As the German spelling suggests, these are works that nod to the piano ‘Noveletten’ of Schumann, pleasant, short musical stories in ABA form. If we were looking for reference-points to describe the string writing, we could perhaps think of the miniatures of Grieg, the elegance of Elgar and the melodiousness of Dvorak. The tambourine and triangle that adds a twinkle throughout is pure Coleridge-Taylor, though. It underlines the unashamedly light-hearted, salon style of the opening two movements.
There is a svelteness to Coleridge-Taylor’s melodic lines, and you can sense throughout, as a virtuoso violinist himself, how comfortable he was writing for these forces, challenging the players while never sacrificing the music to mere technical display.
After a series of glistening trills, the first novelette turns into a gentle waltz that retains an English accent throughout, restrained and polite. Listen out for the lovely cello tune in the middle episode that conjures a bit of pathos for contrast. There are echos of Dvorák here in setting the cello against shimmering upper strings.
The second Novelette dances with soft steps, the entire section muted. It it a genteel gavotte with contrasting episodes, including a syncopated minor section and a restatement with a winsome cello countermelody. There’s a change of dance and time signature as we slip into a minuet section, then the gavotte returns, ending with a wink on the triangle.
The second two Noveletten turn up the temperature, bringing in darker colours and more energy. The solo violin of the third sets the mood for the rest of movement: plaintive, tender and searching. The solo invites an emotional response from the rest of the strings, marking the most intense moment in the work.
The finale has athletic leaps in the melody set to drumming rhythms beneath. There’s a bravado here, a real sense of adventure. If this novelette were a story, there would be heroes on horses. Coleridge-Taylor wears his talent lightly, deftly slipping in some surprising harmonies at the end before finishing with a cheerful race to the final bar. I imagine bowing arms flung high on the final chord!
