Ralph Vaughan Williams - Toccata Marziale
Tim Reynish, from a lecture given at WASBE in Cincinnati, 2009
The Toccata is difficult rhythmically, not because of complex of diverse meters, but in the sophisticated placement of simple fundamental rhythmic impulses and in the constant demand for vitality of tonal production in their precise execution.Frederick Fennell
The Toccata Marziale is, or rather might have been, a mould breaking work for the military band; it was the first movement of a proposed Concerto Grosso, one of the very first works in which a composer broke away from the concept of the military band original repertoire being mainly a vehicle for ceremonial, for a string of folk tunes, or short-breathed melodic ideas based on folk origins. This work is one of the most varied pieces in the repertoire in terms of counterpoint and variety of phrasing, and our challenge is to make this all work, and also conspire to develop a real balance and blend between the different instrumental colours with a real appreciation of the dynamic range and articulation - without it being too mannered or academic. Many of these phrases overlap by one beat but below is a suggested analysis.
I would suggest that you white out the additional parts, bass clarinet, soprano and baritone saxophones, then put the original numbers which give you a section and phrase structure. Below I have suggested an architecture for the four big fortissimo moments - make sure that you build carefully - keep it light otherwise.
BAR/S | OLD VERSION WITH FIGURES | PHRASING SUGGESTIONS |
1 - 4 | Bars 1-4 | Introduction - Normal four bar phrase, culminating on 1st and 2nd beat o bar 4 |
5 - 8 | Figure 1 - Figure 2 | EXPOSITION FIRST SECTION = Another four measure phrase |
9 - 11 | Figure 2 for 3 bars | 3 bars of mixed meters 7/8 7/8 2/4 |
12 - 15 | 3 before Figure 3 | 2 bars of 5/4, resulting in next phrase starting on 2nd beat |
15 - 22 | Figure 3 for 8 bars | 8 bar phrase beginning one beat out, canons in 18 and 19 still one beat out but eventually righting itself bar 20/ 2 before 5 with first big FF |
SECOND SECTION - more lyrical theme with countersubject | ||
23 - 26 | Bar after 5 for 4 | 4 bar phrase - should the cornet double the oboe? ..or balance? |
26 - 30 | 4 before 6 | Answering 4 bar phrase - does it start in 6/8? |
30 - 32 | Figure 6 for 2 bars + 2 beats | Same theme in woodwind but could now be construed as in 3/8 3/8 3/8 2/8 2/4 |
32 - 34 | 3 before 7 | Answered in basses possibly in 3/8 3/8 3/8 5/8 |
34 - 36 | Pickup to 7 to bar 2 | Firmly and triumphantly triple time breaking into |
37 -40 | 6 before Figure 8 | 6/8 8/8 8/8 NB the 8/8 bars are each 3 + 3 + 2 |
41 - 43 | 3 before Figure 8 | Starting on the upbeat two bars of 5/4 embracing canons in 3/4 |
44 - 47 | 1 after 8 for 4 bars | Theme back in triple time, then 6/8 then 2 bars triple but note the canon - NB I ask syncopated 8ths to be tenuto - hear difference |
48 - 53 | 3 bars before 9 - 3 bars after 9 | Main theme stated in augmentation - second big FF which sets up a great six bar diminuendo to molto pp accompagnato |
From 51 | Figure 9 | DEVELOPMENT FIRST SECTION |
54 - 57 | 4th of Figure 9 - 10 | 7 bar phrase built of a 4 bar and an answering 3 bar - I invite 3rd clart, alto sax, horns and euphonium to take a really low mf/p |
61 - 64 | Figure 10 for 4 bars | Texture is thicker for this 2 bar phrase answered by 2 bars so again I invite all soloists to think piano and to blend |
