Anthony Gilbert

Biography

Anthony Gilbert (26 July 1934 – 5 July 2023) was a British composer and academic, long associated with the Royal Northern College of Music. He also taught for extended periods as head of composition at the New South Wales State Conservatorium. His works, many of them for larger chamber ensembles, were published by Schott and University of York Music Press. Several of them were written for particular musicians, who performed and recorded them. He wrote a memoir, published in 2021.

Biography

Gilbert, who was born in London on 26 July 1934, trained initially as a translator, then studied composition privately with Mátyás Seiber, piano with Denis Holloway at Trinity College, and composition with Alexander Goehr and Anthony Milner at Morley College. He also studied with Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood.
He worked for the London branch of Schott, beginning as a warehouseman and later chief editor of contemporary music, and head of production. In 1970 he moved north, first as Granada Arts Fellow at Lancaster University, and then to the Royal Northern College of Music, as tutor and later head of the school of composition and contemporary music, where he stayed until retirement in 1999. He worked for extended periods as head of the composition department of the New South Wales State Conservatorium during the 1980s. Amongst his students were Sally Beamish, Tim Benjamin, Martin Butler, Simon Holt, Adam Johnson, Paul Newland, Priti Paintal, Janet Owen Thomas, James Saunders, Jane Antonia Cornish and Ian Vine.
Gilbert was an active committee member of the Society for the Promotion of New Music, the music section of the ICA, the ISCM's British and Sydney sections, and the new music panel of North West Arts. He was a founding member and artistic director of both the New Music Forum, Manchester, and the Akanthos Ensemble at the Royal Northern College of Music. His publishers were Schott Music, for works prior to 1994, and then University of York Music Press. He enjoyed lasting friendships with other composers, including Harrison Birtwistle, Don Banks, Alexander Goehr and David Lumsdaine.
He began writing a memoir in 2014, focusing on the work in the months preceding his 87th birthday; it was published as Kettle of Fish in 2021.
Gilbert was married twice, and divorced twice. His first marriage was to Mary Hill, in 1956. Hill and Gilbert had three children.
His second marriage in 1978 was to Alison Cox, who became the first head of composition at the Purcell School for Young Musicians, where she has taught since 1988, and also founded a musical charity, the Commonwealth Resounds.
Gilbert died on 5 July 2023, at age 88. His three children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive him.

Music

Gilbert was a prolific composer from the early 1960s, writing the majority of his works for instrumental or chamber ensemble.
He wrote about composing:

Ultimately, for me, the only honest thing to do in composing is to write straight from the heart and guts, whilst closely involving the brain. Trying to assess what my audience would like to hear, to be "accessible", would to me seem cheap and patronising.
The Piano Sonata No. 1 (1962) was his first published composition. It was selected for the 1962 ISCM Festival and premiered by Margaret Kitchin at the Cheltenham Festival. Early ensemble pieces include Brighton Piece and Nine or Ten Osannas (both 1967), and works especially written for The Fires of London, such as The Incredible Flute Music (1970) and Spell Respell for basset clarinet and piano (1973). From the 1970s he produced a series of larger orchestral compositions such as the Symphony (1973) and Ghost and Dream Dancing (1974), which he called "in effect, a second symphony", as well as two operas: The Scene-Machine (1970, for the Staatstheater Kassel) and The Chakravaka-Bird (1977, for BBC Radio). Compositions for smaller orchestra during this period included Crow-Cry (1976, written for the London Sinfonietta), and Towards Asvari for solo piano and chamber orchestra (1978, written for Peter Lawson and the Manchester Camerata).
During the following decade smaller scale works were his primary focus. Moonfaring for cello and percussion (1983) has also been performed with dancers. There are a trilogy of humorous pieces based on the imaginary Chinese bestiary of Jorge Luis Borges: Quartet of Beasts (1984). Beastly Jingles (1985) and Six of the Bestiary (1985). Other works from this time include Dream Carousels for wind ensemble (Gilbert's most-performed work, written for RNCM conductor Timothy Reynish) and the orchestral song-cycle Certain Lights Reflecting. Both were inspired by writings of the Tasmanian poet Sarah Day. Igórochki, a recorder concerto written for John Turner, was completed in 1992 and there was a lyrical violin concerto, On Beholding a Rainbow (1997), recorded in 2005 with soloist Anthony Marwood.
Although not noted for his interest in traditional forms, Gilbert composed four piano sonatas (the most recent in 2022) and a cycle of five string quartets spanning the years 1972 to 2009. The third quartet has been recorded by the Nossek String Quartet (1999), the Madawaska Quartet (2009) and the Bingham Quartet (2014), and the fourth by the Tavec Quartet (2009). There is also a string trio, Humdance (2007) and a string quintet, Haven of Mysteries, premiered by the Carducci String Quartet with cellist Guy Johnston at the Wigmore Hall on 14 June 2015. He wrote an extended essay on the British String Quartet since 1935.

