Anthony Gilbert (composer)
Encyclopedia
Anthony Gilbert is a British
composer.
, trained initially as a translator, then studied composition with Mátyás Seiber
privately, and with Alexander Goehr
and Anthony Milner
at Morley College
(Williams 2001). He also studied with Gunther Schuller
. He was head of the School of Composition
at the Royal Northern College of Music
until 1999. He is published by the University of York Music Press
(since 1994) and Schott Music
(works prior to 1994).
1970
Love Poems for soprano and instrumental ensemble (2 versions) 10’
The Scene-Machine one-act opera, libretto by George MacBeth 50’
1971
Cantata: the man who tried to hijack an airliner 16’ (withdrawn)
O’Grady Music for clarinet, cello and toy instruments 24’
1972
String Quartet with Piano Pieces (also exists in version for string quartet alone) 17’ / 22’
Little Piano Pieces (from above, performable as a separate work) 8’
1973
Symphony (incorporates modified version of Regions) 39’
Canticle I (Rock-Song), for wind instruments 9’
1974
Canticle II (Anger) for 6 male voices 6’
Ghost and Dream Dancing for orchestra 19’
1975
Inscapes for soprano, speaking voice and small ensemble 30’
1976
Crow-Cry for chamber orchestra 20’
Welkin for orchestra 11’
1977
The Chakravaka-Bird radio opera (libretto trans. from Indian sources by A. K. Ramanujan, Daniel H. H. Ingalls and A. Gilbert) (contact composer) 77’
1978
Towards Asâvari for piano and chamber orchestra 22’
1979
Canticle I (Rock-Song) version 2, for woodwind, horns, harp & piano 9'
Calls around Chungmori for chamber ensemble and participating audience 15’
1980
Long White Moonlight for soprano and electric double bass 18’
1981
Vasanta with Dancing for chamber ensemble (dancer optional) 17’
Crow Undersongs for solo viola 11’
Chant of Cockeye Bob for children’s voices and instruments 14’
Koonapippi for youth orchestra 6’
Sunrising for oboe and piano (commissioned and published by Forsyth Bros. Ltd., Manchester) 3’
Bendigo Match for wind band (MS) 3'
Concert Fanfare for Strathfieldsaye for 5 brass and 2 perc. (MS) 1'
Little Fantasy on Gold-digger Melodies for flute and string quartet (MS) 4'
Little Dance of Barrenjoey for fl.,cl., vla, vc. (MS) 2’
Victorian Round for any number of voices (MS)
1982
Two Birds by Kuring-Gai for horn and piano (commissioned and published by Forsyth) 6’
1983
Moonfaring for cello and percussion 19'-30’
1984
Dawnfaring for viola and piano 15’
Quartet of Beasts for 3 wind instruments and piano 13’
Beastly Jingles for soprano and instrumental ensemble 11’
O alter Duft for solo piano (withdrawn)
1985
Six of the Bestiary for saxophone quartet 12’
Funtoons: children’s pieces for piano (MS) 8’
1986
Fanfarings for 6 and 8 brass instruments (MS) 5 x 1’
1987
String Quartet II (revised 2003) 19’
String Quartet III super hoqueto 'David' 7’
1988
Peal III for piano (MS) 2’
Peal IV for organ (MS) 2’
Four small Farings for sopranino recorder/piccolo and piano (Forsyth)**
Dream Carousels for orchestra of wind 13’
1989
Certain Lights Reflecting song-cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra (to poems of Sarah Day) 19’
Tree of Singing Names for chamber orchestra 15’
1990
O alter Duft for piano duet (withdrawn)
1991
Upstream River Rewa for storyteller and Indo-European ensemble 29’
Mozart Sampler with Ground for orchestra 10’
1992
Igórochki for solo recorder player and chamber ensemble 22’
Fanfaring V for brass (MS) 1’
Little Cycle for Elizabeth Yeoman for soprano, cello and piano (MS) 7’
1993
Paluma for sopranino recorder and piano (arranged from movement IV of Igórochki) (MS) 4’
Trying to make John SLOW DOWN AFTER 50 for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth)**
1994
Ziggurat for bass clarinet and marimba 21’
...into the Gyre of a Madder Dance for orchestral wind (University of York Music Press) 7’
1995
Handles to the Invisible for a-capella choir (to poems of Sarah Day) (rev. 2003) 15’
Stars for treble recorder and guitar (rev. 2004) 13’
Moon comes up, Pearl Beach (June ‘79) for alto flute, vibraphone and cello (version 2, MS lost) 1’
Flame Robin for sopranino recorder solo (Forsyth) 1’
