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Gregorian Variations
Conductor's score and parts on hire
978-0-19-362043-8
12 August 1982
Price: Available on request
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A one-movement work in which Berkeley weaves the modes and melodies of Gregorian plainchant into his own modern and direct style. A facsimile of the composer's manuscript. Forces or CategoryFull orchestraDuration17 minutesDifficultyModerately difficult to DifficultOrchestration3 fl (III+picc&afl), 3 ob (III+ca), 3 cl (II+Ebcl, III+bcl), asx, 2 bn, cbn, 4 hn, 3 tpt, 2 tbn, btbn, tba,
timp, 3 perc (vib, mba, xylo, glock, tbells, crotales. SD, TD, BD, w blk, tamb, cym, sus cym, gong, tri, whip, cabasa, marac, guiro), hp, pn, strProgramme NotesBerkeleys Gregorian Variations of 1982 resulted from a commission by the Philharmonia Orchestra and the tobacco company du Maurier. The composer explains: Ever since my days as a choir boy at Westminster cathedral, I have had a deep love of Gregorian plainchant. At that time George Malcolm was Master of Music, and his wonderful ability to communicate to us boys the language of plainsong meant that is was sung every day to a standard that equalled the best European monasteries. In Gregorian Variations I have used the various modes, rhythms,
and even the actual melodies of Gregorian plainchant, interwoven with my own musical ideas.
A large orchestra is employed, and the works spans some eighteen minutes, with an approach Berkeley has likened to looking through a telescope that is constantly changing focus. At times, moreover, the score allows opportunities for improvisatory drumming in the style of the blues, while always returning to refer to music associated with parts of the Roman Catholic service.
After an introductory summons, a plainsong passage is played by the cor anglais, and soon this is taken up to telling effect by the saxophone. Next the influence of jazz improvisation is felt, before a more symphonic line of extended development takes over. In the final phase music of simple and spare textures
soon expands to feature a more fully scored orchestral sound, and the Variations conclude with lively rhythms and a richly satisfying sonority.
© Terry Barfoot (2004)
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Michael Berkeley (b.1948) Michael Berkeley was born in 1948. He studied composition, singing, and piano at the Royal Academy of Music but it was not until his late twenties, when he went to study with Richard Rodney Bennett, that Berkeley began to concentrate exclusively on composing. In 1977 he was awarded the Guinness Prize for Composition; two years later he was appointed Associate Composer to the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Since then Michael's music has been played all over the globe and by some of the world's finest musicians. Most of Michael's significant orchestral work, much of his chamber music and his operas are available on CD as part of the Chandos Berkeley Edition. For ten years from 1995
Michael was artistic director of the Cheltenham International Festival of Music. He currently presents Radio 3's Private Passions, which won the Broadcasting Press Guild's Radio Programme of the Year Award in 1996, and is Chairman of the Governors of The Royal Ballet.Michael Berkeley at the BBC
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The specification in this catalogue, including without limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations, and month of publication, was as accurate as possible at the time the catalogue was compiled. Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we are unable to ship a specific product to a particular territory. Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.
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