Piano

Elegy, 1961
Piano Sonata No. 1, 1962
Piano Sonata No. 2 (piano 4-hands), 1966
Little Piano Pieces, 8', 1972
O alter Duft (withdrawn), 1984
Funtoons: children's pieces (MS), 8', 1985
Peal III (MS), 2', 1984
Piano Sonata No. 3 autour des palombes, 15', 2001
People Pieces (for beginners and on), 15', 2005
Papillon Postcards (3 miniatures for solo piano), 2', 2005
Passing Bells, 3', 2006
Do Well: 8 short pieces, 15', 2009
Some Say: 11 short pieces for solo piano, 11', 2009
Chimes in Time, 3', 2010
Propel, 7', 2010
Monsoon Toccata, 4', 2013
Piano Sonata No. 4, 2022

Instrumental

Strophics for violin & piano, 1961
Duo for violin and viola, 1963
The Incredible Flute Music for flute and piano (Peal I), 1968
Spell Respell for electric basset clarinet and piano, 1968
Treatment of Silence for violin and tape, 1969
Crow Undersongs for solo viola, 11', 1981
Sunrising for oboe and piano (commissioned and published by Forsyth Bros. Ltd., Manchester), 3', 1981
Two Birds by Kuring-Gai for horn and piano (commissioned and published by Forsyth), 6', 1982
Moonfaring for cello and percussion, 19'-30', 1983
Dawnfaring for viola and piano 15', 1984
Peal IV for organ (MS), 2', 1984
O alter Duft for piano duet (withdrawn), 1990
Paluma for sopranino recorder and piano (arranged from movement IV of Igórochki) (MS), 4', 1993
Trying to make John SLOW DOWN AFTER 50 for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 1993
Ziggurat for bass clarinet and marimba, 21', 1994
Stars for treble recorder and guitar (rev. 2004), 13', 1995
Flame Robin for sopranino recorder solo (Forsyth), 1', 1995
Miss Carroll her Lullabye for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 1995
Chant-au-clair for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 1995
Midwales Lightwhistle Automatic for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 1996
Réflexions, Rose nord for bass clarinet and vibraphone, 5', 1996
Osanna for Lady O for cello and piano (rewritten 2007), 8', 1997
Ondine – chant au clair de lune for soprano and recorder (Aloysius Bertrand) (MS), 6', 1998
Os for oboe and vibraphone (revised 2002), 16', 1999
Margareeting for tenor or descant recorder and piano (MS), 2', 2000
Sinfin for vibraphone solo (also arranged for vibraphone duo), 8', 2000
Worldwhorls for bass clarinet solo, 8', 2000
Photos found at Hukvaldy, August 1928 for oboe solo, 5', 2000
Farings for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 15', 2000
Kauri for solo Tuba, 11', 2002
Tulip Tree Dances for solo bass and treble recorders, 15', 2003
Rose luisante for solo freebass accordion, 9', 2003
Litany for clarinet and piano (Associated Board Spectrum series), 2', 2004
Catercorny, four pieces for clarinet and piano (contains Litany above), 6', 2004
Swallowtail for solo vibraphone, 2', 2004
Halifenu Vine Dance for organ and pre-recorded organ, 9', 2005
U-Go for Arirang for variable instruments, 4', 2005
A Piece of Cake for treble recorder and piano (MS), 80", 2006
Jugalbandi Blues for bass clarinet solo, 60", 2006
Echo for solo trumpet (Cincuentas 5), 4', 2007
Twirlpool for flute and viola, 3', 2008
Gioco dei Pari for violin & viola (reworking of Duo of 1962), 10', 2008
Tulip Dance, for solo flute (arranged from Tulip Tree, 2003), 5', 2008
Twinned Set, seven short pieces for solo bassoon (and Set 2 for bass clarinet), 18', 2008
Converse, for bass clarinet and tenor saxophone, 9', 2010
Inseparable, for alto flute or oboe and string trio, 7', 2010
Recitative, for solo trombone, 8', 2010
Running Free, for tenor saxophone solo, 6', 2010
Above all that, for recorder and piano, 3', 2011
Early to Bloom, for tenor recorder and harpsichord, 3', 2011
Rapprochement for piano and cello, 8', 2011
Songline, for double bass and piano, 3', 2011
Behind all this, for descant recorder and harpsichord, 3', 2012
Dançando con Flores, for solo guitar, 5', 2012
DancE-a-Triple-Round, for recorder and cello, 2', 2012
Outflow, for solo double bass, 3', 2012
Pilbara Park, for solo guitar, 10', 2012
Skipping side to side, for solo banjo, 5', 2012
Behind all this, for recorder and piano, 3', 2012
Haunted, for solo bass guitar, 5', 2013
The Flame has Ceased (in memory John McCabe), 2016
Verse for solo double bass (written for David Hayes), 2019
Duologue – small sonata for viola & piano, 8'45", 2020
Tulip Dance 5 – ‘Spring Dance’ music for bass recorder and tuned percussion, intended for ballet-type dance, 4'44", 2021
A Breath for Life brief song for John Turner's 80th birthday, 2023