65 - 68 | 4 before 11 | Normal 4 bars of two 2 bar phrases - not an important forte |
69 - 71 | Figure 11 for 2 bars | Phrase overlaps into the third bar , basically 3/4. + 8/8 |
71 - 74 | 3 bars + 2 beats before 12 | One bar of 5/4 followed by 2 bars of 6/8 |
75 - 78 | Figure 12 for 4 bars | Modulatory passage in E major - feel of 2/4 - Revelli "notes not quite touching" |
78 - 84 | 6 before Figure 13 | Two bars of 5/4 followed by 3 bars of 3/4 …. |
85 - 90 | Figure 13 - 14 | Two bars of 5/4 followed by two bars of triple time |
DEVELOPMENT SECOND SECTION | ||
90-93 | Figure 14 for 3 bars | Lowest point - very difficult to get it pp and with clarity |
94-95 | 2 before 15 | F# Minor 2 bar phrase Low point mf but tutti p or pp |
96-99 | Figure 15 | A minor 4 bar phrase |
100-102 | 6 before 16 for 2 bars | 7/8 5/8 and a triple bar |
103- 105 | 3 before 16 | 5/4 bar followed by 4/4 |
106-108 | Figure 16 for 3 bars | 3 bars of canons |
109-16 | 8 before 18 | Eight bar phrase ending on Figure 18, imitation moving through wide range of keys - very hard to control crescendo |
RECAPITULATION | ||
116-120 | End of 18 - 5th bar | Reprise of second theme from Bar 22 - 26, Figure 5, this time fortissimo instead of piano - PENULTIMATE FF |
120-124 | Bar after 18 for 4 bars | Answering 4 bar phrase - does it start in 6/8? |
124 - 138 | Figure 19 - 4thmeasure of 20 | These fourteen bars are an exact repeat of Figure 6 - Figure 8, 30 - 44 |
138-146 | 4th of 20 to 21 | 6+ 3 bars phrase, beginning triple time - 8/8 - 6/8, canon extended sequentially - 2/4 2/4 and four bars of triple time. |
CODA | ||
147-152 | Figure 21 | Six bars of triple time or nine bars of 2/4 - ostinato on Gb with canonic a in Gb - D |
153-156 | 5 bars before the end | Two bars of 2/4 whole tone scale over an augmented 5th |
157 | 2 measures before end | 16th notes for two beats and final statement of main motif FINAL AND BIGGEST FF |
ERRATA IN BOOSEY AND HAWKES 2005 EDITION OF TOCCATA MARZIALE
Tim Reynish - Monday 6th July 2009. Cincinnati
I am grateful to Dr. Jessica Kun of Wilfrid Laurier University for bringing many of these errata to my attention in her edition completed for her DMA at Arizona State University. I have compared the four scores available, the 1924 and 2005 editions from Boosey and Hawkes, Dr. Kun's score and the original Vaughan Williams. I have tabulated the following errata in the new edition; wrong notes and other major mistakes highlighted. Other errata are articulation and dynamic markings which I think are usually taken from the original Boosey and Hawkes edition of 1924 and are often misleading.
EDITORIAL CHANGES
I have added an editorial anacrusis for the bassoons1 before 8 and 3rd after 20 to make them conform with the basses. In the third bar of Figure 6 there is a discrepancy in the original score between oboe, clarinet and cornet, and I have decided to have an E natural concert pitch for the first beat followed by an Eb for the rest of the bar. Some of the other discrepancies have stemmed from editorial decisions, but there are unfortunately about twenty five mistakes in the new Boosey and Hawkes edition. I have given bar numbers and the figures of the 1924 version.
For the performance by the Royal Northern College of Music Wind Ensemble on July 8th we used an updated version of the edition by Dr. Kun.
