Photo: Herbert Lambert · Public domain · credits
Tier 3 · vertical & regionalfull biography
Roger Quilter
Person · male · United Kingdom · Hove · born 1877 · died 1953 · recording since 1994
British composer (1877–1953)
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Listen on SpotifyYouTube Music
Also known as Romney Marsh · 奎爾特
Timeline
8 events▣ Album 5◦ Birth 1† Death 1★ Debut release 1
1870s
1950s
1990s
· Debut release
Debut release: Where the Rainbow Ends / Country Pieces / The Rake (Suite) / As You Like It / Three English Dances
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
· Album
Album: Where the Rainbow Ends / Country Pieces / The Rake (Suite) / As You Like It / Three English Dances
Album
source: musicbrainz
2000s
· Album
Album: The English Song Series, Volume 5: O Mistress Mine / To Daisies / Julia's Hair / Go, Lovely Rose
Album
source: musicbrainz
· Album
Album: The English Song Series, Volume 11: Complete Folk-Song Arrangements / Complete Part-Songs for Women's Voices
Album
source: musicbrainz
2020s
Biography
English biography698 words · 4 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1366663778
Biography
Roger Cuthbert Quilter (1 November 1877 – 21 September 1953) was a British composer, known particularly for his art songs. His songs, which number over a hundred, often set music to text by William Shakespeare and are a mainstay of the English art song tradition.
Biography
Quilter was born in Hove, Sussex; a commemorative blue plaque is on the house at 4 Brunswick Square. He was a younger son of Sir William Quilter, 1st Baronet, a wealthy noted landowner, politician and art collector.
Roger Quilter was educated first in the preparatory school at Farnborough. He then moved to Eton College and later became a fellow-student of Percy Grainger, Cyril Scott and H. Balfour Gardiner at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, where he studied for almost five years under the guidance of the German professor of composition Iwan Knorr. Quilter belonged to the Frankfurt Group, a circle of composers who studied at the Hoch Conservatory in the late 1890s.
His reputation in England rests largely on his songs and on his light music for band trios, such as his Children's Overture, with its interwoven nursery rhyme tunes, and a suite of music for the play Where the Rainbow Ends. He is noted as an influence on several English composers, including Peter Warlock.
Quilter enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with the tenor Gervase Elwes until the latter's death in 1921. In November 1936, Quilter's opera Julia was presented at Covent Garden by the British Music Drama Opera Company under the direction of Vladimir Rosing. It ran for only seven performances. Heavily revised, it was later published as Love at the Inn.
As a gay man during the late 19th century, it was difficult to cope with the pressures that were imposed upon him by his hidden homosexuality, and he struggled with mental illness after the loss of his nephew Arnold Guy Vivian during World War II.
He died at his home on 21 September 1953, in St John's Wood, London, a few months after celebrations to mark his 75th birthday, and was buried in the family vault at St Mary's Church, Bawdsey, Suffolk.
Songs
Roger Quilter's output of songs, more than one hundred in total, added to the canon of English art song that is still sung today. According to Valerie Langfield, his style "was indisputably English" despite his German training, and once matured around 1905, did not develop further. Shakespeare, Herrick, and Shelley were his favoured poets. Among the most popular are "Love's Philosophy", "Fair House of Joy", "Come Away Death", "Go, Lovely Rose", "Weep You No More", "By the Sea", and his setting of O Mistress Mine. Quilter's setting of verses from the Tennyson poem "Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal" is one of his earliest songs but is nonetheless characteristic of the later, mature style.
Of his seventeen Shakespeare settings, the Three Shakespeare Songs (1905, revised 1906) are perhaps the most successful: commenting on O Mistress Mine Peter Warlock said the song is "one of the very few things that very simply send me into ecstasies every time I play it". While a collection rather than a true song cycle, Seven Elizabethan Lyrics is "probably the best single volume of songs the composer ever produced", according to Michael Pilkington, and includes the still regularly performed "Fair House of Joy" as its final song.
