Work for Oboe Violin Viola and Cello. Parts available: CH56341.This quartet was commissioned by the Institute of Contemporary Arts and written in the autumn of 1967. It is dedicated to Lady Norton and is the second of LennoxBerkeley’s three works written with the oboist the late Janet Craxton in mind the other two being his Sonatina OP 61 and Sinfonia Concertante OP 84.The work begins with a fairly extended introduction leading without a breakinto an Allegro. The whole composition is based on the internal of a third (sometime major sometimes minor) which is heard in the opening phrase of the introduction and again in the main theme of the Allegro though here in atotally different context. The allegro is in more or less traditional sonata form. The middle movement is a kind of Scherzo growing out of a rhythmical figure for the strings and a rapid arpeggio (major and minor chords) forthe oboe. This is a Presto; a more relaxed middle section corresponding to the Trio in a classical work is followed by a much shortened version of the Scherzo. The last movement is brief but very slow all four instrumentstaking up in turn a gently rocking figure that moves to and fro between two notes always a major or minor third apart. The music becomes more animated but returns to the opening figure and dies away each instrument droppingout one after the other leaving the cello alone in the last bar.

Five Pieces for Violin and Orchestra was commissioned by Frederick Grinke and completed on 20 December 1961. The BBC Symphony Orchestra with Frederick Grinke (violin) and conducted by the composer gave the first performanceon 31 July 1962 at the Royal Albert Hall London during the BBC Proms season.This work is so constructed that each piece is complete in itself and can be played separately while at the same time the whole set of fiveconstitutes a structural unit. A basic motif consisting of a rising semitone followed by a falling tone and its inversion plays an important part in every piece. Thus the first piece which is of a slow and meditativecharacter begins with this theme in the bass. It is also heard in the first entry of the solo part and thereafter every episode is in some way derived from it. The next piece a vigorous and strongly marked ‘allegro’ uses thesemitone of the original figure as its starting point. A second theme appears first on the horns and is later taken up by the solo violin while a third section has the initial idea as its accompaniment. Next comes an extendedscherzo in free form very closely based on initial motif. The fourth is a purely melodic piece containing allusions in its middle section to the basic figure. Here the strings only are used for accompaniment. In the firstsection violas and cellos are divided in the middle section and all the strings are used in the last which is otherwise an almost exact repetition of the opening. The Finale is a lighter movement than the others concernedmainly with giving the soloist material for display but not unconnected with what has gone before.

Premiered by the Stratton Quartet at the Cambridge Theatre in June 1941. Score available: CH00257