John Purser
Encyclopedia
John Purser, born in 1942 in Glasgow
, Scotland
, is an eminent composer, musicologist, and music historian. He is also a playwright.
He initiated the reconstruction which commenced in 1991 of the Iron Age
Deskford Carnyx
, producing a replica which was first played in 1993 by trombonist John Kenny.
The book Scotland's Music published in March 1992 (new edition October 2007), provided a major reference work on musical history from the Bronze Age
to the present. It was followed by a thirty programme radio series of the same title which he wrote and presented, broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland
and totalling 45 hours, with recordings commissioned for the series including reconstructions of early music and works by many little known composers. A double CD was subsequently produced with a small selection of the music. His work has contributed to a revival of interest in such composers as John Clerk of Penicuik
and John Thomson
.
His plays include the radio play Carver
about Robert Carver
the 16th century Scottish composer of church music, which won a Giles Cooper Award. He also wrote Parrots and Owls about John Ruskin
and the O'Shea brothers
Radio
Orchestral
Concertante
Chamber music
Keyboard
Vocal
Choral
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, is an eminent composer, musicologist, and music historian. He is also a playwright.
He initiated the reconstruction which commenced in 1991 of the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
Deskford Carnyx
Carnyx
The carnyx was a wind instrument of the Iron Age Celts, used between c. 300 BC to 200 AD. It was a type of bronze trumpet, held vertically, the mouth styled in the shape of a boar's, or other animal's, head. It was used in warfare, probably to incite troops to battle and intimidate opponents...
, producing a replica which was first played in 1993 by trombonist John Kenny.
The book Scotland's Music published in March 1992 (new edition October 2007), provided a major reference work on musical history from the Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
to the present. It was followed by a thirty programme radio series of the same title which he wrote and presented, broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland is BBC Scotland's national English-language radio network. It broadcasts a wide variety of programming, including news, sport, light entertainment, music, the arts, comedy, drama, history and lifestyle...
and totalling 45 hours, with recordings commissioned for the series including reconstructions of early music and works by many little known composers. A double CD was subsequently produced with a small selection of the music. His work has contributed to a revival of interest in such composers as John Clerk of Penicuik
John Clerk of Penicuik
Sir John Clerk of Pennycuik, 2nd Baronet was a Scottish politician, lawyer, judge, composer and architect.He was Vice-President of the Philosophical Society of Edinburgh, the pre-eminent learned society of the Scottish Enlightenment.-Early life:...
and John Thomson
John Thomson (composer)
John Thomson was a Scottish classical composer. He was born in Sprouston, Roxburghshire, the son of the Minister of Sprouston Church...
.
His plays include the radio play Carver
Carver (play)
Carver is a radio drama by the Scottish composer and writer John Purser about the 16th century Scottish composer Robert Carver. It premiered on BBC Radio 3 on 31 March 1991, in a production recorded on 2 December 1990, produced by Stewart Conn and with music by the Taverner Consort conducted by...
about Robert Carver
Robert Carver (composer)
Robert Carver was a Scottish Renaissance monk and composer of Christian sacred music.He spent much of his life at Scone Abbey in Perthshire and is regarded as Scotland's greatest sixteenth-century composer. He is best known for his sacred choral music, of which there are five surviving masses and...
the 16th century Scottish composer of church music, which won a Giles Cooper Award. He also wrote Parrots and Owls about John Ruskin
John Ruskin
John Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
and the O'Shea brothers
Selected works
Stage- The Undertaker, Opera (1969)
- The Bell, Opera
Radio
- CarverCarver (play)Carver is a radio drama by the Scottish composer and writer John Purser about the 16th century Scottish composer Robert Carver. It premiered on BBC Radio 3 on 31 March 1991, in a production recorded on 2 December 1990, produced by Stewart Conn and with music by the Taverner Consort conducted by...
, BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
(31 March 1991) - The Secret Commonwealth, BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
(14 December 1997)
Orchestral
- Intrada for Strings for string orchestra, Op. 17 (1966)
- Clydefair Overture (1972)
- Ane Gentill Chantecleir (1990)
- Bannockburn
- Epitaph
- Variations on an Irish Folk-Tune for string orchestra
Concertante
- Concertino for piano and orchestra (1986)
- Concerto for viola and string orchestra
Chamber music
- Sonata for flute and piano, Op. 11 (1964–1965)
- Dances of Ilion for clarinet and piano, Op. 24
- Suite for Unaccompanied Violin, Op. 29
- Three Studies for horn and piano (1976)
- Carrier Strike for piccolo, trumpet and harpsichord (1977)
- String Quartet (1981)
- Prelude and Toccata for guitar (1985)
- Sonata for cello and piano (1988)
- Sonata for violin and piano (1989)
- Skyelines for tenor trombone and organ (1994)
- Skyeline III for string quartet (1995)
- Sonata for trombone and piano (2002)
- In Memory of Michael Miles for flute solo (2005)
- Piobaireachd "Wai Taheke" for flute solo (2005)
- The Butterfly for flute, harp and organ
- Lament for a Chickadee for carillonCarillonA carillon is a musical instrument that is typically housed in a free-standing bell tower, or the belfry of a church or other municipal building. The instrument consists of at least 23 cast bronze, cup-shaped bells, which are played serially to play a melody, or sounded together to play a chord...
Keyboard
- Toccata for organ (1968, revised 2003)
- Circus Suite for Nick for piano (1975)
- Clavier Sonata for chamber organ (or piano) (1984)
Vocal
- Johnnie Faa, Variation 6 for soprano, flute, cello and harp (1988)
- The Seal of the City for soprano, tenor, bass, clarinet, trumpet, horn, percussion and organ (1996)
- Ave Atque Vale for alto and baritone
- Five Landscapes for voice and piano
- Love My Lewd Pilot for soprano, baritone, flute and piano; words by Edmund SpenserEdmund SpenserEdmund Spenser was an English poet best known for The Faerie Queene, an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognised as one of the premier craftsmen of Modern English verse in its infancy, and one of the greatest poets in the English...
- Lovely Molly for voice and piano
- Six Sea Songs for tenor and piano
- Throat for soprano, carnyxCarnyxThe carnyx was a wind instrument of the Iron Age Celts, used between c. 300 BC to 200 AD. It was a type of bronze trumpet, held vertically, the mouth styled in the shape of a boar's, or other animal's, head. It was used in warfare, probably to incite troops to battle and intimidate opponents...
and percussion
Choral
- Magnificat for mixed chorus a cappella (1964)
- The Wren Boys for mixed chorus, 2 piccolos, string orchestra and organ (1983)
- Epithalamion for mixed chorus a cappella (1984)
- If All You Gave for mixed chorus a cappella
- Nunc Dimittis for mixed chorus a cappella
- Love in Season for mixed chorus a cappella
- Simplon Pass for mixed chorus a cappella