Lennox Berkeley returned to London from Paris where he had spent seven years studying with Nadia Boulanger and his cultural experiences in Paris made a significant impression on him. Berkeley was later to reflect on this period of his life,..." I still love Paris very much and often wished we lived there, as indeed I once did....I've never got to love London, though I've spent the greater part of my life there! " Berkeley wrote eighteen articles for "The Monthly Musical Record" during his sojourn in Paris between 1929 and 1934, and these reflect the musical and cultural ambience of this time very suscinctly. In 1929, William Walton's " Facade " was premiered in Paris and to which Berkeley attended and was greatly impressed, especially by Walton's use of tonal colours. Berkeley also in these articles, comments on the technical merits of Aaron Copland's work, also Arthur Honegger's (a member of " Les six") "Cello Concerto", and also admired, was a performance of Igor Stravinsky's "Octet", of which Berkeley states..." perhaps Stravinsky's best work of that period." Also during this period, Diaghilev's Russian Ballet Group("The Ballet Russe") was extremely popular in Paris and composers such as Debussy and Ravel were given commissions to write for them. But perhaps the one composer who established themselves most comprehensively through their association with Diaghilev was Stravinsky, Berkeley attended the Paris premiere of his "Symphony of Psalms" in 1931 and it's compositional style impressed him greatly. Stravinsky established his " Neo Classicism " compositional style after his earlier Ballet scores such as the, " The Firebird "(1910), " Petrushka "(1911) and the " The Right of Spring " (1913). From about 1920 to 1950, Stravinsky established what was to become known as the " Neo Classicist " movement with such Ballet scores as, " Pulcinella "(1920), " Apollon Musagete "(1928) and " le baiser de la fee/The Fairey's Kiss "(1928), these were to prove to be a radical turning point in the classical music world where the predominant " Romanticism " had been greatly over exploited. Berkeley, like many of the prominant composers were heavily influenced by Stravinsky's radical work in Paris, elements of this " Neo Classicism", a vivacity combined with a certain restraint are decernable in the " Three Impromptus op7. " Before this, Berkeley in his formative period was mainly exploring his interest in the Baroque and these were represented by those works without Opus numbers, but at this time alongside "Three Impromptus", were works like the, "Suite for Flute, Oboe and Strings"(1930) and the, " Flute,Oboe and Piano for Trio "(1935).

　

(Ⅰ) MODERATO.
This first piece has a certain wistfulness about it, combined with the quality of a seranade and is in the key of G-major. The work could also function perfectly in 6/8 metre, but Berkeley chose to set it in 3/4 instead and constructed the crotchet melody on the left hand accompaniment with the figure,6-quaver divided into two halfs. This as a result, gives the piece a longer extended feel, especially to the overall shape of the line and creates an illusion of a suspended melody. Ultimately, it is a reflective piece containing a lilting and gentle rhythm.

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(Ⅱ) ANDANTINO.
In contrast to the 'moderato', this second piece has a very relaxed atmosphere about it, with a sort of twisted harmonic progression to it. Berkeley wrote it in 4/4 metre and uses 'Portamento' on the 1st and 3rd beat of each bar, giving it a lightness of direction to the overall expression. It consists of ' A, B, A' and the theme comprises 4-Bar phrases which produces a 'call and responce' effect.

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(Ⅲ) ALEGRO.
In this third and last piece, Berkeley utilises the wide range of the keyboard to good effect, succeeding in creating a more dramatic effect. One important factor found especially in his" piano sonata", and again here in the" Alegro" is his use of the 'Interval of the Sixth', he uses these' intervals of sixth's' accompanied by strong accents sporadically throughout, again to good effect. This concluding piece is in 4/4 metre which starts off with accentuated 'intervals of sixth's, making an immediate impact on the listener. By the climax, a tension is created, brought on by his use of the rising 'semi-tone' scale, an often used feature in Berkeley's work and which creates a focal point to the piece.

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Kumiko Ida/Brian O'Hara(text) Feb 2006