Philip Sainton
Encyclopedia
Philip Prosper Sainton was a British
–French
composer
, conductor
, and violist
.
, in Seine-Maritime
, France
, grandson to violin
ist Prosper Sainton
and contralto
Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby
. He started his music studies learning the violin
. At some point he entered the Royal Academy of Music
in London
, where he studied composition under Frederick Corder
and viola
under Lionel Tertis
. Shortly after World War I
, he joined the Queen's Hall
orchestra, which he relinquished in 1929 to replace H. Waldo Warner in the London Quartet
. In 1925 he was also appointed principal viola of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
. In 1930, after the London Quartets tour of the United States
, he joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra
. His composition activities had begun early. Already by 1923 he had conducted his first orchestral work, Sea Pictures, at Queen's Hall promenade concerts. In 1935, Sir Henry Wood conducted the premiere of his Serenade Fantastique with Bernard Shore playing the viola. He was professor at the Guildhall School of Music.
Today, he is perhaps most remembered as the composer of the score for John Huston
's 1956 film Moby Dick
. He died in Petersfield
, Hampshire
in England
.
Orchestral
Chamber music
Vocal
Film music
Orchestrations of works by Jack Sydney Gerber
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
–French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
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...
, conductor
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...
, and violist
Violist
-Notable violists:A* Julia Rebekka Adler * Sir Hugh Allen , conductor* Kris Allen * Johann Andreas Amon * Paul Angerer , composer* Steven Ansell * Atar Arad * Cecil Aronowitz...
.
Biography
He was born in Arques-la-BatailleArques-la-Bataille
Arques-la-Bataille is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:Arques is situated near the confluence of the rivers Eaulne, Varenne and Béthune, with the forest of Arques to the north-east...
, in Seine-Maritime
Seine-Maritime
Seine-Maritime is a French department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France. It is situated on the northern coast of France, at the mouth of the Seine, and includes the cities of Rouen and Le Havre...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, grandson to violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
ist Prosper Sainton
Prosper Sainton
Prosper Philippe Catherine Sainton was a French violinist.He was the son of a merchant at Toulouse, where he was born...
and contralto
Contralto
Contralto is the deepest female classical singing voice, with the lowest tessitura, falling between tenor and mezzo-soprano. It typically ranges between the F below middle C to the second G above middle C , although at the extremes some voices can reach the E below middle C or the second B above...
Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby
Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby
Charlotte Helen Sainton-Dolby , was an English contralto.She was born in London, studied at the Royal Academy of Music from 1832 to 1837, Crivelli being her principal singing-master. In 1837 she was elected to a King's scholarship, and first appeared at a Philharmonic concert in 1841...
. He started his music studies learning the violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
. At some point he entered 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...
in London
London
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...
, where he studied composition under Frederick Corder
Frederick Corder
Frederick Corder was an English composer and music teacher.-Biography:Corder was born in Hackney, the son of Micah Corder and his wife Charlotte Hill. He was educated at Blackheath Proprietary School and started music lessons, particularly piano, early. Later he studied with Henry Gadsby...
and viola
Viola
The viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
under Lionel Tertis
Lionel Tertis
Lionel Tertis, CBE was an English violist and one of the first viola players to find international fame.Tertis was born in West Hartlepool, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants, and initially studied the violin in Leipzig and at the Royal Academy of Music in London...
. Shortly after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he joined the Queen's Hall
Queen's Hall
The Queen's Hall was a concert hall in Langham Place, London, opened in 1893. Designed by the architect T.E. Knightley, it had room for an audience of about 2,500 people. It became London's principal concert venue. From 1895 until 1941, it was the home of the promenade concerts founded by Robert...
orchestra, which he relinquished in 1929 to replace H. Waldo Warner in the London Quartet
London Quartet
The London String Quartet was a string quartet founded in London in 1908 which remained one of the leading English chamber groups into the 1930s, and made several well-known recordings.-Personnel:The personnel of the London String Quartet was:1st Violin:...
