Ernest Walker (15 July 1870 – 21 February 1949) was an Indian-born English composer and writer on music, as well as a pianist, organist and teacher.
Biography
Ernest Walker was born in
Bombay,
India, in 1870, where his father was a partner in a merchant firm[1] (his father had also had ambitions to be a writer, and even published two novels under the pseudonym "Powys Oswyn", but these plans were abandoned).[2] Ernest came to England with his parents in 1871. From an early age he exhibited a mystic attraction to nature.[2] He studied the piano with
Ernst Pauer[1] and harmony with Alfred Richter (a son of the cantor at St Thomas's Church, Leipzig).[2] Through a mutual friend, he became friendly with
Harold Bauer (then still only a violinist) and the two would often play duos together.[2] He was educated at
Oxford, becoming a Doctor of Music in 1898. There, his mystical bent was fostered and became more pronounced.[2]
He was assistant organist at
Balliol College from 1891 to 1901, and organist from 1901 to 1913 (resigning only because he felt his private views on religion were incompatible with the religious nature of the texts sung by the choir, even though there was no requirement that the organist profess Christian beliefs).[2] He remained at Oxford for the rest of his life, and died there. He was director of music at Balliol from 1901 to 1925 and organised the Sunday chamber music concerts there, at which he often appeared as a pianist. He arranged appearances at these concerts by artists such as the baritone
Harry Plunket Greene, the tenors
Steuart Wilson and
Gervase Elwes, the pianists
Fanny Davies,
Leonard Borwick and
Donald Tovey, the violinists
Adolf Busch and
Jelly d'Arányi, and the violist
Lionel Tertis.[1][2] These concerts often featured works then hardly known in England, such as
César Franck's
Violin Sonata in A major, and songs by
Joseph Marx and
Richard Strauss.[2] He was for many years an examiner and member of the Board of Studies for music, and he did much to improve the standard of the B.Mus and D.Mus degrees. He encouraged many promising musicians, among them the Australian
Frederick Septimus Kelly, who was killed in
World War I, and Donald Tovey, who became his lifelong friend. Tovey dedicated his Balliol Dances for piano duet to Ernest Walker.[2]
Walker had a great reputation as an accompanist,[3] and played for artists such as
Pablo Casals, on one occasion in 1898 performing together for
Queen Victoria at Osborne House. As late as 1947, Casals wrote to Walker expressing his admiration for the musicianship he had displayed almost 50 years earlier.[2] He also accompanied
Joseph Joachim in concert; Joachim later wrote to Walker to express his gratitude for the quality of his playing.[2] Privately, he played violin sonatas with
Albert Einstein.[2]
He edited the Musical Gazette, a quarterly publication, from 1899 to 1902. He wrote the
Beethoven number of the Music of the Masters series (1905). He wrote a number of articles for the 2nd edition of
Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1902).[1] He wrote articles and critiques for The Times and Manchester Guardian, and wrote program notes for concerts. His most important literary work is History of Music in England (1907, rev. 1923; rev. 1952 by
Jack Westrup). In 1996, the musicologist
Paul Henry Lang, wrote of it:
A particular position must be assigned to Ernest Walker, the author of A History of Music in England (1907); stand-offish, wildly unjust and unforgiving, Walker's assertions are so sweeping and extravagant that it would be a waste of space to discuss them. To put it bluntly, he was an eccentric, continually inconsistent, and often irresponsible. Sir Jack Westrup, in his new edition (1952), toned down the worst aspects of the work, but then it is no longer Walker.[4]
Walker's essays written over a 30-year period were collected in Free Thought and the Musician (1946), in which he explains his philosophical, religious and mystical views. Although he is described [by whom?] as a man of unfailing integrity and kindliness, he was a man of strong prejudices: he condemned Victorian music:
Arthur Sullivan ("disgraceful rubbish"),[5] and
John Stainer's The Crucifixion, and he dismissed all medieval music as "pre-artistic".[6]
He resigned as Director of Music at Balliol College to devote himself to composition. In 1942 the
Cobbett Gold Medal of the
Worshipful Company of Musicians was conferred on him.[2] He died in 1949, aged 78. He was mourned by many, and those who paid tribute to him included
Albert Schweitzer.