Chamber music

Serenade for 6 instruments, 1963
Brighton Piece for 8 players, 1967
Nine or Ten Osannas for 5 players, 1967
O'Grady Music for clarinet, cello and toy instruments, 24', 1971
String Quartet No. 1 (also available in arrangement with piano), 22', 1972
Canticle I (Rock-Song) for wind instruments, 9', 1973
Canticle I (Rock-Song) version 2 for woodwind, horns, harp & piano, 9', 1979
Calls around Chungmori for chamber ensemble and participating audience, 15', 1979
Vasanta with Dancing for chamber ensemble (dancer optional), 17', 1981
Bendigo Match for wind band (MS), 3', 1981
Concert Fanfare for Strathfieldsaye for 5 brass and 2 percussion (MS), 1', 1981
Little Fantasy on Gold-digger Melodies for flute and string quartet (MS), 4', 1981
Little Dance of Barrenjoey for flute, clarinet, viola and cello (MS), 2', 1981
Quartet of Beasts for 3 wind instruments and piano, 13', 1984
Six of the Bestiary for saxophone quartet, 12', 1985
Fanfarings for 6 and 8 brass instruments (MS), 1', 1986
String Quartet No. 2 (revised 2003), 19', 1987
String Quartet No. 3 super hoqueto 'David', 7', 1987
Tree of Singing Names for chamber orchestra, 15', 1989
Fanfaring V for brass (MS), 1', 1992
Moon comes up, Pearl Beach (June '79) for alto flute, vibraphone and cello (version 2, MS lost), 1', 1995
Dancing to the Tune for 4–8 oboes, 2–4 cors anglais, 1–2 heckelphones (MS), 4', 1996
Sinfin 2 for 4 vibraphones, 8', 2000
Unrise for ten wind instruments, 16', 2001
Four Seasons for Josca's for young players (variable ensemble), 3', 2001
String Quartet No. 4, 23', 2002
Ondine (version 2, extended) for soprano, recorder, cello and harpsichord, 11', 2003
Palace of the Winds for 11 solo strings, 15', 2003
Tinos for soprano, clarinet and vibraphone (text Magdalena Mismareza), 3', 2004
Dark Singing, Dancing Light for bassoon and string quintet or string ensemble, 10', 2005
ecco Eco for flute, clarinet & vibraphone (Cincuentas 4), 50", 2007
HumDance for string trio, 20', 2007
York Surprise for flute, clarinet and bass clarinet, 8', 2007
Word-Chimes in the Wind for wind quintet, 18', 2008
String Quartet No. 5, 20', 2009
Not for the Nashties, septet for three woodwind and string quartet (unpublished), 14', 2012
Hope's Place for chamber ensemble, 18', 2013
Tryptych for three winds and string ensemble, 16', 2014
Haven of Mysteries, string quintet, 2015
La Douceur, septet for three winds and string quartet, dedicated to Raymonde Sassoon, 11'15", 2016
Return of the St Louis, trio for oboe, clarinet in A and bassoon, 9', 2017

