John Marson – Roundelay (Flute & Piano)

As a change from show-off bravura items this piece simply asks to be loved, and will return that feeling. Written in a very approachable style, it is well mannered enough to be taken anywhere. For colleges, conservatories and professionals.

Review: "This is a piece for the advanced player, Grade 7+. It is very much a duo piece, rather than flute with piano accompaniment, and has a cadenza for both instruments at the end of the middle section. It is atonal, and whilst the beginning and end are a steady moderato tempo the middle section ranges from lento to presto. Ideal for including in a recital of contemporary music." – Sarah Waycott & Hannah Mitchell of Tranquillo Duo, July 2013

Review: "Roundelay, written in 2005, is one of John Marson's last works as he sadly died on the 4th February 2007. Having spent many years as principal harp of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra he wrote a number of works for harp, other instruments and voice. The title Roundelay refers to a melody with a regularly recurring refrain. It is not too demanding technically but is tonal and lyrical, reflecting the beauty of his music. The tempo varies from moderato to vivo, with some chromatic passages and a short flute cadenza. Lasting no more than 5 minutes, this would make an accessible short concert piece by a British composer or suit a student of about grade 8 standard. The music lies well for the flute, mostly within the middle register, and is printed on quality paper." – Dr. Rachel Smith DMA, MA, BMus (Hons), FTCL – December 2012.

Review: "The harpist John Marson was well known for his compositions for that instrument, but he also wrote for wind instruments, including the attractive Suite for Flute and Harp.  This Roundelay is a short piece for flute and piano, imaginative, chromatic and full of variety.  The opening melody is the refrain, recurring wistfully in slightly altered forms later; the interspersed episodes are lively, witty and rhythmic, with humorous piano accompaniment.  An interesting addition to the repertoire, of about Grade 7 standard." – Alison Uren in Music Teacher, May 2007

Biography

Marson, John

John Marson was born in 1932 and died in 2007. He studied the harp with Marie Goossens at the Royal College of Music in London, and in 1958, while still a student, began his professional career with the Carl Rosa Opera Company. A week after leaving college he joined the London Symphony Orchestra for two years before embarking on two decades of freelance work, during which he played solos, chamber music and concerti, worked with all the London orchestras and spent much time in recording studios. He played in many outstanding feature films including the original 'Star Wars'. In 1982 he was appointed principal harp of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, and subsequently resumed his freelance career while increasingly engaging in composition, both for the harp and for other instruments and voice. He played for many West End and National Theatre productions including over three years as harpist in Lloyd Webber's 'Aspects of Love'.

The roll call of artists with whom John has worked include the Beatles, Richard Rodney Bennett, Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Benjamin Britten, Charlie Chaplin, Bing Crosby, John Dankworth, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Liberace, Martha Graham, Hans Werner Henze, Herbert von Karajan, Otto Klemperer, Zoltan Kodaly, Lorin Maazel, Neville Marriner, Pierre Monteux, Jessye Norman, Laurence Olivier, Luciano Pavarotti, Gennadi Rozhdestvenski, Frank Sinatra, George Solti, Leopold Stokowski, Igor Stravinsky, George Szell, William Walton, John Williams, Stevie Wonder and countless others.

In 1964 John was one of the two founders of the United Kingdom Harp Association, edited its magazines for many years and became President of the Association in January 2005. His book 'The Complete Guide to Harp Glissandi', is published by Lyra Music of New York, while his other major work 'The Book of the Harp - techniques, history and lore of a unique musical instrument', was published by Kevin Mayhew Ltd. in 2005.