Salix (Plymouth Suite)

Percy Whitlock was born in Chatham and from 1921 to 1930 was assistant organist at Rochester Cathedral. He had previously studied with Vaughan Williams at the Royal College of Music, developing a harmonic style which was much indebted to that of his teacher and to Elgar but also bore traces of Gershwin, Stanford, Rachmaninov and Roger Quilter. Like Vaughan Williams and Frederick Delius, he often used themes that sounded like folk songs but were original creations.

The Plymouth Suite was composed in 1937 following a visit by Whitlock and his wife Edna to Plymouth to attend a conference of The Incorporated Association of Organists. The suite comprises five movements, each of them dedicated to an organist who had attended the conference.

The fourth movement of the suite, Salix (a weeping willow), is a 'Sicilian' tune in 6/8 time. It is quite definitely one of the composer's finest miniatures, evoking the pathos of the sea in its melancholic melodic writing, perhaps a reference to Whitlock's childhood. As with much of Whitlock's music, there is a lot of detail to be observed with the need for careful articulation, and the observance of repeated notes or tied notes as well as careful registration.

From 1930-1935, Whitlock served as Director of Music at St Stephen's Church, Bournemouth remaining in Bournemouth until his untimely death in 1946. The organ of Salisbury would most likely have been known to him and he would have enjoyed the same sounds which grace this majestic space today. Thus, the organ at Salisbury (as with so much English music) is well-suited to his music.