Choral and vocal

Missa Brevis for unaccompanied choir, 1965
Assonants 1 for SATB soloists, clarinet and horn, 1965
Three War Poems for chorus, 1966
Shepherd Masque for young voices, 1968
Love Poems for soprano and instrumental ensemble (2 versions), 10', 1970
Cantata: the man who tried to hijack an airliner, 16' (withdrawn), 1971
Canticle II (Anger) for 6 male voices, 6', 1974
Inscapes for soprano, speaking voice and small ensemble, 30', 1975
Long White Moonlight for soprano and electric double bass, 18', 1980
Chant of Cockeye Bob for children's voices and instruments, 14', 1981
Victorian Round for any number of voices (MS), 1981
Beastly Jingles for soprano and instrumental ensemble, 11', 1984
Certain Lights Reflecting, song-cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra to poems of Sarah Day, 19', 1989
Upstream River Rewa for storyteller and Indo-European ensemble, 29', 1991
Little Cycle for Elizabeth Yeoman for soprano, cello and piano (MS), 7', 1992
Handles to the Invisible for a cappella choir to poems of Sarah Day (rev. 2003), 15', 1995
'This Tree' (Frances Horovitz) (No. 1 of Love Poems, 1970, arr. mezzo and piano) (Schott), 3', 1996
Vers de Lune for soprano, flute, cello and percussion to texts by Aloysius Bertrand (incorporating a version of Ondine – chant au clair), 17', 1999
Encantos, song-cycle to Spanish symbolist love poetry for soprano or mezzo, clarinet, vibraphone and guitar to texts by Magdalena Mismareza and anon.), 14', 2004
Ygg-drasill for soprano or mezzo, recorder, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, three violins and cello (Cincuentas 3), 9', 2006
En Bateau, after Watteau for soprano, recorder, oboe, violin and cello to poems by Baudelaire and Proust), 9', 2007
Those Fenny Bells for treble, counter-tenor and vibraphone (to a poem by John Clare), 3', 2008
Encantos 2010 (Mismareza) for soprano or mezzo-soprano + ensemble of 8 instruments (alternative re-scoring of Encantos of 2004), 14’30", 2010
Peace Notes, (Sarah Day) for soprano or mezzo-soprano and piano, 14', 2011
Placing Art, (Ian Kemp) for soprano and bass recorder, 4', 2012
Lay the Lances, five songs for baritone and string orchestra, 2018

Orchestral

Sinfonia for chamber orchestra, 1965
Regions for two orchestras, 1966
Peal II for big band, 1968
Symphony (incorporates modified version of Regions), 39', Cheltenham Festival, 1973
Ghost and Dream Dancing for orchestra, 19', 1974
Crow-Cry for chamber orchestra, 20', 1976
Welkin for orchestra, 11', 1976
Koonapippi for youth orchestra, 6', 1981
Dream Carousels for wind orchestra, 13', 1984
Mozart Sampler with Ground for orchestra, 10', 1991
...into the Gyre of a Madder Dance for concert band, 7', 1994
Another Dream Carousel for string orchestra, 8', 2000
Even in flames, / the Thames/ can't hold a candle/ to the Wandle for variable orchestra, 6', 2000
Sheer for string orchestra, 16', 2003
Dance Concerto – Groove by chants, for orchestra, 19', 2006
Loopy Line-dance orchestral wind, 7', 2011
Lifelines, roundelay for orchestra, 10', 2020
Liaison, tone poem for medium-sized orchestra, 11'17", 2021

Concertante

Mother, for solo cello and ensemble (withdrawn), 14', 1969
Towards Asâvari for piano and chamber orchestra, 22', 1978
Igórochki, concerto for recorder, 1992
On beholding a Rainbow, concerto for violin and orchestra, 30', 1997
A Melding, concerto for B♭ clarinet and chamber ensemble, 14', 2019

