Look Who it Was Random video

Ernest Markham Lee: Moorland and Torland, 6 Sketches for piano

1,136 views · Published 21 October 2014 · 12:09 · Indexed 22 September 2026

Channel: PSearPianist · 2014 · Music

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1 - The Tors at Sunset ( 0:09 ); 2 - Taw River ( 2:47 )
3 - The Lonely Pool ( 4:00 ); 4 - In the Purple Heather ( 6:23 );
5 - Silent Water ( 7:59 ); 6 - Farewell ( 9:55 ).  Published. 1916.
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The industrious English composer Ernest Markham Lee (1874-1956) also had a career as pianist, organist, lecturer, and author of musical composer biographies and books on opera, symphonies. As a composer he wrote an opera, orchestral and vocal works and pieces for piano and organ. He somehow found time to be professor of organ at the Guildhall School, and a globe-trotting Associated Board examiner.  For more information on him, see http://bit.ly/1CS251A . Markham Lee wrote several works inspired by Devon, in south-western England.  This suite was dedicated to a friend, Dr. Samuel King Alcock (who wrote the poems that preface each piece, and which I have reproduced below).  King Alcock was a multitalented GP based in Hanley, Staffordshire, who was also an expert on porcelain. 

John France has written a short essay on this suite, which you can read here: http://bit.ly/1vJrtX7 .  I agree with him that the strongest piece is the fifth, Silent Water, which describes a particular section of the Taw River.  It actually comes across to me as a free variation on Joseph Barnby's 'Sweet and Low'.  Here are Samuel KIng Alcock's poems:


1 - The Tors at Sunset
All night the tors were wrapped in mist:
Dawn came— the east grew amethyst—
The cloud-wrack disappeared: sun-kissed, 
 The mountains hailed the day. 
Now, sinking slowly in the west, 
The sun bestows his last bequest, 
And flings in every rugged crest 
 Imperial array. 

 2 - Taw River
"Why are you hurrying, Dartmoor river, 
Keeping your mosses and reeds a-quiver?" 
"I must not wait,for my mother,the sea, 
Calls over the moors to my brothers and me:—
 'Come, you are part of me-, 
 Come to the heart of me-, 
Stumble and tumble and spatter and foam—
But never stop running until you reach home!'" 

3 - The Lonely Pool
Wide morass, and lonely mere—
Scarce a sound to thrill the ear—
 Only the curlew's plea. 
The clouds sail by, and yield the rain—
But the rivers are waiting, and seize it again; 
 And rush with it down to the sea. 

4 - In the Purple Heather
The moors in purple robes are decked, 
To honour the sun, their king: 
But the king is kind, 
And he does not mind 
If the heather is trampled, with scant respect, 
While the children laugh and sing. 

5 - Silent Water
So long the journey to the destined goal,
The river well nigh dozes. 
Frown nor smile 
Disturbs its placid face— yet, all the while, 
Deep down, the steadfast waters seaward roll. 

6 -  Farewell
Yesterday we climbed in Devon—
  Trod the heather— leapt the streams: 
To-day, alas! that earthly heaven
  Stirs but memories, lives in dreams. 
 Land of legend, lore and spell 
 Lovely Devon! Fare thee well! 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- Played by Phillip Sear
http://www.psear.co.uk (Email:  [email protected]  
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