Eklog

Arthur Walter Kramer (1890 — 1969) was an American music critic, publishing executive, and composer. He studied music with his father, and took violin lessons with Hauser and Arnold. He graduated from the College of the City of New York in 1910.

After graduation, Arthur Walter Kramer was on the staff of Musical America from 1910 to 1922, and served as its editor-in-chief from 1929 to 1936. From 1936 to 1956 he was managing director of the Galaxy Music Corp.

Arthur Walter Kramer published over 300 compositions, including orchestral pieces, choral works, chamber music, piano pieces, and songs.

"Eklog" was published by The Arthur P. Schmidt Co. in 1918. I received a copy of this several years ago, form Carson Cooman, so, THANK YOU, Carson!

An "eklog" was originally a selected piece, a selected poem of any content; collection of poems with similar content. This name became very common for Virgil's collection of shepherd poems. As these later during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance were the main pattern for the shepherd's poem, the word eklog came to be used even in modern times as a term for the learned shepherd's poem.

For it's inspiration, Kramer quotes from
Theokritos II: "Bethink thee of my love, and whence it came, my Lady Moon!"

Theocritus (Theokritos), born c. 300 BC, died after 260 BC) was a Sicilian poet and the creator of Ancient Greek pastoral poetry.

This work is quite effective. Certainly it's orchestrally conceived, and rather impressionistic.

I do like the way the PB Hill handles this, but you have to be careful though, as it's hard to get things like the Swell Hautboy on and off, so, I didn't use it much as I would have liked to.

In the edition, the registration was done by Pietro Yon (1886-1943), the great Italian virtuoso who made most of his career in NYC. I didn't follow his registration, but it was helpful.

The score is attached below, as well as photos of Pietro Yon and a likeness of Theokritos II.

More rarities coming soon! :-)