Opera

The Scene-Machine, one-act opera to a libretto by George MacBeth, 50', 1970
The Chakravaka-Bird, radio opera to a libretto translated from Indian sources by A. K. Ramanujan, Daniel H. H. Ingalls and A. Gilbert, 77', 1977

Arrangements

Guillaume de Machaut: Ma fin est mon commencement, arr. for recorder ensemble with tambour (MS), 4', 1981
Arthur Benjamin: Two Jamaican Street Songs, arr. for piano four-hand (Boosey), 1990
Mátyás Seiber: Burlesque from Pastorale & Burlesque, arr. for recorder and piano; or for recorder and string trio (Schott), 2005

Recordings

Nine or Ten Osannas - Music Projects London/Bernas - NMC D 014 (1993)
Beastly Jingles - Jane’s Minstrels/Montgomery - NMC D 025 (1995)
Chant-au-clair - Postern PPD 003 (1997)
Midwales Lightwhistle Automatic - Tabernacle TABIP 1 (1997)
Moonfaring - BML 026 (1998)
Farings - Forsyth FS001/002 (1999)
String Quartet No. 3 super hoqueto ‘David’ - Nossek String Quartet - ASC CS CD11 (1999)
Dream Carousels, Quartet of Beasts, Igórochki, Six of the Bestiary, Towards Asávari - RNCM Wind Orchestra and New Ensemble - NMC D 068 (2000)
MANCHESTER ACCENTS - Northern Chamber Orchestra, dir. Nicholas Ward - ASC CS CD45 (2001)
Another Dream Carousel - Northern Chamber Orchestra dir. Nicholas Ward - ASC CS CD45 (2001) and Prima Facie PFCD 003 (2011)
On Beholding a Rainbow, Certain Lights Reflecting, ...into the Gyre of a Madder Dance, Unrise - NMC D 105 (2005)
String Quartet No. 4 - Tavec String Quartet - Campion Cameo 2046 (2006)
Stars - Turquoise Guitar Editions, TGE 015 (2006)
Os - Dutton CDLX 7180 (2007)
Jugalbandi Blues - Shoepair DVD 701 (2007)
Another Dream Carousel - Manchester Chamber Ensemble, dir. Richard Howarth - Dutton CDLX 7207 (2008)
Those Fenny Bells - NMC D 150, disc 1 (2009)
String Quartet No. 3 super hoqueto ‘David’ - Madawaska Quartet - ART 039 (2009)
Doubles - Endymion Ensemble dir. Quentin Poole - NMC D 160, disc 1 (2010)
Ondine; En Bateau, d’après Watteau - Prima Facie PFCD 004 (2011)
Piano sonatas 1 - 3, Little Piano Pieces, Elegy, 3 Papillon Postcards - Prima Facie PFCD 007 (2011)
Palace of the Winds - Goldberg Ensemble, dir. Malcolm Layfield - NMC D 174 (2011)
3 Papillon Postcards - NMC D 181 (2011)
Réflexions, Rose nord - Atoll ACD 212 (2011)
Dream Carousels for Wind Orchestra - National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain, cond. Phillip Scott - Mark Records 9560 MCD (2011)
Chimes in Time, Propel, Chatkwell, Toll, John’s Peal, Farewell, Speedwell, Duelo - Prima Facie PFCD 013 (2012)
Above all that - Divine Art dda 21217 (2012)
Piano Sonata No. 3 - Benjamin Powell - UHC 02001 1026 (2012)
String Quartet No. 3 super hoqueto ‘David’ - Bingham Quartet - Prima Facie PFCD 032 (2014)
DancE-a-Triple Round - Birthday tribute for David Ellis for recorder and cello - Prima Facie PFCD 037 (2014)
Travelling with Time - Ygg-drasill, Papillon Postcards, En Bateau, Piano Sonata 3, Another Dream Carousel, Rapprochement, String Quartet No. 3 - Prima Facie PFCD 041 (2015)
Haven of Mysteries for String Quintet, on: ‘Bracing Change’ - Chamber works commissioned for and recorded at Wigmore Hall, London - NMC D216 (2017)
A Shooting Star - Music by Janet Owen Thomas and Anthony Gilbert - Prima Facie PFCD063 (2018)
Zustandsformen - works for recorder and guitar - Stadt Baden Aargauer (2020)