Harold Darke (1888-1976)

 

 

Harold Darke had a world-wide reputation as one of the finest organists of his era. After his formal training at the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied composition with Charles Villiers Stanford and organ with Parratt, he eventually served as professor for organ at the Royal College of Music from 1919 to 1969.

 

As a composer he is most famous for his setting of In the Bleak Midwinter which is still often sung at the service of Nine Lessons and Carols at King's College, Cambridge, and at similar services around the world. Most of his compositions that are still performed are settings of the Anglican liturgy.

 

He did, however, leave a significant amount of non-liturgical music including a symphony and other smaller scale orchestral works. Most of this music was written in the earlier part of his life.

Symphony - 1914

This major work was never performed. It seems to have taken a long time to complete, at least four years but his progress was probably hindered by his organist duties and composing for the church. It is in three movements: Allegro con moto - Andante - Allegretto/Andante

 

The work is prefaced by a reference to a holiday in Switzerland (August 1910) along with a quote from Robert Browning's Saul. (see below - click to enlarge)

 

 

The 1st movement is in in 12:8 time but it is juxtaposed cleverly with a 4:4 time creating a syncopation which drives the music onward. The main melodic motif demonstrates this early on.

 

 

A significant motif of a rising 8th falling by a tone is heard first on the horns.

 

 

The main second subject is more lyrical in nature.

 

 

SAMPLE: 1st mov - start

The development section expands on the second subject to create a new melody.

 

 

SAMPLE: 1st mov - middle

The recapitulation follows but shortened somewhat and with further development and altered scoring. A short coda beginning ff dies away to a pianissimo.

SAMPLE: 1st mov - end