SEXTET Op.16 (score & parts)

Arthur Butterworth (1923—2014) was born in Manchester and studied composition at the Royal Manchester College of Music, eventually becoming a trumpeter in the Scottish National Orchestra. Later he returned to his native Manchester to join the Hallé Orchestra where, in 1957, his First Symphony was successfully launched by Sir John Barbirolli. Despite an early interest in the avantgarde, his music is firmly traditional, having being particularly influenced by Sibelius and the nordic culture as well as by English music of the first part of the 20th century. Major works include four symphonies, concertos for violin, viola and ‘cello, and music for many varied ensembles, including wind instruments, many of them commissioned.
In his later years, his music for chamber ensembles has become better known and is accessible not only to professionals, but to the growing market of good amateur players.
Several fellow-players in the Hallé Orchestra knew of his work as a composer and one of them, the Hallé’s principal horn player, Maurice Handford – later to become better known as the Orchestra’s associate conductor – suggested that Butterworth write a work for the Manchester Wind Ensemble; a chamber music group made up of the Hallé principal wind players, all Butterworth’s close friends and companions. So came about the Sextet, Op. 16 which was written in what few spare moments were to be had in the latter part of 1956. Its form is simple enough: a short Introduction is followed by a scherzo-like movement with a more reflective secondary theme, and the return of the scherzo itself. Stylistically it bear only a superficial relationship to the Symphony’s large-scale design and dark, brooding, Nordic harmonies, which are hardly to be found in the smaller-scale chamber work.
The first performance – preceding that of the Symphony on 19th July – took place at Stretford Library Theatre, Manchester, on 23rd January 1957. The players were William Morris (flute), Michael Winfield (oboe), Leonard Foster (clarinet), Charles Cracknell (bassoon), Maurice Handford (horn) and Rayson Whalley (piano), who, in addition to being the Orchestra’s pianist, was also the principal percussionist.

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