Miss Carroll her Lullabye for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth)**
Chant-au-clair sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth)**
1996
Midwales Lightwhistle Automatic for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth)**
Dancing to the Tune for 4-8 oboes, 2-4 cors anglais, 1-2 heckelphones (MS) 4’
This Tree (Frances Horovitz) [no.1 of Love Poems (1970), arr. mezzo and piano] (Schott) 3’
Réflexions, Rose nord for bass clarinet and vibraphone 5’
1997
On beholding a Rainbow concerto for violin and orchestra 30’
Osanna for Lady O for cello and piano (rewritten 2007) 8’
1998
Ondine - chant au clair de lune for soprano and recorder (Aloysius Bertrand) (MS) 6'
1999
Vers de Lune soprano plus flute, cello, percussion (Aloysius Bertrand) (incorporates a version of Ondine - chant au clair... above) 17’
Os for oboe and vibraphone (revised 2002) 16’
2000
Margareeting for tenor or descant recorder and piano (MS) 2’
Sinfin for vibraphone solo 8’
Sinfin 2 for 4 vibraphones (arrangement of above) 8’
Worldwhorls for bass clarinet solo 8’
Another Dream Carousel for string orchestra 8’
Photos found at Hukvaldy, August 1928 for oboe solo 5’
Even in flames,/the Thames/can’t hold a candle/to the Wandle for variable orchestra 6’
Farings for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth) (the published compilation of all double-asterisked items) 15’
2001
Unrise for ten wind 16’
Four Seasons for Josca’s for young players (variable ens.) 3’
Piano Sonata no.3 autour des palombes 15'
2002
Sinfin parados for vibraphone duo (arrangement of Sinfin) 8’
String Quartet IV 23’
Kauri for solo Tuba 11’
2003
Tulip Tree dances for solo Bass and Treble Recorders 15’
Ondine (version 2, extended), soprano + recorder, cello, hpschd. 11’
Sheer for string orch. 16’
Palace of the Winds for 11 solo strings 15’
Rose luisante for solo freebass accordion 9’
2004
Tinos for soprano, clarinet and vibraphone (Magdalena Mismareza) 3’
Litany for clarinet and piano (Associated Board Spectrum series) 2’
Catercorny 4 pieces for clarinet and piano (contains Litany above) 6'
Swallowtail for solo vibraphone 2'
Encantos song-cycle to Spanish symbolist love poetry for soprano or mezzo + clarinet, vibraphone, guitar (Magdalena Mismareza & anon.) (includes Tinos above) 14'
2005
Halifenu Vine Dance for organ and pre-recorded organ 9'
People Pieces for piano (beginners and on) 15’
Dark Singing, Dancing Light for bassoon and string quintet/string ens. 10'
2006
A Piece of Cake for treble recorder and piano (MS) 80"
Jugalbandi Blues for bass clarinet solo 60"
Passing Bells for piano solo 3'
Ygg-drasill for soprano or mezzo + recorder, ob., cl., bsn, trp., 3 vlns, vc. (Cincuentas 3) 9'
Groove, Perchants, dance-concerto for orchestra 19'
2007
Moon comes up, Pearl Beach (June ‘79) for alto flute, vibraphone, vc.(version 1 reconstructed) (Cincuentas 2) 2'
Osanna for Lady O for cello and piano (1997, rewritten 2007) 8’
ecco Eco for flute, clarinet & vibraphone (Cincuentas 4) 50"
Echo for solo trumpet (Cincuentas 5) 4'
HumDance for string trio 20'
En Bateau, d'après Watteau for soprano, recorder, oboe, violin & cello (to poems by Baudelaire & Proust) 9'
York Surprise for flute, clarinet & bass clarinet 8'
2008
Those Fenny Bells for treble, counter-tenor and vibraphone (poem by John Clare) 3'
Twirlpool for flute and viola 3'
Gioco dei Pari for violin & viola (reworking of Duo of 1962) 10'
Tulip Dance for solo flute (arranged from Tulip Tree, 2003) 5'
Word-Chimes in the Wind for wind quintet 18'
Twinned Set 7 short pieces for solo bassoon 18'
Set Two 7 short pieces for solo bass clarinet 18'
2009
String Quartet no. 5 20'
Do Well : 8 short pieces for piano solo 15'
ARRANGEMENTS
1981
(Guillaume de Machaut): Ma fin est mon commencement, arr. recorder ensemble with tambour (MS) 4'
1990
(Arthur Benjamin): Two Jamaican Street Songs , arr. piano 4h. (Boosey)
2005
(Mátyás Seiber): Burlesque from Pastorale & Burlesque, arr. recorder and piano; also arr. recorder and string trio (Schott)
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
composer.
