Diatonic Study

Cyril Scott (1879-1970) was a remarkable
English composer. He came from a cultural family, and acquired fame mainly as a composer of some exotically flavored piano pieces, of which "Lotus Land" became a perennial favorite.

In many of his pieces, Scott showed himself a master of musical miniature. He wrote in a distinctly modern idiom, very much in the style of French Impressionism; employed sonorous parallel progressions of unresolved dissonant chords; made frequent use of the whole-tone scale. His writing for piano is ingratiating in its idiomatic mastery; his harmonious modalities exude an aura of perfumed euphony.

From his early youth, Cyril Scott was attracted to occult sciences, and was a believer in the reality of the supernatural; he published books and essays on music as a divinely inspired art, and inveighed violently against jazz as the work of Satan.

Scott left no original organ music, but there are 2 books of fine transcriptions. The first set was done by Arthur Wormald Pollitt, Mus.D. (Dunelm) (1878-1933). I've recorded all of these, and you can find them here in the Concert Hall.

The second set was done by Arthur Eaglefield Hull (1876-1928), English music critic, writer, composer and organist. he graduated with a Doctorate of Music from Oxford University. He lived in Huddersfield in Yorkshire. His was a sad ending, as in despair, he threw himself under a train.

"Diatonic Study" was composed for piano, and published in 1914. It is a delicate piece, undoubtedly pianistic in nature and texture, although it translates well to the organ, although the effect is quite different. To me the use of the word "diatonic" is very different to the music we hear, which is actually quite nice.

I've recorded all of the Scott transcriptions with the exception of 2, both of which are monsters. I HOPE to be able to do them.

The score is attached below, as well as three photos of Cyril Scott and two of Arthur Eaglefield Hull, the transcriber.