Thomas Dunhill: A man of large endowments.

In 1920 the critic, composer and musicologist Marion Scott wrote a fine pen-portrait of Thomas Dunhill for American readers. It is an excellent article that needs little commentary. I have maintained American spelling, but otherwise made a few minor edits.LONDON, England – Ask a man, whose ideas of British music were formed from concert programs, ‘Who is Thomas Dunhill?’ and he would probably reply, ‘a well-known composer who has written a number...

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The Music of Lionel Monckton: An Excellent Introduction

The Monckton AlbumLionel MONCKTON (1861-1923) La Cingalee (1904) The Arcadians (1909) Quaker Girl (1910) Pirjo Levandi (sop), Jeanne Servchenco (sop), Mariliina von Uexküll (sop), Julie Lill (cont), Oliver Kuusik (ten), Annika Tonuri (mezzo sop), Mart Sander (bar) Chorus and Bel-Etage orchestra/Mart Sander DIVINE ART 2-4110 [69:08] I first heard Lionel Monckton’s music many years ago – it was the enchanting ‘Charming...

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The Thomas Dunhill Connection: a great new Website devoted to the composer.

Thomas Dunhill is a composer with whom I can do business. For over forty-odd years many of his attractive piano pieces have never been far from my side. And it is not just because some of them are relatively easy to play!Over recent years a number of the composer’s larger works have appeared on CD including the Violin Sonata, the B minor Piano Quartet, the overture to Tantivy Towers and perhaps, most importantly, the Symphony in A minor. Dunhill’s son David has written the only biography of the composer to be published so far. It is a fascinating...

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Frank Merrick: Composer, Pianist and Teacher – a short biopic.

Following the MusicWeb International’s publication of my review of Christopher Howell’s excellent release of piano music, An Englishman in Italy, I was delighted to see that the editor had appended a short biography of Frank Merrick (1886-1981).  His ‘Tarantella’, op.5 appears on the second of Howell’s two CD set.   I noted in that review that relatively little is known about the composer, however, based on his thrilling ‘Tarantella’ ... I believed that he deserves further exploration. This is an interesting ‘first step.’ MusicWeb...

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An Englishman in Italy: British Piano Music inspired by Italy: Part 2

Arthur Somervell (1863-1937) has been revived to a certain extent in recent years. His Violin Concerto was an important discovery from a few years ago. Hyperion recently released his excellent Piano Concerto in A minor and the concerted Normandy Variations. The Symphony ‘Thalassa’ has recently been released on Cameo Classic (CC9034CD). The present work is a tiny Tarantella, which is such a typically Italian dance. It has a largely classical rather than a romantic or ‘modern’ mood. Maude Valerie White (1863-1937) is the only English-woman in Italy...

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An Englishman in Italy: British Piano Music inspired by Italy: Part 1

Francis Edward BACHE (1833-1858) Souvenirs d'Italie, op.19 William WALLACE (1814-1865) La Gondola - Souvenir de Venise (Nocturne); Ange sì Pur - Romance de "La Favorite", transcribed; Fantasia de Salon sur Motifs de Lucrezia Borgia Sydney SMITH (1839-1859) I Pifferari - Musette Moderne, op.183; Siesta - Reverie, op.180; Sérénade Vénitienne, op.201; Danse Napolitaine - Morceau de Concert, op.33 William WOLSTENHOLME(1865-1931) Venice; Arthur...

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A Performance of Cox & Box in Japan, 1870

The second part of the performance [1] consisted of the ‘Truimviretta, Cox and Box,’ with Mr. Arthur Sullivan's music. This was produced in London in 1867 [2] at a house well known in musical circles, where the writer was fortunate enough to hear the first representation of it. The farce, of course, everyone knows. But very few know the charming music to which Arthur Sullivan's genius has married it. This music belongs entirely to the English school,...

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John McCabe: Chamber music on Guild

I first discovered the music of John McCabe in an old plastic box outside Hughes Second Hand Bookshop in Llandudno- circa 1975. Amongst many vinyl records there was a copy of the EMI recording of the Chagall Windows. This record was marked up ‘Not for Sale’ so I have always assumed that it was someone’s review copy.  I remember getting it home and being rather disappointed. The music seemed oddly dissonant and far removed from Vaughan Williams’...

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Mendelssohn in London: With the Attwoods at ‘Rose lawn’ in Upper Norwood.

I found this excellent reprint of an article from Musical Opinion which describes Thomas Atwood’s house in Upper Norwood, London. I have always regarded Mendelssohn as an ‘honorary’ Briton, especially when one bears in mind the number of concert tours he made in this country as well as the considerable influence he was to have on contemporary and subsequent composer.  The text is largely self-explanatory; however I have given a few footnotes...

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