Divertimento before
Shakespeare's “The Merry Wives of
Windsor”
This
Divertimento
for wind quintet was written in November 1963 as introductory music to a
production of "The Merry Wives of Windsor" at Bottisham
Village College near Cambridge. It falls
into five short movements, each of which is dedicated to one of the players
involved in some of the work's early performances.
Praeludium is a light-hearted fughetta setting the mood of rivalry and bickering
which is so prominent in the play.
Windsor Park - Early Evening is a gentle, reflective movement. All is quiet...in the distance a clock
chimes...
Scherzo - The Merry Wives. Here are
the wives themselves - scheming, chattering, and (in the more relaxed Trio
section) showing the warmer side to their characters.
Windsor Park - Night features different combinations of instruments in quiet, lyrical
writing. Shadowy figures move amongst
the trees as the conspirators plot Falstaff's downfall.
The Garter - Act V Scene 6. The play
is over, and all the participants relax in the convivial surroundings of The
Garter. This is a completely extrovert
Rondo, featuring Fenton and Anne's love music, and returning towards the end to
the music of the Praeludium. A brief
Coda brings these light-hearted proceedings to a boisterous close.
The
first performance was given on November 14th 1963 at Bottisham Village College
by William Tilden (flute), Christopher Brown (oboe), Alan Maries (clarinet),
Keith Maries (horn) and Warwick Edwards (bassoon).
The
first performance of the Divertimento to be given by the movements' dedicatees
was at the Cambridge University Music Club on April 25th 1964.
© Christopher Brown 2000