This piece was written in 1961 as a Christmas present for the violinist David Martin (whose wife was the ’cellist Florence Hooton). Both were friends of Gordon Jacob and he wrote works for both of them, including a Concertino for violin, ’cello and string orchestra for their 25th wedding anniversary.
Illustrating the front cover is Frank Bayford’s 1970 painting Metamorphosis of Leaf and Cloud. It is reproduced here with his kind permission. We are also grateful to him for his drawing Apples and leaves in the Fall, which was produced especially for this publication, and it appears on page 5.