Born in London, Cunningham Woods was the son of court dressmaker Alfred Woods. From 1877-1880 he attended the National Training School for Music. This was a music conservatory located in Kensington. In 1882 it was absorbed into the newly created Royal College of Music which began instructing students in 1883. Woods was taught by Arthur Sullivan and Ebenezer Prout.
He was employed as an organist, first at Brasenose College and then at Exeter College Oxford, where he was awarded his MA degree in 1891.
In 1894 he became Head of Music at Highgate School in North London, a position he held for almost the rest of his life.
The Gressenhall Suite
Written for string orchestra this probably dates from the 1920s. Its name hails from the village of Gressenhall, Norfolk. Woods had connections with East Anglia mainly through his wife who was from Norwich and his father who retired to the area.
The composer gave some background to the suite. “Some years ago I was staying at Gressenhall near East Dereham, Norfolk. During my visit I was present at a jolly little dance in the parish room. All accompaniments were played on an accordion by a young fellow who was employed in a flour mill. He played a large number of folk dances – mainly traditional – the names of which he did not know. ‘I learnt them from my father,’ he said. One struck me as being a very jolly one and I named it after the village (Gressenhall). A brother of the Squire told me that the words at the commencement of the song, were – “Throw away sorrow, Cast away care! The parish is bound to maintain us.”
There are 4 movements. 1. Preamble 2. A Norfolk Folk Tune 3. Slow Air 4. Jig and Finale
The Slow Air marked Andante Doloroso is a simple ABA movement but not without its moments of melancholy and yearning as demonstated by the main theme.
And in the central part the 2nd violin has a sighing duplet figure
SAMPLE: Gressenhall Suite - 3rd movement "Slow Air"