Osian Ellis

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Portrait of Osian Ellis by David Griffiths, 1998

Osian Gwynn Ellis CBE (born February 8, 1928 in Ffynnongroew, Flintshire , Wales ; died January 6, 2021 ) was a British classical harpist , composer and university teacher . He was principal harpist of the London Symphony Orchestra , a founding member of the Melos Ensemble and taught harp at the Royal Academy of Music . Many composers wrote music for him, especially Benjamin Britten, with whom he has had a steady professional relationship since 1959. In many of Britten's works, Ellis played the world premiere and first recording.

Life

Osian Gwynn Ellis was born in Ffynnongroew, Flintshire , the son of Tomos Ellis, pastor of the Calvinist Methodist Church in Wales, and his wife, Jenny (née Lewis), a harpist. He studied harp at the Royal Academy of Music with Gwendolen Mason , which he later replaced as professor of harp, from 1959 to 1989. He became a member of the London Symphony Orchestra in 1961 and became principal harpist. Ellis was a founding member of the Melos Ensemble and founded the Osian Ellis Harp Ensemble.

A recording of Handel's Harp Concerts in 1959 was awarded the Grand Prix du Disque . In 1962 Ellis recorded Maurice Ravel's Introduction and Allegro with the Melos Ensemble , with flautist Richard Adeney , clarinetist Gervase de Peyer , violinists Emanuel Hurwitz and Ivor McMahon , violist Cecil Aronowitz and cellist Terence Weil . The recording is counted among the best recordings in the work.

Ellis died on January 6, 2021 at the age of 92.

Awards

Ellis was named Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1971 . He was Honorary President of the Wales International Harp Festival. 2018 honored this festival in Caernarfon with the world premiere of a composition to mark his 90th birthday.

influence

Several composers have written harp concertos for Ellis, including Alun Hoddinott for the Cheltenham Festival in 1957, William Mathias for the Llandaff Festival in 1970, Jørgen Jersild in 1972, William Alwyn in 1979 and Robin Holloway in 1985.

Ellis is best known for his longstanding professional partnership with Benjamin Britten . The relationship began on January 4, 1958, when Ellis was the harpist in A Ceremony of Carols in London, directed by George Malcolm , and so impressed Britten that he invited him to the Aldeburgh Festival the following year. Britten composed many of his harp parts for Ellis, especially A Midsummer Night's Dream , War Requiem and the Church Parables. In 1969 Britten wrote his Harp Suite op. 83 for Ellis. Ellis appeared in many early recordings of Britten's works, often with Britten as a conductor. When Britten had to give up his activity as a pianist after a heart operation, Ellis was employed to accompany Britten's partner, the tenor Peter Pears . Britten composed new pieces for the two, including Canticle V: The Death of St Narcissus and A Birthday Hansel .

Composer and author

Ellis composed works based on Welsh tradition, such as Welsh folk songs for tenor and harp and settings of medieval poems. His Diversions for two harps contain a cerdd dant setting of Dylan Thomas ' poem "And death shall have no dominion".

In 1991 Ellis published a book, The Story of the Harp in Wales, on the history of the harp in Wales, the revised edition of an earlier script in Welsh.

Recordings

Source:

  • Franck: Sonata for Violin and Piano; Debussy: Sonatas; Ravel: Introduction and Allegro , 1988, London / Decca
  • Masterworks for the Harp , 1993, Boston Skyline
  • Diversions , 1994, Sain
  • Mathias: Clarinet Concerto; Harp concerto; Piano Concerto, 1995, Lyrita
  • Harp Concertos , 1997, London
  • 17th & 18th-Century Harp Music , 2008, L'Oiseau-Lyre
  • 19th & 20th-Century Harp Music , 2008, L'Oiseau-Lyre
  • Debussy & Ravel: String Quartets; Cello sonata; Introduction & Allegro , 2016, Alto
  • Songs with Harp , Eloquence
  • Trade: Jephtha; Rodrigo; Concertos for Lute & Harp; Concerto Grosso , HWV 318, Decca / Eloquence

Web links

Commons : Osian Ellis  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d e f Osian Ellis (1928–2021) ( en ) January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  2. a b c Ann Griffiths: Ellis, Osian ( en ) Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  3. a b c d e f g Osian Ellis, harpist known for his association with Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears - obituary (en) . In: The Telegraph , January 15, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021. 
  4. a b c d Eugene Chadbourne: Osian Ellis ( en ) Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  5. a b Melos Ensemble - Music among Friends EMI
  6. Tributes to Welsh harp legend Osian Ellis who passed away aged 92 . January 15, 2021.
  7. a b Osian Ellis ( en ) Naxos Records. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  8. Diversions - Osian Ellis theharpstudio.co.uk
  9. ^ Osian Ellis | Album discography .
  10. Commerce: Jephtha; Rodrigo; Concertos for Lute and Harp . eloquenceclassics.com. Retrieved January 17, 2021.