Music
Ernest Walker's style as a composer is conventional and conservative. It was described by The Manchester Guardian as not particularly distinguished but sensitive in expression and technically skilful.[10] After 1914 his chromatic harmony became much more pronounced. The majority of his music is written for voices – many choral pieces (partsongs, anthems and motets), songs, and vocal duets and quartets. His works include a Stabat Mater (1898), I will lift up mine eyes, Op. 16, No. 1 (1899), Hymn to Dionysus, Op. 13 (1906), Ode to a Nightingale, Op. 14 (1908; words by
John Keats), and One generation passeth away, Op. 56 (1934). There is also vocal
incidental music to Rhesus (attrib.
Euripides; 1922; sung to a Greek text).
He wrote little orchestral music and no concertante works. His major orchestral work was Fantasia-Variations on a Norfolk folksong, Op. 45 (1930; also exists as a piano duet). His chamber music includes: a piano trio, 2 piano quartets, a piano quintet, a horn quintet, a Minuet and Trio for 2 violins and piano, and a Fantasia for string quartet.
He also wrote other instrumental music: 2 violin sonatas (1895, 1910); a viola sonata (1897); a cello sonata (1914); Variations on an Original Theme for viola and piano (1907); Variations on a Theme by
Joseph Joachim for violin and piano (1918); and other pieces for piano with violin, viola, cello, clarinet or horn.
His solo piano music consists mainly of short pieces, miniatures, album leaves, preludes and the like. There is also Variations on a Norwegian Air, Op. 4 (1894), the suite The Days of the Week (1904), a West African Fantasietta, Op. 63 (1935), and a Study for the Left Hand, Op. 47. He arranged the Allegro assai from
Felix Mendelssohn's String Quartet in F minor, for piano solo. For piano duet, he wrote Six Duettinos, Op. 39 (1926), a West African Fantasia, Op. 53 (1933), and a Rhapsody and Fugue, Op. 57 (1934). There is also a Waltz Suite, Op. 60 (1935) for two pianos. He wrote
cadenzas for five
Mozart piano concertos, and for
Beethoven's
Piano Concerto No. 3.
He wrote two solo pieces for piano left hand, composed long before he met the left-handed pianist
Paul Wittgenstein and became friendly with him: Study for the Left Hand, Op. 47 (1901); and Prelude (Larghetto), Op. 61. He later presented these to Wittgenstein. In 1933 he wrote a piano quintet specifically for Wittgenstein and dedicated it to him. This was the Variations on an Original Theme for clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano left hand. It was premiered by Wittgenstein on 24 March 1935 in Vienna.[1][11]
Only two works for organ came from his pen: a Prelude and Fugue in D, Op. 23 (1908), and Ten Preludes on the Lady Margaret Hall Hymn-tunes, Op. 50 (1923). This last work has been described as among the few significant contributions to English organ music of the 20th century. The Ten Preludes also exist in a choral version (Op. 51).
