Charles Villiers Stanford

Serenade-Nonet op. 95

Scoring: Fl, Bflat cl, hn in F & bn, 2vns, va, vc, db. The Serenade-Nonet Op. 95 was written very quickly during the summer of 1905 and was performed in 1937, but otherwise received very little attention until recently. The instrumentation is unusual, bringing together four wind instruments (without oboe) and five stringed instruments - a Schubert Octet ensemble with added flute. The resultant balanced and homogeneous sound is placed at the service of Stanford's very individual musical language. The first movement is in sonata form, with flowing melodies and contrapuntal inner parts. The second movement is both unexpected and original, being a Scherzo in the form of a set of variations, including a Trio-like middle section which transforms the spiky theme into a lyrical melody. The Andante opens lightly, but darker and deeper exploration follows before the melody emerges enriched. The Finale is a rondo-like movement, brisk and cheerful, using a three note motif throughout, and ending with a final restatement of themes from earlier movements.

The Serenade-Nonet takes about 30 minutes to perform. The former Phylloscopus edition was based on the manuscript parts prepared by Adrian Rushton. Reference was also made to the composer's autograph score, which forms part of the Stanford Archive assembled by the late Dr. Frederick Hudson at the Robinson Library, University of Newcastle.