Description
Even today, Frank Bridge (1879 – 1941) is still better known for his connections with Benjamin Britten than as a composer in his own right. As a young man his music had been popular: melodic, romantic and approachable. In contrast, the output of his later life was chromatic and radical – perhaps a musical reaction to the horrors of the First World War. This more ‘difficult’ music was distinctly less enthusiastically appreciated during his lifetime.
The Winter Pastoral dates from 1925 and is written in Bridge’s later, chromatic style. Put aside any expectations of a soothing, bucolic pastoral: in this pastoral dissonances and tri-tones go hand-in-hand with traditional harmonies whilst bare textures partner a gentle but sparse, folk-like melody. These elements combine to paint a vivid, and often bleak, picture of a frosty landscape in deepest winter.
