Peter Warlock

September 1996

Although Peter Warlock (Philip Heseltine) died in 1930, his magnetism is as potent as ever. Interest increases as more becomes known of his colourful life, and his extensive literary and musical writings.

Our Society, founded in 1963, has worked steadily to increase knowledge of his work. Annual events include a Birthday concert on or around 30 October, a jaunt to Ruddles Brewery, and to places with Warlockian legends. A Newsletter is published at least twice a year.

The main projects now are to publish a complete annotated Warlock edition and a pictorial biography.

We are pleased to help members to gain access to Warlock material. Please address enquiries, donations, and £10 annual subscriptions (students £5) to the Hon. Secretary, Mr Chris Sreeves, Jubilee Cottage, 30 The Hill Garsington Oxon OX44 9DG, Mobile: 07880 780484 email: chrissreeves@csreeves.freeserve.co.uk, or $20 ($10) to our Hon. American representative. Richard Valentine, Richard Valentine, 106 Malta Gardens Apartments, Mechanicville, New York, NY, USA, Tel: 12118, 001 518 858 9633, email: rich@richvalentine.com.

Registered Charity No 257041

LIFE AND WORKS

Philip Heseltine/Peter Warlock, a man of many inter-connected talents was born in the Savoy Hotel, London, on 30 October 1894. A plaque at 30 Tite Street, Chelsea, commemorates the place of his death on 17 December 1930. His education was almost entirely classical: Stone House, Broadstairs (1904-1908), Eton (1908-1911), Christ Church, Oxford (1913-1914), and University College, London (Michaelmas 1914 – one term only).

He received little formal musical training, being mainly influenced by other composers – Delius, van Dieren, Quilter, Colin Taylor and the Elizabethans. He had deep poetic insight, with particular affinity for Yeats, his friend Robert Nichols, later in his life Bruce Blunt and, again, the Elizabethans. He was also strongly influenced by the Celtic culture, and studied Cornish, Welsh, Irish, Manx and Breton.

His musical activities fall fairly tidily into three periods. The earliest mature works were written in Ireland c1917-18, after which there was a lull in composition while he concentrated on journalistic activities. He was the editor of The Sackbut from 1920 to 1921.

The next three years were the most settled and prolific of his life. He returned to Cefn-Bryntalch, his family home in Wales, to complete The Curlew, to produce some of his finest songs, to make hundreds of transcriptions, and to write the Delius biography.

Again there was a lull while he negotiated with various publishers until he moved to Eynsford, Kent, in 1925. The following three years were the last really fruitful ones. After leaving Eynsford he was again involved mainly in journalistic activities, editing Milo, and organising the 1929 Delius Festival with Beecham. The few compositions of his last years were mostly due to his friendship with journalist and poet Bruce Blunt.

Altogether, within the space of two decades, he wrote about 150 songs, two dozen part-songs, a dozen items of vocal chamber music, and half a dozen instrumental works. His transcriptions number well over six hundred, some of them vast undertakings. His journalistic writing – books, articles, prefaces, reviews, and programme notes, amount to around 300,000 words.

RECORDINGS

For fuller details see p.921 of No.1 1996 of The Classical Catalogue (pub. The Gramophone)

A Warlock Centenary Album. Reissues of Dilkes’ Capriol, Del Mar’s Serenade, Partridge’s Curlew, Guildford Cathedral’s Bethlehem Down etc. (EMI: CDM 5 651012)

32 Songs sung by Benjamin Luxon, with pianist David Willison (Chandos: CD-CHAN8643 Cassette-ABTD1329)

11 Songs sung by Ian Partridge, with pianist Jennifer Partridge (Etcetera: CD-KTC1078)

25 Songs sung by Ruth Golden, with pianist Levering Rothfuss (Koch International Classics: CD-3-7118-2H1)

34 Songs sung by John Mark Ainsley, with pianist Roger Vignoles (Hyperion CDA66736)

Choral Works A Cornish Carol, I saw a fair maiden, Benedicamus Domino, The Full Heart, The Rich Cavalcade, Corpus Christi, All the Flowers of the Spring, As Dew in Aprylle, Bethlehem Down, A Cornish Christmas Carol. Finzi Singers, conducted by Paul Spicer (Chandos: CD-CHAN91820) (Also contains Moeran’s Songs of Springtime and Phyllida and Corydon)

Orchestral Works Full Orchestral version of Capriol, Serenade for Delius’s 60th birthday. Ulster Orchestra, conducted by Vernon Handley (Chandos: CHAN8808 Cassette ABTD1436)

An Old Song. Northern Sinfonia, conducted by Richard Hickox (EMI CDC 7 49933-2)

There are also 16 other recordings of Capriol for string orchestra, three for full orchestra, and an arrangement for Mandolin ensemble (ACOU CDAC50250)

ARCHIVES

MUSIC IN PRINT

OUP (01865-56767) – two volumes of songs.

Boosey & Hawkes (0171-580 2060) – one volume of songs.

Stainer & Bell (0181-444 9135) – one volume of songs and The Curlew.

Chester (01284 702600) – Saudades, Lilligay, and Peterisms Set 1.

Thames (0181-969 3579, 14 Barlby Rd, London W10 6AR) in conjunction with the Warlock Society, a complete edition of Warlock’s music : eight volumes of the solo songs, two volumes of Sociable Songs sponsored by Ruddles Brewery, two volume of carols (unison and SATB), three volumes of partsongs (unison, SATB, 3-part). Two Cod-pieces (arr. for piano duet, organ and saxophone quartet). A Warlock Suite for violin or clarinet, & piano (arr. David Cox), An Old Song arr. for clarinet & piano, Folksong Preludes for piano, and a study score of The Curlew.

BOOKS IN PRINT

Dr Ian Copley’s The Music of Peter Warlock is published by Dobson Books (0191-378 0628)

Capriol for Mother, a memoir of Peter Warlock and his family by his son, Nigel Heseltine, is published by Thames (0181-969 3579, 14 Barlby Rd, London W10 6AR)

Barry Smith’s Peter Warlock – The Life of Philip Heseltine is published by OUP (01865-56767)

Peter Warlock : A Centenary Celebration, ed. by David Cox and John Bishop is published by Thames (0181-969 3579)

The Crying Curlew : Peter Warlock : Family & Influences by Ian Parrott is published by Gomer (01559-362371)

CENTENARY 1994