William Hurlstone - Musical Works

Musical Works

The greater part of his body of work consists of works for chamber ensembles. Although of very high quality, none achieved any great fame. Among the better known are

• Phantasie for String Quartet in A minor (published early 1905), which won first prize in the inaugural Cobbett Chamber Music Competition,
• Piano Quartet in E minor, Op. 43,
• Piano Trio in G major, dating from 1905,
• Trio in G minor for clarinet, bassoon and piano, and
• Four Characteristic Pieces for clarinet and piano (Ballade, Croon Song, Intermezzo and Scherzo).

Additionally, he composed four instrumental sonatas for:

• piano solo (in F minor),
• violin and piano,
• cello and piano, and
• bassoon and piano.

There is also a Quintet in G minor for flute, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano.

His orchestral works include

• Variations on a Swedish Air,
• Variations on a Hungarian Air,
• Variations on an Original Theme,
• Magic Mirror Suite (based on the fairy tale of Snow White), and
• a Piano Concerto in D major.

Hurlstone was considered by Stanford to have been prone to being of the great composers of the early 20th century. Stanford considered him the most talented of his pupils, above Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gustav Holst.