MS Mus. 1893/2/1

Music written at Oundle School, Northamptonshire (Wood entered as a boarder in 1945) and at New College, Oxford University (1951-54). Between school and university, Wood completed his National Service (1950-51). In the summer of 1948, Wood attended the first Summer School of Music at Bryanston School in Dorset, directed by William Glock.

(1). Earliest dated compositions (1948-49), including some undated material probably of earlier date.

• 1.1. Wood's original front cover to the file of his earliest compositions: 'Pieces written at school and at Oxford including incidental music for College plays Merchant of Venice [and] Two Gentlemen of Verona, and 'Songs for Springtime'.
• 1.2. 'Lay your sleeping head, my love'. A setting of words by W. H. Auden, for voice and piano, in blue ink, without date (1 bifolium).
• 1.3. 'If I Bricked Up Ambition'. A setting of words by C. Day Lewis, for voice and piano. Two scores, neither dated. The first score (1 folio) is an incomplete setting, in blue ink (on the verso of which, in pencil, 'Hodie Christus natus est'), from which the lower right corner has been cut off. The second score (2 folios) is a complete setting in red ink.
• 1.4. 'Song from The Tempest for Flute, Voice, Piano, String Quartet', beginning 'Come unto these yellow sands....' Scored in blue ink and pencil, without date (1 bifolium).
• 1.5. 'Sailing to Byzantium'. A setting of words by W. B. Yeats, for voice and piano. Two scores, neither dated. Both in blue ink with additional score in pencil (2 folios and 1 bifolium).
• 1.6. 'Now the full-throated daffodils' (a setting of words by C. Day Lewis) and 'Sailing to Byzantium' (a setting of words by W. B. Yeats). Two finished settings for voice and piano written continuously, in blue ink, across two folios. The C. Day Lewis setting is dated 'Summer-Autumn 1948'. The W. B. Yeats setting is dated 'Spring-Summer 1948'.
• 1.7. 'Busie Old Foole'. A setting of words by John Donne, for voice and piano, in blue ink (2 folios). Dated: 'Winter 1948-49 - finished Sept? 49'.
• 1.8. 'Triumph of Bryanston'. A 'march' for piano scored in blue ink (1 bifolium). Dated: 'Summer-Christmas 1949'. On the final page, a melody sketched in pencil to words by Dylan Thomas: 'Why east wind chills and south wind cools'.

(2). Composed at Oxford University (1951-54).

• 2.1. Incidental music for The Merchant of Venice, including 'Ouverture', 'Musick for the Masque', 'Court Musick', 'Tell Me, Where Is Fancy Bred?', 'Fanfares', and 'Final Music'. Scored in red ink for violins, recorders, cello, and trumpets, with some parts scored separately. With the material is an autograph note from 'Hugh' to 'Albert', listing various 'points for this evening' (evidently a performance for which Wood was not to be present): 'I suppose the complaints of noise mean tightening up orchestral discipline. What a pity! You'll find it much easier with me not there.'
• 2.2. Incidental music for Two Gentlemen of Verona, including 'Overture', 'Love Music', 'Fanfare', 'Julia Music', and 'Who Is Sylvia?' Scored in blue ink for a small orchestra.
• 2.3. Piano Duet Sonata. 1st movement only. Undated score in pencil (1 bifolium).
• 2.4. Sonata for violin and piano. 1st movement only. Undated score in red ink (2 folios), headed 'For John'.
• 2.5. 'Clarinet Concerto (abandoned). 1st mvt (incomplete) piano reduction'. Scored in blue ink and pencil (2 folios), dated 'September-November 1953'.
• 2.6. 'Songs for Springtime'. Five settings of poems by A.E. Housman, W. H. Auden, John Donne, and C. Day Lewis (two poems). Marked '1st Copy (Pianist's)'. Date: December 1953 - February 1954. Scored for piano and voice in blue ink, words in red ink. First lines: I. 'The sun at noon to higher air' (Housman); II. 'Warm are the still and lucky miles' (Auden); III. 'Busie old foole, unruly sunne' (Donne); IV. 'Live you by love confined' (Day Lewis); V. 'Now the full-throated daffodils' (Day Lewis).
• 2.7. 'Songs for Springtime'. Marked '2nd Copy (Conductor's)'. Some additional workings in pencil.
• 2.8. Setting of 'Lay your sleeping head, my love' (Auden). Scored in pencil, for voice and piano (1 folio).
• 2.9. Two fragments sketched in pencil (1 bifolium): 'Slow mvt Concertante' and 'Str 4tet beginning last mvt'.