Bar no. | Figure | Bar | Problem |
Bar 4 | 1 | 1 before | Staccato omitted in brass upbeat |
Bar 8 | 2 | 1 before | Bassoons lines omitted |
Bar 8 | 2 | 1 before | Tenor saxophone last note should be F not A |
Bar 11 | 2 | 3 after | Crescendo notated 1 beat too early |
Bar 17 | 3 | 3 after | Side Drum Crescendo omitted |
Bar 18 | 3 | 4 after | 3rd clarinet wrong notes 2nd eighth note should be D natural, 6th should be Bb |
Bar 22 | 5 | All parts diminuendo should be from 2nd eighth note | |
Bar 22 | 5 | Bassoon 1 should be piano not mf | |
Bar 25 | 5 | 4 after | All parts crescendo should be last beat, not whole bar |
Bar 26 | 6 | 4 before | 2nd Clarinet has no note in this bar - col cornet 2 starts in the next bar in the original score |
Bar 32 | 6 | 3 after | Oboe 4th semi should be E natural 7th and 9thEb Score has E natural throughout_ |
Bar 32 | 6 | 3 after | Clarinet 2 4th semi should be F#. 7th and 9thF natural (Score has F# throughout) |
Bar 32 | 6 | 3 after | Trumpet should have F# not natural (Score has F natural) |
7 | 1 before | Bass trombone, euphonium and tuba slur from second sixteenth ote | |
Bars 37/38 | 7 | Bars 3 -4 | Basses should be legato 2nd & 3rd and 5th and 6theighth notes |
Bar 38 | 7 | 4th after | Triangle rhythm should be quarter note eighth note rest quarter note eighth note rest |
Bars 39/40 | 7 | Bars 5 & 6 | Basses should be legato 4th and 5th and then first 2 eighth notes |
Bar 43 | 8 | 1 before | Bassoons editorial addition of upbeat Ab |
Bar 45 | 8 | 2nd bar | Crescendo eighth note early |
Bar 48 | 9 | 3 before | Timpani and Percussion forte not ff |
Bar 50 | 9 | 1 before | Diminuendo eighth note too early |
Bar 51 | 9 | 4th Horn should have a D instead of | |
Bar 51 | 9 | Cornets piano first beat | |
Bar 53 | 9 | 3 after | Tutti diminuendo last quarter note |
Bar 54 | 9 | 4th bar | Tuba first eighth note is G |
Bar 64 | 10 | 2nd bassoon legato ends on 2nd beat of 4th bar | |
Bar 60 | 10 | 1 before | Dimuendo from beat 1 |
Bar 65 | 10 | 5 after | Trombone 1 should be D not C |
Bar 67 | 10 | 7 after | Trombone 1 tacet for 1 bar |
Bar 68 | 11 | 1 before | Alto saxophone should be tacet for 1 bar |
Bar 69 | 11 | Second bassoon starts on 1st beat with a D eighth note | |
Bar 75 | 12 | Clarinet phrasing wrong for 4 bars | |
Bar 75 | 12 | Bass trombone should be B not G | |
Bar 82 | 13 | 3 before | Second bassoon should have B natural not Bb |
Bar 84 | 13 | 1 before | 1st clarinet second eighth note should be G# not Gb |
Bar 91 | 14 | Trombone second entry should be p not pp | |
Bar 91 | 14 | Tubas should be p not pp though euphonium is pp | |
Bar 95 | 15 | 1 before | Upper woodwind diminuendo should be last quarter note |
Bar 103 | 16 | 3 before | Cornet 1 should be Bb not G |
Bar 103 | 16 | 3 before | Side drum add ruff before bar |
Bar 111 | 17 | 1 before | Oboe an octave too low |
Bar 111 | 17 | 1 before | Tubas omit 2nd eighth note |
Bar 113 | 17 | 2nd bar | Trombones crescendo last quarter note |
Bar 114 | 18 | 2 before | 2nd clarinet should play eighth note F# then 2 eighth note rests |
Bar 121 | 19 | 3 before | Timps should have eighth note on 1st beat followed by 2 eighth note rests |
Bar 124 | 19 | 1st cornet should be E not G | |
Bar 124 | 19 | 4th horn should have 2 bars of dotted half note A, as at 6 | |
Bar 123 | 19 | 1 before | 2nd cornet should have C# not natural according to piano score |
Bar 137 | 20 | 3rd bar | Bassoons insert Ab anacrusis |
Bar 147 | 21 | Clarinet should diminuendo on last quarter note | |
From 155 | End | Last 3 bars | Eb clarinet, oboe, both saxes and 1st clarinet phrasing could be changed to fit the original |
Bar 155 | End | 3 before | Side drum should have crescendo |
Bar 158 | End | Cymbals stroke missing |