B-flat major scale is:
Changes needed for ...
) consists of two parts: a slow (''Moderato'') and a fast (''Allegro''), both played twice. They reappear in the development section and in the reprise. The second theme (''Cantabile'') is in
F major
F major is a major scale based on F, with the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat.Music Theory'. (1950). United States: Standards and Curriculum Division, Training, Bureau of Naval Personnel. 28. Its relati ...
. At the end of the movement it is repeated in B-flat major. Both the exposition and the reprise close with a new statement of the initial slow theme.
The ''Waiata'' is a
scherzo
A scherzo (, , ; plural scherzos or scherzi), in western classical music, is a short composition – sometimes a movement from a larger work such as a symphony or a sonata. The precise definition has varied over the years, but scherzo often r ...
with a trio. Both themes are Māori: a barbaric ''Haka Dance'' and a graceful ''Poi Dance''. The main section is in
F major
F major is a major scale based on F, with the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat.Music Theory'. (1950). United States: Standards and Curriculum Division, Training, Bureau of Naval Personnel. 28. Its relati ...
, while the trio is in
D major
D major is a major scale based on D (musical note), D, consisting of the pitches D, E (musical note), E, F♯ (musical note), F, G (musical note), G, A (musical note), A, B (musical note), B, and C♯ (musical note), C. Its key signature has two S ...
.
The ''Tangi'' is also based on a Māori. It is a sorrowful melody in
G minor
G minor is a minor scale based on G, consisting of the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has two flats. Its relative major is B-flat major and its parallel major is G major.
The G natural minor scale is:
Changes n ...
with a contrasting middle section in fast tempo (''Con moto''). This movement ends with a brief coda.
Just like the opening movement, the ''Finale'' is laid out in a sonata form (in B-flat major) with a second subject first stated in F major. It is the longest movement of the quartet and its coda (''Animato'') provides a splendid conclusion for the whole piece.
Editions
* Alfred Hill. ''String Quartet No.1 in Bb''. Narara, N.S.W.: Stiles Music Publications, 2002 (ISMN 979-0-720029-61-0) — full score and parts
Naxos Records
Naxos comprises numerous companies, divisions, imprints, and labels specializing in classical music but also audiobooks and other genres. The premier label is Naxos Records, which focuses on classical music. Naxos Musical Group encompasses about ...