Percy Whitlock

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Percy William Whitlock (born June 1, 1903 in Chatham , Kent , † May 1, 1946 in Bournemouth ) was a British composer and organist .

Life

Percy Whitlock studied at the Royal College of Music in London with Charles Villiers Stanford and Ralph Vaughan Williams, among others . From 1922 to 1930 Whitlock was Assistant Organist at Rochester Cathedral , Kent and additionally (from 1924 to 1928) Organist and Choir Master at St. Mary's Church in Chatham . In 1930 he became Director of Music at St. Stephen's Anglican Church in Bournemouth and two years later took over the position of Borough Organist at the Pavilion Theater (first part-time, from 1935 then full-time) . There he worked regularly with the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra and played numerous radio broadcasts for the BBC between 1933 and 1946 . Whitlock published numerous compositions for organ solo and various orchestral formations (often in combination with organ), as well as other works and journalistic articles under the pseudonym "Kenneth Lark". He also played numerous organ concerts in Great Britain, in which he stood out both as an interpreter and a brilliant improviser. Whitlock's music combines stylistic elements of his teacher Vaughan Williams with those of Edward Elgar ; its harmonious language reflects influences from George Gershwin and other popular composers of the 1920s, as well as Stanford , Roger Quilter and Sergei Rachmaninoff .

In 1928 Whitlock fell ill with tuberculosis; at the end of his life he went blind. His early death (a few weeks before his 43rd birthday) robbed English music of an innovative and versatile personality. For several decades his music was largely forgotten, but since the 1980s, in particular through the activities and publications of the Percy Whitlock Trust, founded in 1983, it has been increasingly attracting public interest.

Selected Works

organ

  • Six Hymn Preludes (1923, 1944 revised)
  • Five Short Pieces (1929)
  • Two Fantasie Chorales (1931, revised 1933)
  • Four Extemporizations (1932-33)
  • Seven Sketches on Verses from the Psalms (1934)
  • Sonata in C minor (1935-36)
  • Plymouth Suite (1937)
  • Reflections: Three Quiet Pieces (1942-45)

orchestra

  • Carillon (1932)
  • March: Dignity and Impudence (1932-33)
  • Concert-Overture: The Feast of St. Benedict (1934)
  • To Phoebe (1936)
  • Symphony in G minor for organ and orchestra (1936-37)
  • Poem (1937)
  • Wessex Suite (1937)
  • Balloon Ballet (1938)
  • Holiday Suite (1938-39)
  • Ballet of the Wood Creatures (1939)
  • Prelude, Air and Fugue (1939)
  • Peter's Tune (1939)
  • Fanfare on the tune "Song of Agincourt" (1940)
  • Caprice (1941)

Sacred choral music

  • O Gladsome Light (1917-18)
  • Motet: The Saint whose praise today we sing (1923)
  • Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in G (1924)
  • Jesu, grant me this, I pray (1924–28, revised 1945)
  • Glorious In Heaven (1925)
  • Communion Service in G (1927)
  • Sing praise to God who reigns above (1928)
  • Three Introits (1929)
  • Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D (1930)
  • Evening Cantata: Round me falls the night (1930)
  • Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (Plainsong, with alternate verses in Harmony) (1930)
  • A Simple Communion Service (1930)
  • Solemn Te Deum (1931)
  • He is risen - Anthem for Eastertide (1932)
  • Come, let us join our cheerful songs (1945)

Selected discography

  • Percy Whitlock: Organ Sonata in C minor, Fantasy Choral No. 1, five short pieces. John Scott / Organ of St. Paul's Cathedral, London. London: Hyperion Records, 2004. 1 CD.
  • Percy Whitlock: Holiday Suite, Music for Orchestra, Wessex Suite, The Feast of St. Benedict. Malcolm Riley (organ), Gavin Sutherland / RTE Concert Orchestra. Hong Kong: Naxos, 2001. 1 CD.
  • Percy Whitlock: Symphony in G minor for Organ and Orchestra (1936-37). Francis Jackson: Concerto for Organ, Strings, Timpani and Celeste Op. 64. Francis Jackson, organist (Whitlock Symphony: York Minster; Jackson Concerto: Lyons Concert Hall, University of York). Jonathan Wainwright / University of York Orchestra. North Yorkshire: Amphion, 2000. 1 CD.
  • The complete organ works of Percy Whitlock, Vol. 1. Graham Barber / Organ of Hull City Hall. Bedfordshire: Priory Records, 1996. 1 CD.
  • The complete organ works of Percy Whitlock, Vol. 2. Graham Barber / Organ of Hereford Cathedral. Bedfordshire: Priory Records, 1997. 1 CD.
  • The complete organ works of Percy Whitlock, Vol. 3. Graham Barber / Compton Organ of Downside Abbey. Bedfordshire: Priory Records, 1998. 1 CD.
  • The choral music of Percy Whitlock. Choir of Rochester Cathedral, Roger Sayer (Director of Music), William Whitehead (Assistant Organist). Bedfordshire: Priory Records, 1996. 1 CD.

bibliography

  • Riley, Malcolm (2007): The Percy Whitlock Companion . Kent: The Percy Whitlock Trust.
  • Riley, Malcolm (2003): Percy Whitlock: organist and composer (2nd ed.). York: Ebor Press.

Web link

personal data
SURNAME Whitlock, Percy
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Whitlock, Percy William (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British composer and organist
DATE OF BIRTH June 1, 1903
PLACE OF BIRTH Chatham , Kent
DATE OF DEATH May 1, 1946
Place of death Bournemouth