But perhaps his most widely known work is Non Nobis, Domine (1934). This was written for the Pageant of Parliament at the Royal Albert Hall July 1934, to a text by Rudyard Kipling, and has become the school song or school hymn of many girls' schools in the English-speaking world. He also published the Arnold Book of Old Songs, a collection of 16 folk and traditional songs from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France to new accompaniments, dedicated to his nephew Arnold Guy Vivian.
Recordings
Recorded collections of Quilter songs include discs by Benjamin Luxon and David Willison, Charlotte de Rothschild and Adrian Farmer, and James Gilchrist and Anna Tilbrook. Mark Stone and Stephen Barlow have issued a four disc set of the complete songs. There are also collections of the folk song arrangements and part songs for women's voices. David Owen Norris has recorded the solo piano music.
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 10 | 58.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 5 | 78.9th |
| Studio albums | 5 | 84.6th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 8 | 84.1th |
| Recording span (years) | -41 | 7.1th |
| Genres | 2 | 74th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (5 release groups · 5 studio albums)
Albums · 5
Where the Rainbow Ends / Country Pieces / The Rake (Suite) / As You Like It / Three English Dances
1994 · studio album
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Tracklist · 23 tracks · 1:08:05
1A Children's Overture11:092Suite "Where the Rainbow Ends": No. 1a. Rainbow Land3:133Suite "Where the Rainbow Ends": No. 1b. Will O' the Wisp3:034Suite "Where the Rainbow Ends": No. 2. Rosamund2:225Suite "Where the Rainbow Ends": No. 3. Fairy Frolic1:486Suite "Where the Rainbow Ends": No. 4. Goblin Forest3:137Suite "As You Like It": No. 1. Shepherd's Holiday1:568Suite "As You Like It": No. 2. Evening in the Forest2:439Suite "As You Like It": No. 3. Merry Pranks2:3510Suite "As You Like It": No. 4. Country Dance1:5811Country Pieces: No. 1. Shepherd Song3:2112Country Pieces: No. 2. Goblins2:1213Country Pieces: No. 3. Forest Lullaby2:3114Country Pieces: No. 4. Pipe and Tabor1:4515Suite "The Rake": No. 1. Dance at the Feast1:3816Suite "The Rake": No. 2. The Light-Hearted Lady2:1217Suite "The Rake": No. 3. The Frolicsome Friend2:0418Suite "The Rake": No. 4. Allurement1:5819Suite "The Rake": No. 5. Midnight Revels2:0720Three English Dances: No. 12:4321Three English Dances: No. 22:0222Three English Dances: No. 32:3723Concert Waltz from "Rosme"6:551996 · studio album
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Tracklist · 39 tracks · 1:10:42
1Three Shakespeare Songs, op. 6: Come Away, Death2:352Three Shakespeare Songs, op. 6: O Mistress Mine1:153Three Shakespeare Songs, op. 6: Blow, Blow, Thou Winter Wind2:134Four Songs of Mirza Schaffy, op. 2: Neig’ schön’ Knospe dich zu mir1:235Four Songs of Mirza Schaffy, op. 2: Und was die Sonne glüht0:536Four Songs of Mirza Schaffy, op. 2: Ich fühle Deinen Odem1:407Four Songs of Mirza Schaffy, op. 2: Die helle Sonne leuchtet0:548Autumn Evening, op. 14 no. 12:509June1:4910Two September Songs, op. 18: No 5. Through the Sunny Garden1:5711Two September Songs, op. 18: No 6. The Valley and the Hill1:1212Arab Love Song, op. 25 no. 41:1913Music, When Soft Voices Die, op. 25 no. 51:2614Love’s Philosophy, op. 3 no. 11:1815Five Shakespeare Songs, op. 23: Fear No More the Heat o’ the Sun3:0916Five Shakespeare Songs, op. 23: Under the Greenwood Tree1:0017Five Shakespeare Songs, op. 