MS Mus. 422

MS Mus. 422. Alan Bush Collection. Vol. xcvii. Choral music; 1927-57.

ff. 68.

1. ff. 1-11. ‘To the Men of England’ (words, Shelley), for unaccompanied mixed chorus, [op.10]; Dec. 1927 – Jan. 1928. With autograph annotations in red ink and engraver’s annotations in pencil, and with a note to the engraver to correct a note in the third verse (f. 7). Dedicated ‘For the London Labour Choral Union’ (f. 2). Published Curwen, 1928 (The Choral Handbook, no.1243).

2. ff. 12-19. ‘The Road’ (words, Violet H. Friedlander), for unaccompanied mixed chorus, [listed as op.13 or op.13, no.1]; 1930. With autograph annotations in red ink and engraver’s annotations in pencil, and with a typewritten copy of the words, signed by the author and dated 27 Jan. 1930 (f. 13). Published Curwen, 1930 (The Choral Handbook, no.1255).

3. ff. 20-51. ‘Songs of the Doomed’ (words, Frederick Cecil Boden, from Out of the Coalfields), song-cycle for tenor (or baritone) and piano, with epilogue for female chorus and piano, op.14; Feb. 1932 – March 1933. Another score of the third song, written a tone higher, is Add. 52464 B, ff. 1-2.

i. ff. 22-4. ‘Despair is at heart and hatred for ever’.

ii. ff. 25-31. ‘When daylight’s breaking’. Two scores, in ink.

iii. ff. 32-8. ‘Beauty dwells uncertain Here in homes unsure’.

iv. ff. 39-43. ‘Here they lie, that once had breath’.

v. ff. 44-51. ‘Epilogue’ (‘Hush, be still, you bitter thing’), for female chorus and piano. Score (ff. 45-8); – score of alternative version for tenor and piano, in ink, with the chorus parts sketched in pencil (ff. 49-51).

4. ff. 52-5. ‘Toulon’ (words, Nancy Bush), for soloist, mixed chorus and piano; [1942]. Published Worker’s Music Association, [c. 1943].

5. ff. 56-8. ‘Song of the Commons of England’ (words, Miles Carpenter), for unison chorus and piano; [c. 1942]. With a typewritten copy of the words (f. 56). Published in a version for unison or mixed voices, Workers’ Music Association, 1944; reprinted with words in English and Russian in Piesni (Moscow: Sovietskii Kompozitor, 1963).

6. ff. 59-60. ‘Shining Vision: Song for Peace’ (words, Montagu Slater), for mixed chorus and piano; [1950]. Published Workers’ Music Association, 1950; reprinted with words in English and Russian in Piesni (Moscow: Sovietskii Kompozitor, 1963), and in Peace Songs, ed. J. Jordan, Kahn & Averill, 1989, p.38.

7. ff. 61-8. ‘Like Rivers Flowing’ (words, Nancy Bush), for unaccompanied mixed chorus; 1957. With engraver’s annotations in pencil, and with a typewritten copy of the words, dated 13 March 1957, on which a dedication ‘For the W.M.A. Singers, Welsh Festival’ is deleted (f. 63). Published Joseph Williams, 1957.

includes:

• ff. 1-11 Percy Bysshe Shelley, poet: London Labour Choral Union: 'To the Men of England', for unaccompanied chorus, by A. D. Bush , to words by Percy Bysshe Shelley, dedicated to the London Labour Choral Union: 1927-28.
• ff. 12-19 Violet H. Friedlander, writer: 'The Road', for unaccompanied chorus, by A. D. Bush , to words by Violet H. Friedlander: 1930.
• ff. 20-51 Frederick Cecil Boden, poet: 'Songs of the Doomed' by A. D. Bush , to words by Frederick Cecil Boden: 1932-33.
• ff. 52-5, 61-8 Nancy Rachel Bush, wife of Alan Bush, composer: Libretti, poems and translations, set to music by A. D. Bush: circa 1943-1986.
• ff. 56-8 Miles Carpenter, writer: 'Song of the Commons of England' by A. D. Bush , to words by Miles Carpenter: circa 1942.
• ff. 59-60 Montagu Slater, author: 'Shining Vision: Song for Peace' by A. D. Bush , to words by Montagu Slater: [1950].
• ff. 61-8 Workers' Music Association: 'Like Rivers Flowing' by A. D. Bush , dedicated to the W. M. A. Singers: 1957.