Some of his music has been recorded: the Cello Sonata;[12] the Adagio for Horn and Organ;[13] and some of his choral pieces.[14]
List of works
Stage
Rhesus, Incidental Music to
the play by
Euripides for male chorus, Op. 35 (1923)
Orchestral
Lyrics for string orchestra (1892)
Concert Overture in F minor (1897)
Intermezzo for string orchestra (2 clarinets ad libitum) and piano, Op. 22 (1908)
Ground for string orchestra (1911)
Fantasia-Variations on a Norfolk Folk Song, Op. 45 (1930); original version for piano 4-hands
Chamber music
Piano Trio in C minor for violin, cello and piano (1896)
Ballade in D minor for violin and piano, Op. 6 (1896)
Sonata No. 1 in A minor for violin and piano, Op. 8 (1895); published 1898
Romance in B♭ major for viola (or clarinet) and piano, Op. 9 (1898)
Quartet in D major for violin, viola, cello and piano (1899)
Quintet in B♭ minor for horn, 2 violins, viola and cello (1900)
Ballade in F major for cello and piano, Op. 11 No. 1 (1900)
Adagio in E♭ major for cello (or horn) and piano, Op. 11 No. 2 (1900)
Minuet and Trio for 2 violins and piano, Op. 20 (1904)
Romance and Caprice for violin and piano (1904)
Quintet in A major for 2 violins, viola, cello and piano (1905)
Variations on an Original Theme for viola and piano (1907)
Quartet in C minor for violin, viola, cello and piano (1910)
Sonata in C major for viola and piano, Op. 29 (1897); published 1912
Variations on an Original Theme for clarinet, violin, viola, cello and piano left-hand (1913); written for
Paul Wittgenstein
Fantasia in D major for string quartet, Op. 32 (1923)
Variations on a Theme of
Joseph Joachim for violin and piano, Op. 40 (1918); published 1927
Sonata in F minor for cello and piano, Op. 41 (1914); published 1928
Sonata No. 2 in E♭ major for violin and piano, Op. 44 (1910); published 1930
Songs with Small Orchestra for high voice and small orchestra (or piano), Op. 38 (1926); words by
Sydney Thompson Dobell
Ring Out, Wild Bells, Canon for two equal voices and piano, Op. 64 (1937); words by
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Choral
Psalm 130 "De Profundis" for soloists, chorus and orchestra (1892)
Stabat Mater for 4 solo voices, mixed chorus and orchestra (1897)
5 Songs for 4 voices and piano, Op. 10 (1900); words from
Englands Helicon (1600)
A Hymn to Dionysus for mixed chorus and orchestra, Op. 13 (1906); words by
Euripides
Ode to a Nightingale for baritone solo, clarinet solo, mixed chorus and orchestra, Op. 14 (1908); words by
John Keats
2 Anthems for male voices and organ, Op. 16 (1899)
I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes (also for female voices and organ)
Lord, Thou Hast Been Our Refuge (also for mixed voices and organ)
6 Three-part Songs for 3 female voices and piano, Op. 17 (1901–1908)
The Splendour Falls on Castle Walls for mixed chorus a cappella, Op. 24 (1906); words by
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
The World's Wanderers, Part-Song for 3 female voices and piano, Op. 25 (1906); words by
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Liberty, Part-Song for 4 male voices a cappella, Op. 26 (1906); words by
Percy Bysshe Shelley
Neptune's Empire, Choral Lyric for chorus and orchestra (1910); words by
Thomas Campion
3 Part-Songs for 3 female voices a cappella, Op. 30 (1912, 1914); words by
Robert Herrick
In Pride of May, Part-Song for 3 female voices and piano, Op. 31 (1914); words from an Elizabethan songbook
Orpheus with His Lute, Part-Song for mixed voices a cappella, Op. 33 (1922); words by
William Shakespeare
Full Fathom Five, Song for 6 soprano voices a cappella, Op. 34 (1923); words by
William Shakespeare
Soft Music, Part-Song for mixed chorus a cappella, Op. 48 (1931); words by
Robert Herrick
The Lady Margaret Hall Hymn-Tunes for chorus a cappella, Op. 51 (1932); also for organ
The Earth Is the Lord's, Motet for female chorus a cappella, Op. 52 (1932)
Sunset and Evening Star, Choral Song for mixed chorus a cappella, Op. 55 (1932); published 1934; words by
Alfred, Lord Tennyson
One Generation Passeth Away, Motet for mixed chorus a cappella, Op. 56 (1934); Biblical words from
Ecclesiastes
Hearken to Me, Ye That Follow after Righteousness, Motet for female chorus a cappella, piano or organ ad libitum, Op. 58 (1934); Biblical words from the
Book of Isaiah
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in D major for female voices and organ, Op. 62 (1935)
Song from Schiller's "Wilhelm Tell" for voice and piano (1937); words by
Friedrich Schiller
Dirge in Woods for mixed chorus a cappella, Op. 65 (1939); words by
George Meredith