23: It Was a Lover and His Lass2:1818Five Shakespeare Songs, op. 23: Take, o Take Those Lips Away1:2419Five Shakespeare Songs, op. 23: Hey, Ho, the Wind and the Rain1:3020Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal, op. 3 no. 22:0121Go, Lovely Rose, op. 24 no. 32:4722A Last Year’s Rose, op. 14 no. 32:2823Four Child Songs, op. 5: A Good Child1:5424Four Child Songs, op. 5: The Lamplighter1:4925Four Child Songs, op. 5: Where Go the Boats?1:3826Seven Elizabethan Lyrics, op. 12: Weep You No More2:1627Seven Elizabethan Lyrics, op. 12: My Life’s Delight1:2628Seven Elizabethan Lyrics, op. 12: Damask Roses1:1229Seven Elizabethan Lyrics, op. 12: The Faithless Shepherdess1:5030Seven Elizabethan Lyrics, op. 12: Brown Is My Love1:1531Seven Elizabethan Lyrics, op. 12: By a Fountainside2:2432Seven Elizabethan Lyrics, op. 12: Fair House of Joy1:4933Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes2:2834Barbara Allen3:1435Over the Mountains1:4936Four Shakespeare Songs, op. 30: Who Is Silvia?1:5037Four Shakespeare Songs, op. 30: When Daffodils Begin to Peer0:5738Four Shakespeare Songs, op. 30: How Should I Your True Love Know?2:0239Four Shakespeare Songs, op. 30: Sigh No More, Ladies1:28The English Song Series, Volume 5: O Mistress Mine / To Daisies / Julia's Hair / Go, Lovely Rose
2004 · studio album
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Tracklist · 33 tracks · 1:10:19
1It was a lover and his lass2:412Take, O take those lips away1:223O mistress mine1:434How should I your true love know2:055Orpheus with his lute2:076Hark! Hark! the lark1:067Ca' the yowes to the knowes2:338Charlie is my darling1:309Ye banks and braes2:5610I arise from dreams of thee4:3211Music when soft voices die1:3912Love's philosophy1:2713Spring is at the door1:3914Passing dreams1:5515Autumn evening3:0416An old carol2:2117Three Pastoral Songs, op. 22: I. I will go with my father a-ploughing2:2218Three Pastoral Songs, op. 22: II. Cherry valley2:4619Three Pastoral Songs, op. 22: III. I wish and I wish2:1120Go, lovely rose2:5621A last year's rose2:2522Amaryllis at the fountain1:0523I dare not ask a kiss1:0424Now sleeps the crimson petal2:2725To Julia. op. 8: Prelude0:4626To Julia. op. 8: I. The bracelet1:4327To Julia. op. 8: II. The maiden blush1:4928To Julia. op. 8: III. To daisies2:1129To Julia. op. 8: IV. The night piece1:4330To Julia. op. 8: V. Julia's hair1:4531To Julia. op. 8: Interlude0:2932To Julia. op. 8: VI. Cherry ripe2:2333Love calls through the summer night5:342005 · studio album
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Tracklist · 36 tracks · 1:17:51
1The Arnold Book of Old Songs: English Songs: Drink to me only2:452The Arnold Book of Old Songs: English Songs: Over the mountains2:223The Arnold Book of Old Songs: English Songs: My Lady Greensleeves3:364Love at the Inn: Little Moth1:275Love at the Inn: Love calls through the summer night4:456Love at the Inn: If Love should pass me by2:037Irish song: The Rose of Tralee2:298The Arnold Book of Old Songs: Irish Songs: Believe me, if all those endearing young charms1:419The Arnold Book of Old Songs: Irish Songs: Oh! 