. In 1925 he was also appointed principal viola of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
. In 1930, after the London Quartets tour of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, he joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
. His composition activities had begun early. Already by 1923 he had conducted his first orchestral work, Sea Pictures, at Queen's Hall promenade concerts. In 1935, Sir Henry Wood conducted the premiere of his Serenade Fantastique with Bernard Shore playing the viola. He was professor at the Guildhall School of Music.
Today, he is perhaps most remembered as the composer of the score for John Huston
John Huston
John Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge...
's 1956 film Moby Dick
Moby Dick (1956 film)
Moby Dick is a 1956 film adaptation of Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick. It was directed by John Huston with a screenplay by Ray Bradbury and the director. The film starred Gregory Peck, Richard Basehart, and Leo Genn...
. He died in Petersfield
Petersfield, Hampshire
Petersfield is a market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is north of Portsmouth, on the A3 road. The town has its own railway station on the Portsmouth Direct Line, the mainline rail link connecting Portsmouth and London. The town is situated on the...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Works
Stage- The Dream of the Marionette, Ballet (1929)
Orchestral
- Sea Pictures (1923–1924)
- Harlequin and Columbine (published 1925)
- Sérénade Fantastique for Viola and Orchestra (1935)
- The Island, Tone Poem (1939) - recording conducted by Matthias BamertMatthias BamertMatthias Bamert is a Swiss composer and conductor.Matthias Bamert studied music in his native Switzerland as well as in Paris and Darmstadt, falling in with the likes of Pierre Boulez and Karlheinz Stockhausen; these associations can be detected in his own compositions from the 1970's...
, 1993 - Caricature (1940)
- Nadir, Tone Poem (1942)
- Sérénade Fantastique for Oboe and String Orchestra (1953?)
- Moby Dick, Suite from the Film (1956)
-
- The Clipper
- Carnival
- The Clipper
Chamber music
- Crépuscule for Viola and Piano (1935)
- Phantom Gavotte for Viola and Piano
Vocal
- Even for Me for Voice and Piano
- He Was My King for Voice and Piano; words by Helen WaddellHelen WaddellHelen Jane Waddell was an Irish poet, translator and playwright.-Biography:She was born in Tokyo, the tenth and youngest child of Hugh Waddell, a Presbyterian minister and missionary who was lecturing in the Imperial University. She spent the first eleven years of her life in Japan before her...
- Jonah's Hymn from Moby Dick for Voice and Piano
- Leaves, Shadows and Dreams for Voice and Piano; words by Fiona Macleod
- A Night in Spring for Voice and Piano; words by Clifford BaxClifford BaxClifford Bax was a versatile English writer, known particularly as a playwright, a journalist, critic and editor, and a poet, lyricist and hymn writer. He also was a translator, for example of Goldoni...
- Shieling Song for Voice and Piano; words by Fiona Macleod
- The Song of the Wind Bell for Voice and Piano; words by Harold ActonHarold ActonSir Harold Mario Mitchell Acton CBE was a British writer, scholar and dilettante perhaps most famous for being wrongly believed to have inspired the character of "Anthony Blanche" in Evelyn Waugh's novel Brideshead Revisited...
- A Walk by the River at Night for Voice and Piano; words by Clifford BaxClifford BaxClifford Bax was a versatile English writer, known particularly as a playwright, a journalist, critic and editor, and a poet, lyricist and hymn writer. He also was a translator, for example of Goldoni...
Film music
- Moby DickMoby Dick (1956 film)Moby Dick is a 1956 film adaptation of Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick. It was directed by John Huston with a screenplay by Ray Bradbury and the director. The film starred Gregory Peck, Richard Basehart, and Leo Genn...
(1956) - A King in New York (1957); incomplete
Orchestrations of works by Jack Sydney Gerber
- Balaton Rhapsody
- Fiesta
- Prelude to Stonehenge
- The Sea
External links
- Music Web Biography
- [ Allmusic Biography]