Percy Whitlock
Encyclopedia
Percy William Whitlock (1 June 1903, Chatham
, Kent
– 1 May 1946, Bournemouth
) was an English organist
and post-romantic
composer.
A student of Vaughan Williams
at London's Royal College of Music
, Whitlock quickly arrived at a musical idiom that combined elements of his teacher's output and that of Elgar
. His lush harmonic style also bore traces of Gershwin
and other popular composers of the 1920s. Stanford
, Rachmaninov and Roger Quilter
are other important stylistic influences. Like Vaughan Williams and Frederick Delius
, he often used themes that sounded like folk songs but were, in fact, original creations.
From 1921 to 1930 Whitlock was assistant organist at Rochester Cathedral
in Kent. He served as music director at St Stephen's Church
, Bournemouth
for the next five years, combining this from 1932 with the role of that town's borough organist, in which capacity he regularly played at the local Pavilion Theatre. After 1935 he worked for the Pavilion Theatre full-time. A tireless trainspotter, he wrote at length and with skill about his hobby. Sometimes, for both prose and music, he used the pseudonym Kenneth Lark. He worked closely with the Bournemouth Muniicipal Orchestra and gave dozens of live BBC
broadcasts between 1933-46.
Among Whitlock's organ works are Five Short Pieces (1929), Four Extemporisations (1933; these are actually much more cogent than their title suggests), Seven Sketches on Verses of the Psalms (1934), the Plymouth Suite (1937–1939) and the Sonata in C minor (1936). His Symphony in G minor for organ and orchestra was revived by Graham Barber and the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra
in 1989 and subsequently recorded by Francis Jackson and the University of York
Symphony Orchestra. Nevertheless, Whitlock's gifts expressed themselves most convincingly in the smaller forms, and as a miniaturist he can stand alongside many better remembered composers.
Whitlock was diagnosed with tuberculosis
in his twenties, and also suffered from hypertension
. Near the end of his life he lost his sight altogether, and he died a few weeks before his 43rd birthday. For decades afterwards he remained largely forgotten. This neglect has eased in recent times with the increased popularity of post-romantic organ literature.
The Percy Whitlock Trust, founded in 1983, coordinates many events and recitals. The President of the Trust is Dr. Francis Jackson CBE
. The Trust Secretary is Malcolm Riley
, who published the authorised biography of Percy Whitlock in 1998.
Chatham, Medway
Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
– 1 May 1946, Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
) was an English organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
and post-romantic
Post-romanticism
Post-romanticism or Postromanticism refers to a range of cultural products and attitudes emerging in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, after the period of Romanticism....
composer.
A student of Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
at London's Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
, Whitlock quickly arrived at a musical idiom that combined elements of his teacher's output and that of Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
. His lush harmonic style also bore traces of Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
and other popular composers of the 1920s. Stanford
Charles Villiers Stanford
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford was an Irish composer who was particularly notable for his choral music. He was professor at the Royal College of Music and University of Cambridge.- Life :...
, Rachmaninov and Roger Quilter
Roger Quilter
Roger Quilter was an English composer, known particularly for his songs.-Biography:Born in Hove, Sussex, Quilter was a younger son of Sir William Quilter, 1st Baronet, who was a noted art collector...
are other important stylistic influences. Like Vaughan Williams and Frederick Delius
Frederick Delius
Frederick Theodore Albert Delius, CH was an English composer. Born in the north of England to a prosperous mercantile family of German extraction, he resisted attempts to recruit him to commerce...
, he often used themes that sounded like folk songs but were, in fact, original creations.
From 1921 to 1930 Whitlock was assistant organist at Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
in Kent. He served as music director at St Stephen's Church
St Stephen's Church, Bournemouth
St Stephen's Church is an Anglican church in Bournemouth, Dorset . The liturgical life of the Church is deeply rooted in a rich Anglo-Catholic tradition; the Church boasting a magnificent Lady Chapel, celebrating Marian masses, benediction and recitation of the Rosary for The Society of Mary...
, Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
for the next five years, combining this from 1932 with the role of that town's borough organist, in which capacity he regularly played at the local Pavilion Theatre. After 1935 he worked for the Pavilion Theatre full-time. A tireless trainspotter, he wrote at length and with skill about his hobby. Sometimes, for both prose and music, he used the pseudonym Kenneth Lark. He worked closely with the Bournemouth Muniicipal Orchestra and gave dozens of live 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...
broadcasts between 1933-46.
Among Whitlock's organ works are Five Short Pieces (1929), Four Extemporisations (1933; these are actually much more cogent than their title suggests), Seven Sketches on Verses of the Psalms (1934), the Plymouth Suite (1937–1939) and the Sonata in C minor (1936). His Symphony in G minor for organ and orchestra was revived by Graham Barber and the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra
BBC National Orchestra of Wales
The BBC National Orchestra of Wales is a Welsh symphony orchestra and one of the BBC's five professional orchestras. The BBC NOW is the only professional symphony orchestra organisation in Wales, occupying a dual role as both a broadcasting orchestra and national orchestra.The BBC NOW has its...
in 1989 and subsequently recorded by Francis Jackson and the University of York
University of York
The University of York , is an academic institution located in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, the campus university has expanded to more than thirty departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects...
Symphony Orchestra. Nevertheless, Whitlock's gifts expressed themselves most convincingly in the smaller forms, and as a miniaturist he can stand alongside many better remembered composers.
Whitlock was diagnosed with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in his twenties, and also suffered from hypertension
Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
. Near the end of his life he lost his sight altogether, and he died a few weeks before his 43rd birthday. For decades afterwards he remained largely forgotten. This neglect has eased in recent times with the increased popularity of post-romantic organ literature.
The Percy Whitlock Trust, founded in 1983, coordinates many events and recitals. The President of the Trust is Dr. Francis Jackson CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
. The Trust Secretary is Malcolm Riley
Malcolm Riley
Malcolm Riley is a composer and author most associated for his work as a scholar of the work of Percy Whitlock.-Life and works:Malcolm Riley was born on 9 June 1960 in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, England...
, who published the authorised biography of Percy Whitlock in 1998.
Organ solo
- Six Hymn Preludes (1923, revised 1944)
- Five Short Pieces (1929)
- Two Fantasie Chorales (1931–33)
- Four Extemporisations (published 1933)
- Seven Sketches on Verses from the Psalms (1934)
- Sonata in C minor (1935–36)
- Plymouth Suite (1937–39)
- Three Reflections: Three Quiet Pieces (1942–45)
Orchestral
- Carillon (1932)
- March: Dignity and Impudence (1933)
- Concert-Overture "The Feast of St Benedict" (1934)
- To Phoebe (1936)
- Symphony in G minor (1936-7)
- Poem (1937)
- Wessex Suite (1937)
- Balloon Ballet (1938)
- Holiday Suite (1938-9)
- Ballet of the Wood Creatures (1939)
- Suite: Music for Orchestra (1940)
- Caprice (1941)
Choral
- Here, O my Lord, I see Thee Face to Face
- Jesu, grant me this, I pray (rev 1945)
- Short Mass in B-flat major
- Glorious in Heaven (1927)
External links
- Percy Whitlock Trust - Percy Whitlock Trust
- OUP: Catalogue of works - Catalogue of works