Frank Merrick

Frank Merrick (1886 – 1981) was an English pianist in the early 1900s. He was born in Clifton.

Merrick's peers included Egon Petri and John Ogdon, and he studied with Theodor Leschetizky. He lived in Britain and taught from 1911 until 1929 at the Royal Manchester College of Music, moving in 1929 to the Royal College of Music. Some students of his include Alan Rawsthorne, Thomas Baron Pitfield ([1]), and others. He is particularly known for winning the Columbia Gramophone Company competition to write the remaining movements (scherzo and finale) of Schubert's 8th Symphony. This occurred in 1928. His composition was recorded by Columbia and sold, although these recordings are primarily, if not all, on 12-inch records and now very rare. Several later LP recordings of Frank Merrick playing various works by John Field and other British composers were released on the small British label Rare Recorded Editions and are possibly even rarer nowadays. A "Frank Merrick Society" also formed to release several of his recordings.

He made several recordings of the music of Sir Arnold Bax, including the composer's first violin sonata (reissued on compact disc in 2003). Bax's Pæan for piano is dedicated to him ([2]).

References

• MusicWeb review of a Reissue of Henry Holst and Merrick playing Bax and Delius contains birthdate, other information