Anthony Lewis (musician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Anthony Carey Lewis KBE (also known as Sir Carey Lewis) (1915 – 1983) was an English conductor
, composer
, editor
, and music educator. He is best known for co-founding and serving as the first chief editor of Musica Britannica
. He also penned several critical editions of operas by George Frideric Handel
and of Henry Purcell
's The Fairy Queen, and served for many years as honorary secretary of the Purcell Society
. As a conductor he played a role in the baroque music revival of the mid 20th century by leading performances of several Handel opera revivals. He was named a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1972.
Born to English parents in Bermuda
, he was educated at the University of Cambridge
. He pursued further studies in Paris with Nadia Boulanger
in 1934. From 1935-1946 he served on the music staff of the BBC
as a conductor and composer. In 1947 he joined the music faculty of the University of Birmingham
. He left that post in 1968 to join the music faculty of the Royal Academy of Music
where he taught until his retirement in 1982. One of his notable students was the musicologist Nigel Fortune
on whom he had a profound influence. He died in Haslemere
.
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
, and music educator. He is best known for co-founding and serving as the first chief editor of Musica Britannica
Musica Britannica
Musica Britannica was founded in 1951 as an authoritative national collection of British music. It is designed to stand alongside existing library editions, and to explore the vast heritage of material still largely untouched by them, thus making available a representative survey of the British...
. He also penned several critical editions of operas by George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
and of Henry Purcell
Henry Purcell
Henry Purcell – 21 November 1695), was an English organist and Baroque composer of secular and sacred music. Although Purcell incorporated Italian and French stylistic elements into his compositions, his legacy was a uniquely English form of Baroque music...
's The Fairy Queen, and served for many years as honorary secretary of the Purcell Society
Purcell Society
The Purcell Society, founded in 1876 is an organization dedicated to making the complete musical works of Henry Purcell available. Between 1876 and 1965, scores of all the known works of Purcell were published, in 32 volumes...
. As a conductor he played a role in the baroque music revival of the mid 20th century by leading performances of several Handel opera revivals. He was named a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1972.
Born to English parents in Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, he was educated at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. He pursued further studies in Paris with Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger
Nadia Boulanger was a French composer, conductor and teacher who taught many composers and performers of the 20th century.From a musical family, she achieved early honours as a student at the Paris Conservatoire, but believing that her talent as a composer was inferior to that of her younger...
in 1934. From 1935-1946 he served on the music staff of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
as a conductor and composer. In 1947 he joined the music faculty of the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
. He left that post in 1968 to join the music faculty of the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
where he taught until his retirement in 1982. One of his notable students was the musicologist Nigel Fortune
Nigel Fortune
Nigel Cameron Fortune was an English musicologist and political activist. Along with Thurston Dart, Oliver Neighbour, and Stanley Sadie he was one of Britain's leading musicologists of the post-World War II generation...
on whom he had a profound influence. He died in Haslemere
Haslemere
Haslemere is a town in Surrey, England, close to the border with both Hampshire and West Sussex. The major road between London and Portsmouth, the A3, lies to the west, and a branch of the River Wey to the south. Haslemere is approximately south-west of Guildford.Haslemere is surrounded by hills,...
.