Biography
Gilbert, who was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, trained initially as a translator, then studied composition with Mátyás Seiber
Mátyás Seiber
Mátyás György Seiber was a Hungarian-born composer who lived and worked in England from 1935 onward.-Career:Seiber was born in Budapest, and studied there with Zoltán Kodály, with whom he toured Hungary collecting folk songs. In 1928, he became director of the jazz department at the Hoch...
privately, and with Alexander Goehr
Alexander Goehr
Alexander Goehr is an English composer and academic.Goehr was born in Berlin in 1932, the son of the conductor and Schoenberg pupil Walter Goehr. In his early twenties he emerged as a central figure in the Manchester School of post-war British composers. In 1955–56 he joined Oliver Messiaen's...
and Anthony Milner
Anthony Milner
Anthony Milner was a British composer, teacher and conductor.Milner was born in Bristol, and educated at Douai School, Woolhampton, Berkshire. He won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music, where he studied piano with Herbert Fryer and theory with R. O. Morris...
at Morley College
Morley College
Morley College is an adult education college in London, England. It was founded in the 1880s and has a student population of 10,806 adult students...
(Williams 2001). He also studied with Gunther Schuller
Gunther Schuller
Gunther Schuller is an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, and jazz musician.- Biography and works :...
. He was head of the School of Composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
at the Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music is a music school in Manchester, England. It is located on Oxford Road in Chorlton on Medlock, at the western edge of the campus of the University of Manchester and is one of four conservatories associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music...
until 1999. He is published by the University of York Music Press
University of York Music Press
The University of York Music Press is a music publishing company based in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1995 by David Blake with Bill Colleran. UYMP maintains online catalogues for composers and their music....
(since 1994) and Schott Music
Schott Music
Schott Music is one of the oldest German music publishers. It is also one of the largest music publishing houses in Europe and is currently the second oldest music publishing house. The company headquarters of Schott Music was founded by Bernhard Schott in Mainz, Germany in 1770.Established in...
(works prior to 1994).
Worklist
COMPOSITIONS- Elegy for piano, 1961
- Strophics for violin & piano, 1961
- Piano Sonata no.1, 1962
- Duo for violin and viola, 1963
- Serenade for 6 instruments, 1963
- Missa Brevis for unaccompanied choir, 1965
- Sinfonia for chamber orchestra, 1965
- Assonants 1 for SATB soli + clarinet & horn, 1965
- Regions for two orchestras, 1966
- Three War Poems for chorus, 1966
- Piano Sonata no.2 (piano 4-hands), 1966
- Brighton Piece for 8 players, 1967
- Nine or Ten Osannas for 5 players, 1967
- The Incredible Flute Music for flute and piano (Peal I), 1968
- Peal II for big band, 1968
- Shepherd Masque for young voices, 1968
- Spell Respell for electric basset clarinet and piano, 1968
- Mother for solo cello and ensemb
- Treatment of Silence for violin and tape, 1969
1970
Love Poems for soprano and instrumental ensemble (2 versions) 10’
The Scene-Machine one-act opera, libretto by George MacBeth 50’
1971
Cantata: the man who tried to hijack an airliner 16’ (withdrawn)
O’Grady Music for clarinet, cello and toy instruments 24’
1972
