This set of two CDs of John’s music coming out on the 15th anniversary of his death, celebrates the harp and British music, and the life of a person who has deeply loved and lived for music and for the harp!
John Marson was a dear friend to many. I myself have fond memories of shared concerts, playing together, and after he retired playing his music while he was in the audience; long talks with cups of tea (he drank it black) and cakes. John liked cakes! Quirky and totally obsessed by the harp, John’s fast-working brain brought him to write a book to codify all possible glissandi and pedal combinations well before the modern computer existed, and to undertake research in libraries and beyond about harps, composers, hidden publications, and manuscripts before the field even had a name.
A real musician of his time and in all senses, he learnt much about what he knew on the road and guided by his own curiosity. While he did have harp lessons from Marie Goossens at the Royal College of Music, he soon left to embark on tours around the world with opera companies and symphony orchestras, working in recording studios, and playing with the good and mighty of the time, including playing music by, and under the baton of, Igor Stravinsky, and recording the music of Charlie Chaplin with the actor and composer present. I learnt many life and music lessons from John since my arrival in London in 1995 as we were neighbours, and on Planet London vicinity certainly guarantees more friendly relations.
Since his death in 2007, and in honour of the legacy he left to Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where I have been teaching since 1999, it felt natural to honour him with a harp prize in his name, and to encourage appreciation of his music among students, professionals, and audiences alike. His writing is not always idiomatic – sometimes the harmonies shift so suddenly and so far from home that it seems there are more pedal movements than notes – but always sensitive and beautiful. Though not contemporary in the classical sense – John liked tonality and playing with it – it has clear influences from the wealth of music he performed and listened to, and from the musicians and composers he worked with, from Bach to the Beatles (we can catch a glimpse of him in the music video of ‘A Day in the Life’ from Sergeant Pepper back in 1967), film music, and musical theatre alongside the more classical repertoire. John was principal harpist in the London Symphony Orchestra and later in the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
In autumn 2020, after the first COVID-19 lockdown, Trinity Laban resumed in-person lessons, classes, and chamber music coaching. I had the idea to prepare some of his works as for a proper CD recording in a conservatoire setting. Earlier this year then came the natural step to actually produce the CDs. All of John’s music is interesting and has merit; it deserves to be listened to and performed, and I hope that many will enjoy listening to this recording, or will want to perform some of the compositions themselves. I have coached all musicians and assisted with the recording process, as well as having also been a performer amongst all other performers. We all enjoyed the journey and I hope you will all enjoy listening!
Gabriella Dall’Olio © July 2022
Many of the works are dedicated to John’s colleagues and friends, and are incidental works. Some others are more structured and long. As John worked with some famous wonderful (mostly but not only) British musicians, all would have premiered his works and kept plying them during their lifetime in solo and chamber music concerts, and he would often go and listen to them.
El Picaflor (The Hummingbird) was written around 1995. The cheerful work of South American inspiration in D major revolves around the theme of the hummingbird going from flower to flower and his adventures. There is a central section that invites to romance or a dream, before the reprise, and final coda. John gave me a copy of the original score before it was printed and told me how he imagined it to sound.
XL, This was written for Gabriella Dall’Olio on her 40th Birthday, as a birthday present. The original bears the handwriting ‘for she who excels in many things’….a pun and an elegant game of words, since XL is also 40 in Roman numbers, and Gabriella is of Italian origins. The short miniature uses a theme from one of John’s string quartets.
Two Miniatures for Oboe and Harp bear only the titles “And From A Turret I’ll Behold My Love “To Leave Her So, And Not Once Say Farewell” and sound like an aria or lament, andante sostenuto, followed by a quick dance, allegro di bravura.
Sonatina for violin and harp. This work was originally written for mouth harmonica and harp, and specifically written for Tommy Reilly and Skaila Kanga in 1981/82, who played it for the BBC and recorded it. When Tommy stopped performing on the harmonica, John decided to transcribe the work for Violin, in a way acknowledging that ‘had world events not prevented him from completing his studies of that instrument. His playing was ways inspired by violinists, and that is why this reworking of the piece now appears as a logical development’.
