From manuscript to recording Bringing to life a mature composition by war poet and prolific composer IVOR GURNEY

“Everything on this page is useless” scribbled Gerald Finzi hurriedly whilst compiling a catalogue of Gurney’s late chamber music manuscripts in 1937. There are feasibly as many as 50 chamber works written by Gurney in his maturity (1919-26) Many of these date from the last few years and are missing presumably destroyed. Of these there are some 15 string quartets. The circumstances of Gurney’s death in an asylum, certified insane, arguably contributed to Finzi’s view.

Miraculously the mature D minor Quartet survives, minus the score, in string parts transcribed by Gurney’s violinist friend Marion Scott. Composed between 1924-5, it dates from a period of feverish productivity during his first two years in the City of London Mental Hospital, Dartford.

The first movement bears bowing marks, evidence which corroborates reports of it having been played through to the composer in the asylum. The second movement, the Adagio, featured in the Bridge Quartet’s recent critically acclaimed “Heracleitus” CD recording (EMR036). It was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 Breakfast Time “From the Western Front.”

Following this enthusiastic reception, Michael Schofield (violist in the Bridge Quartet) has now transcribed the remaining three movements over the course of many months. This complete quartet now offers a unique insight into Gurney’s late chamber works and a fascinating glimpse into the kaleidoscopic style of a unique voice among British composers.