String Quartet with Piano Pieces (also exists in version for string quartet alone) 17’ / 22’
Little Piano Pieces (from above, performable as a separate work) 8’
1973
Symphony (incorporates modified version of Regions) 39’
Canticle I (Rock-Song), for wind instruments 9’
1974
Canticle II (Anger) for 6 male voices 6’
Ghost and Dream Dancing for orchestra 19’
1975
Inscapes for soprano, speaking voice and small ensemble 30’
1976
Crow-Cry for chamber orchestra 20’
Welkin for orchestra 11’
1977
The Chakravaka-Bird radio opera (libretto trans. from Indian sources by A. K. Ramanujan, Daniel H. H. Ingalls and A. Gilbert) (contact composer) 77’
1978
Towards Asâvari for piano and chamber orchestra 22’
1979
Canticle I (Rock-Song) version 2, for woodwind, horns, harp & piano 9'
Calls around Chungmori for chamber ensemble and participating audience 15’
1980
Long White Moonlight for soprano and electric double bass 18’
1981
Vasanta with Dancing for chamber ensemble (dancer optional) 17’
Crow Undersongs for solo viola 11’
Chant of Cockeye Bob for children’s voices and instruments 14’
Koonapippi for youth orchestra 6’
Sunrising for oboe and piano (commissioned and published by Forsyth Bros. Ltd., Manchester) 3’
Bendigo Match for wind band (MS) 3'
Concert Fanfare for Strathfieldsaye for 5 brass and 2 perc. (MS) 1'
Little Fantasy on Gold-digger Melodies for flute and string quartet (MS) 4'
Little Dance of Barrenjoey for fl.,cl., vla, vc. (MS) 2’
Victorian Round for any number of voices (MS)
1982
Two Birds by Kuring-Gai for horn and piano (commissioned and published by Forsyth) 6’
1983
Moonfaring for cello and percussion 19'-30’
1984
Dawnfaring for viola and piano 15’
Quartet of Beasts for 3 wind instruments and piano 13’
Beastly Jingles for soprano and instrumental ensemble 11’
O alter Duft for solo piano (withdrawn)
1985
Six of the Bestiary for saxophone quartet 12’
Funtoons: children’s pieces for piano (MS) 8’
1986
Fanfarings for 6 and 8 brass instruments (MS) 5 x 1’
1987
String Quartet II (revised 2003) 19’
String Quartet III super hoqueto 'David' 7’
1988
Peal III for piano (MS) 2’
Peal IV for organ (MS) 2’
Four small Farings for sopranino recorder/piccolo and piano (Forsyth)**
Dream Carousels for orchestra of wind 13’
1989
Certain Lights Reflecting song-cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra (to poems of Sarah Day) 19’
Tree of Singing Names for chamber orchestra 15’
1990
O alter Duft for piano duet (withdrawn)
1991
Upstream River Rewa for storyteller and Indo-European ensemble 29’
Mozart Sampler with Ground for orchestra 10’
1992
Igórochki for solo recorder player and chamber ensemble 22’
Fanfaring V for brass (MS) 1’
Little Cycle for Elizabeth Yeoman for soprano, cello and piano (MS) 7’
1993
Paluma for sopranino recorder and piano (arranged from movement IV of Igórochki) (MS) 4’
Trying to make John SLOW DOWN AFTER 50 for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth)**
1994
Ziggurat for bass clarinet and marimba 21’
...into the Gyre of a Madder Dance for orchestral wind (University of York Music Press) 7’
1995
Handles to the Invisible for a-capella choir (to poems of Sarah Day) (rev. 2003) 15’
Stars for treble recorder and guitar (rev. 2004) 13’
Moon comes up, Pearl Beach (June ‘79) for alto flute, vibraphone and cello (version 2, MS lost) 1’
Flame Robin for sopranino recorder solo (Forsyth) 1’
Miss Carroll her Lullabye for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth)**
Chant-au-clair sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth)**
1996
Midwales Lightwhistle Automatic for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth)**
Dancing to the Tune for 4-8 oboes, 2-4 cors anglais, 1-2 heckelphones (MS) 4’
