MS Mus. 353

MS Mus. 353. Alan Bush Collection. Vol. xxviii. Chamber music; 1944-[1958]. For the score and parts of the variation on ‘I Lost my Little Basket’ for eleven instruments which Bush contributed to the corporate work ‘Diabelleries’, see Add. 59809.

ff. 101. 365 x 270mm.

1. ff. 1-22. ‘Lyric Interlude’, for violin solo with piano accompaniment, op.26; Sept.–Oct. 1944. Score, in ink, with composer’s annotations in pencil and engraver’s annotations in blue crayon. Dedicated to Nancy Bush. Published Joseph Williams, 1947, with the violin part edited by Max Rostal.

2. ff. 23-7. Two easy pieces for ’cello and piano, [without opus number]; [1951]. Published Joseph Williams, 1952, with the ’cello part edited by Herbert Withers.

i. ff. 23-4. ‘Song across the Water’. Score, in ink.

ii. ff. 25-6. ‘Fireside Story’. Score, in ink.

iii. f. 27. ’Cello part for the two pieces, in ink.

3. ff. 28-31. ‘Northumbrian Impressions’, suite for Northumbrian small pipes, op.42; [1953]. Published in an arrangement by the composer for oboe and piano, op.42a, Novello, 1956.

i. f. 29. ‘I: Prelude’.

ii. ff. 29v-30. ‘II: Lament’.

iii. ff. 30v-31. ‘III: Dance (based on the Mitford Galloway)’.

4. ff. 32-73. ‘Variations, Nocturne and Finale on an English Sea-Song’, for piano solo, op.46; [1956]. In ink. ‘Dedicated in friendship and admiration to Dr Thomas Armstrong’ (f. 32). The work was subsequently revised for piano and orchestra as op.60 (see MS Mus. 342). The sea-song is ‘Blow, ye winds’. The Nocturne, which is missing from the present manuscript, was published Novello, 1970; version for piano and orchestra, op.60, published in an arrangement for two pianos by David Lyon, Borough Green: Novello, 1973.

i. ff. 34-52. Variations.

ii. ff. 53-73. Finale.

5. ff. 74-87. Two melodies for viola and piano, op.47; [1957]. Score, in ink. Dedicated to Lionel Tertis (though not on this score). Published Joseph Williams, 1959.

i. ff. 75-80. ‘Song-Melody’.

ii. ff. 81-7. ‘Dance-Melody’.

6. ff. 88-101. ‘Two Ballads of the Sea’, for piano solo, op.50; [1957-58]. In ink, with performance annotations in pencil. ‘Dedicated as a grateful tribute to John Ireland’ (f. 88). With typewritten copies of the words of the ballad and shanty on which the pieces are based (ff. 89, 90, 94). Published Joseph Williams, 1961.

i. ff. 91-3. ‘The Cruel Sea Captain’; [1957].

ii. ff. 95-101. ‘Reuben Ranzo’; [1958].

includes:

• ff. 23-7 Nancy Rachel Bush, wife of Alan Bush, composer: Compositions by A. D. Bush , dedicated to Nancy Rachel Bush: 1936-87.
• ff. 32-73 Sir Thomas Henry Wait Armstrong, Principal of the Royal Academy of Music: Compositions by A. D. Bush , dedicated to Sir Thomas Henry Wait Armstrong: [1956-62].
• ff. 74-87 Lionel Tertis, viola player: Two melodies for viola and piano, op.47, by A. D. Bush , dedicated to Lionel Tertis: [1957].
• ff. 88-101 John Nicholson Ireland, composer and pianist: Compositions by A. D. Bush , dedicated to John Nicholson Ireland: [1925-58].