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Music for Children", for orchestra (1940–1)

• General Information:
1.     The Music Lesson     
2.     The Three-Legged Race     
3.     The Silent Lake     
4.     Pony Trap     
5.     Swing Boats     
6.     Puppet’s Dance     
7.     Song at Dusk     
8.     Hopscotch     
9.     Ghosts     
10. Trumpet Tune     

Composition: 1940–1, arranged by the composer from the Duets for Children (1940). Nine of the numbers originally existed in versions for piano solo, entitled Tunes for My Niece.
First Performance:  Sunday, 16 February 1941. Queen’s Hall, London. London Philharmonic Orchestra, Basil Cameron conductor.
Duration:  About 14 minutes
• C. Number:  C39a
Instrumentation: 2 flutes (both doubling piccolos), 2 oboes (both doubling cor anglais), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons – 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba – timpani, 2 percussion (side drum, cymbals, glockenspiel, tambourine, xylophone) – harp – strings
Manuscript: Frederick R. Koch Collection. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Manuscript FRKF 624c. Autograph full score. 37 pages.
Publication: Oxford University Press, 1941. Score and parts are available on hire.

Music for Children 1941 Score   Discontinued
Music for Children, Book 1:
‘The Music Lesson’, ‘The Three-Legged Race’, ‘The Silent Lake’, ‘Pony Trap’, ‘Ghosts’
1949 Arranged for piano
by Roy Douglas
ISBN 019 373916X Buy from SheetMusicPlus.com
Music for Children, Book 2 1950 Arranged for piano
by Roy Douglas
  Discontinued

Arrangements:
Music for Children, arranged for piano solo by Roy Douglas (1949/50).
See above for publication information.
Trumpet Tune, for trumpet and piano, arranged by Ann Driver (1954).
This version has never been published or recorded.
Six Pieces for Brass Ensemble, Sets 1 and 2, arranged by Nöel de Jongh.
Set 1 Contents: ‘Puppet’s Dance’, ‘Hopscotch’, ‘Trumpet Tune’
Set 2 Contents: ‘The Three-Legged Race’, ‘The Silent Lake’, ‘Pony Trap’
Instrumentation, Set 1: 2 trumpets, 2 trombones
Instrumentation, Set 2: 3 trumpets (1 optional), 3 trombones, horn (optional)
Publication: Oxford University Press. Score, 1964, discontinued.
Miniatures for Wind Band, Sets 1 and 2, arranged by Bram Wiggins.
Set 1 Contents: ‘The Music Lesson’, ‘The Three-Legged Race’, ‘The Silent Lake’, ‘Pony Trap’, ‘Song at Dusk’
Set 2 Contents: ‘Ghosts’, ‘Hopscotch’, ‘Puppet’s Dance’, ‘Swing Boats’, ‘Trumpet Tune’
Instrumentation: Piccolo (optional), 2 flutes, 1 or 2 oboes, 3 clarinets, alto clarinet, bass clarinet, 2 alto saxophones, bassoon – 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, 2 euphonium (second doubling tenor saxophones), tuba – timpani, percussion – doublebass.
Publication: Oxford University Press. 1974. Set 1: score 019 3682672, set of parts 019 3682958. Set 2: score 019 3685078, set of parts 019 3685353.
Children’s Suite, for oboe and piano, arranged by Christopher Palmer.
Comprising: ‘The Music Lesson’, ‘The Three-Legged Race’, ‘Ghosts’, ‘Hopscotch’, ‘Swing Boats’, ‘Song at Dusk’, ‘Puppet’s Dance’, ‘Trumpet Tune’
Publication: Oxford University Press. Included in Willam Walton: An Oboe Album, 1992, 019 3594102.
[Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: An Oboe Album]
Arranged for brass band, by Paul Hindmarsh, ca.1995.
Comprising: ‘The Music Lesson’, ‘The Three-Legged Race’, ‘The Silent Lake’, ‘Pony Trap’, ‘Swing Boats’, ‘Song at Dusk’, ‘Trumpet Tune’

Black Dyke Mills Band James Watson arr. Hindmarsh 1995 ASV WHL 2093 8’38”

 

Two Pieces for Manuals, for organ, arranged by Robert Gower.
Comprising: ‘Allegro’, ‘Alla marcia’
Publication: Oxford University Press. Included in A Walton Organ Album, 1996, 019 3758709 [Purchase online from SheetMusicPlus.com: A Walton Organ Album]

Robert Gower organ   arr. Gower 1996 Priory PRCD 591 3’49”

Adaptations: Galop final, composed by Walton in 1949, and incorporating themes from Music for Children, intended to form the conclusion to the ballet Devoirs de vacances.
Arrangement: Orchestrated by Christopher Palmer, using the same orchestra as Music for Children.
Manuscript: Frederick R. Koch Collection. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Manuscript FRKF 624d. Autograph short score. 7 pages.
Publication: Oxford University Press. Score and parts are available on hire.

London Philharmonic Orchestra Bryden Thomson Galop final 1991 Chandos CHAN 8968 3’34”

Music for Children has formed the basis of the following ballet:
Devoirs de vacances. John Taras choreographer, Boris Kochno book.
First Performance: Tuesday, 8 November 1949. Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris. Ballet des Champs-Élysées. Leslie Caron, Hélène Constantine, Irene Shorik, Hélène Sadowska, Youly Algaroff principals. Cecil Beaton scenery, costumes.
Recordings:

Orchestra Conductor Year Compact Disc Timing
London Philharmonic Orchestra Sir William Walton 1970 Lyrita SRCD.224 13’18”
London Philharmonic Orchestra Bryden Thomson 1991 Chandos CHAN 8968 13’23”

For additional recordings of this music, see the following versions:

  • Duets for Children, for piano duet (1940)