Prelude, Song and Dance for six harps. This work was composed around 1978 and premiered In Holland in 1979; it should be described as a concerto for solo harp with five ripieno harps accompanying, allowing the soloist freedom with the textural and harmonic interest a harp ensemble can produce. The interval of a semitone is important: the prelude opens with bitonal chords D major and C# major, and the clash is always present. The Prelude resolve the dissonances with a comfortable resolution. The Song also starts with a semitone and becomes a lyrical melody, utilising F major and Gb minor as chromatic tension. “The Dance is nothing of the sort: I could not think of a better title”. The semitone is now a grace note. “A 3/8 motif sounds as though it must become a fugue. It never does[….] The work ends in D major, with just a hint of C# piquancy”.
The Enzyme Song.
The night the enzymes had their ball with fun and food and drink for all, aperitifs and nibbl’d bites did wonders for their appetites. Hours D’oeuvres, salmon smok’d and svelte slipp’d quickly underneath the belt, with melon and a Melba toast a fitting prelude to the roast. Appropriate windows, like tidal vases, slurp’d around the little braves who dealt impartially with beans, courgettes and peas and aubergines. All smothered by sauce bordelaise there seem’d enough for days and days. With each new dish a fitting wine would circulate right down the line; amd Fred, a connoisseur who knew, identified each premier cru and chateau by its fine bouquet. It was, he said, a splendid day. Desserts, flambéed with loving care, and cheeses – Fred adores Gruyère- came floating down as if from heaven from eight to quarter past eleven. Event’ally one could detect the infrastructure, not erect, was groaning by the rubbish bin: Oh God!, I’ve really done it in! But, careless of the pin and noise, old Fred, and the Enzyme boys continues to break down the slime into components parts. In time, Fred contemplated with a shiver, ten arteries would fur, and liver, give up the unequal task. But what more could an Enzyme ask, than such rich plenty? What a roast, what splendid food! Let’s raise a toast, together, let us all repeat: you are, what your enzymes eat!
Song for Kate, Was written for the birth of Kate, the daughter of two of John’s dearest life friends: Jenny Ward-Clarke and Michael Foss. The manuscript bears the writing: To Kate (born 19th September 1974) from John (born 19th September 1932). The words and music are from John.
Share a Birthday with a friend and that friendship never will end. Nice to know that someone will always remember. when you are lonely sing out loud; tell yourself you are one of a crowd, celebrating the nineteenth of September. If ev’ry one born on our day could join us, how exciting! We could make a birthday cake that would teach to the sky, and cover it with icing! I’ve had many years to wait, for my little birthday friend, Kate. Now you’re here, I am glad to be able to say ‘How’d you do!’ And where ever we may be, just think for a moment of me, ‘cos I’ll be saying ‘many happy returns to you’.
The Lady Harpist. This is a funny poem well-known to harpists, and a few drawings and satiric paintings have been circulating for decades. It is attributed to Lawrence McKinnon
If there is one lady in the bunch, | To find her takes no special hunch, | Or sight particularly sharp, | She is the girl, the girl who hugs the harp.
The very longest tuner upper, | She has to have an early supper, | And seated on a lonesome chair, | Proceeds to wind up the affair.
Then she will sit and sit and wait | Dispassionate and desolate | Til the conductor nod or frown | Sets her to stroking up and down | And after these chromatic bits | She simply sits and sits and sits…
If there is one lady in the bunch, | To find her takes no special hunch, | Or sight particularly sharp, | She is the girl, the girl who hugs the harp.
A harpist must have lots of plucks; | A black silk costume; | And a truck!
Arcadian Sketches. Dedicated to Fiona Cross and Hugh Webb, two wonderful virtuosos of their instruments and friends of John, and as the title says depicts two moments of an imaginary bucolic landscape…..but in the 20th Century rural Britain, rather than Greece!
Waltzes and Promenades is dedicated to Isobel Frailing-Cork and David Dunn and alternates dances and arias, with some jazzy harmonies and rhythms towards its resolution. Both parts are soloistic or accompanying the other in turns and relate to each other like a real couple dancing and chatting while walking.
Excursions for flute (or violin) and harp was written for and dedicated to for Alison Myles and Catherine White, and established and busy flute and harp duo. After a calm preludes and landscapes, an aria follows, ending with a bicycle ride: this is of course again a sort of game of words, implying a fast pace in the mouvement, but also many pedal passages, left and right, making the harpist….pedalling like on a pushbike!
Three Romances for flute or violin and harp, written for Gillian Findlay and Karen Vaughan, is a short collection of three airs of melancholic past memories, places and people.
Suite for Flute and Harp is dedicated to Linda Coffin. The work is very long and substantial and the titles are quite telling.