'tis sweet to think1:3210Duets: Four Part-Songs for Women's Voices: Come Lady-Day1:4611Duets: Four Part-Songs for Women's Voices: The Starlings1:4012Duets: Four Part-Songs for Women's Voices: To a Harebell by a Graveside1:4113Duets: Four Part-Songs for Women's Voices: It was a lover and his lass2:3314The Arnold Book of Old Songs: Scottish Songs: Ye banks and braes3:0115The Arnold Book of Old Songs: Scottish Songs: Charlie is my darling1:3516The Arnold Book of Old Songs: Scottish Songs: Ca' the yowes to the knowes3:0817Duets: Three Part-Songs for Women's Voices: Where Go the Boats?2:0618Duets: Three Part-Songs for Women's Voices: Windy Nights1:2819Duets: Three Part-Songs for Women's Voices: Summer Sunset1:4620The Arnold Book of Old Songs: French Songs: Le pauvre laboureur2:2121The Arnold Book of Old Songs: French Songs: L'amour de moi4:0122The Arnold Book of Old Songs: French Songs: Joli mois de mai1:0523Duets: Daisies after rain (solo version)1:0624Duets: My heart adorn'd with thee1:2825Duets: The Passing Bell2:4026Duets: Blossom-Time1:3327Duets: Daisies after rain (duet version)1:1028Duets: Weep you no more2:2429New Discoveries: I gotta robe1:3130New Discoveries: 'Tis St. Valentine's Day1:2231New Discoveries: What will you do, love?2:1432The Arnold Book of Old Songs: English & Welsh Songs: The Jolly Miller1:5433The Arnold Book of Old Songs: English & Welsh Songs: Barbara Allen4:1034The Arnold Book of Old Songs: English & Welsh Songs: Three Poor Mariners1:1135The Arnold Book of Old Songs: English & Welsh Songs: Since first I saw your face1:3936The Arnold Book of Old Songs: English & Welsh Songs: The Ash Grove2:38Go, Lovely Rose: Songs of Roger Quilter
2024 · studio album
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Tracklist · 27 tracks · 1:04:40
1Blow, blow, thou winter wind, op. 6 no. 32:272Come away, death, op. 6 no. 12:583Fear no more the heat o' the sun, op. 23 no. 13:394Orpheus with his lute, op. 32 no. 12:315O mistress mine, op. 6 no. 21:406Under the greenwood tree, op. 23 no. 21:147The Fuchsia Tree, op. 25 no. 21:368Go, lovely rose, op. 24 no. 33:239A Last Year's Rose, op. 14 no. 33:0010Now sleeps the crimson petal, op. 3 no. 22:1711To Daisies, op. 8 no. 32:2912Barbara Allen4:1713Drink to me only2:4914My Lady's Garden3:4215The Ash Grove2:3116Autumn Evening, op. 14 no. 13:2117Dream Valley, op. 20 no. 12:3018Drooping Wings2:2019Music, when soft voices die, op. 25 no. 51:4320Four Songs of Mirza Schaffy, op. 2: I. Neig', schöne Knospe, dich zu mir1:4221Four Songs of Mirza Schaffy, op. 2: II. Und was die Sonne glüht1:1722Four Songs of Mirza Schaffy, op. 2: III. Ich fühle deinen Odem1:4623Four Songs of Mirza Schaffy, op. 2: IV. Die helle Sonne leuchtet1:3224Love's Philosophy, op. 3 no. 11:2925Julia's Hair, op. 8 no. 51:5726The Maiden Blush, op. 8 no. 22:0627It was a lover and his lass, op. 23 no. 32:24
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Roger Quilter head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 10 | 58.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 5 | 78.9th |
| Studio albums | 5 | 84.6th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 8 | 84.1th |
| Recording span (years) | -41 | 7.1th |
| Genres | 2 | 74th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roger_Quilter_ca._1922.pngaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/aa968bcf-8c70-49eb-aae1-3b907b60d7e5discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/aa968bcf-8c70-49eb-aae1-3b907b60d7e5core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1971524seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Quilterbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Quilter
Why this artist is in the database
- List of composers by name
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Herbert Lambert · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q1971524 · MusicBrainz: aa968bcf-8c70-49eb-aae1-3b907b60d7e5
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