This Tree (Frances Horovitz) [no.1 of Love Poems (1970), arr. mezzo and piano] (Schott) 3’
Réflexions, Rose nord for bass clarinet and vibraphone 5’
1997
On beholding a Rainbow concerto for violin and orchestra 30’
Osanna for Lady O for cello and piano (rewritten 2007) 8’
1998
Ondine - chant au clair de lune for soprano and recorder (Aloysius Bertrand) (MS) 6'
1999
Vers de Lune soprano plus flute, cello, percussion (Aloysius Bertrand) (incorporates a version of Ondine - chant au clair... above) 17’
Os for oboe and vibraphone (revised 2002) 16’
2000
Margareeting for tenor or descant recorder and piano (MS) 2’
Sinfin for vibraphone solo 8’
Sinfin 2 for 4 vibraphones (arrangement of above) 8’
Worldwhorls for bass clarinet solo 8’
Another Dream Carousel for string orchestra 8’
Photos found at Hukvaldy, August 1928 for oboe solo 5’
Even in flames,/the Thames/can’t hold a candle/to the Wandle for variable orchestra 6’
Farings for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth) (the published compilation of all double-asterisked items) 15’
2001
Unrise for ten wind 16’
Four Seasons for Josca’s for young players (variable ens.) 3’
Piano Sonata no.3 autour des palombes 15'
2002
Sinfin parados for vibraphone duo (arrangement of Sinfin) 8’
String Quartet IV 23’
Kauri for solo Tuba 11’
2003
Tulip Tree dances for solo Bass and Treble Recorders 15’
Ondine (version 2, extended), soprano + recorder, cello, hpschd. 11’
Sheer for string orch. 16’
Palace of the Winds for 11 solo strings 15’
Rose luisante for solo freebass accordion 9’
2004
Tinos for soprano, clarinet and vibraphone (Magdalena Mismareza) 3’
Litany for clarinet and piano (Associated Board Spectrum series) 2’
Catercorny 4 pieces for clarinet and piano (contains Litany above) 6'
Swallowtail for solo vibraphone 2'
Encantos song-cycle to Spanish symbolist love poetry for soprano or mezzo + clarinet, vibraphone, guitar (Magdalena Mismareza & anon.) (includes Tinos above) 14'
2005
Halifenu Vine Dance for organ and pre-recorded organ 9'
People Pieces for piano (beginners and on) 15’
Dark Singing, Dancing Light for bassoon and string quintet/string ens. 10'
2006
A Piece of Cake for treble recorder and piano (MS) 80"
Jugalbandi Blues for bass clarinet solo 60"
Passing Bells for piano solo 3'
Ygg-drasill for soprano or mezzo + recorder, ob., cl., bsn, trp., 3 vlns, vc. (Cincuentas 3) 9'
Groove, Perchants, dance-concerto for orchestra 19'
2007
Moon comes up, Pearl Beach (June ‘79) for alto flute, vibraphone, vc.(version 1 reconstructed) (Cincuentas 2) 2'
Osanna for Lady O for cello and piano (1997, rewritten 2007) 8’
ecco Eco for flute, clarinet & vibraphone (Cincuentas 4) 50"
Echo for solo trumpet (Cincuentas 5) 4'
HumDance for string trio 20'
En Bateau, d'après Watteau for soprano, recorder, oboe, violin & cello (to poems by Baudelaire & Proust) 9'
York Surprise for flute, clarinet & bass clarinet 8'
2008
Those Fenny Bells for treble, counter-tenor and vibraphone (poem by John Clare) 3'
Twirlpool for flute and viola 3'
Gioco dei Pari for violin & viola (reworking of Duo of 1962) 10'
Tulip Dance for solo flute (arranged from Tulip Tree, 2003) 5'
Word-Chimes in the Wind for wind quintet 18'
Twinned Set 7 short pieces for solo bassoon 18'
Set Two 7 short pieces for solo bass clarinet 18'
2009
String Quartet no. 5 20'
Do Well : 8 short pieces for piano solo 15'
ARRANGEMENTS
1981
(Guillaume de Machaut): Ma fin est mon commencement, arr. recorder ensemble with tambour (MS) 4'
1990
(Arthur Benjamin): Two Jamaican Street Songs , arr. piano 4h. (Boosey)
2005
(Mátyás Seiber): Burlesque from Pastorale & Burlesque, arr. recorder and piano; also arr. recorder and string trio (Schott)