Archibald James Potter (22 September 1918 – 5 July 1980) was an Irish composer and teacher, who wrote hundreds of works including operas, a mass, and four ballets, as well as orchestral and chamber music.
Potter was born in Belfast to a Presbyterian family who, oddly, lived on the Falls Road, a republican (Catholic) stronghold. His father was a church organist and piano tuner who was blind since childhood. His mother was, in Potter's own words, "a raging alcoholic". The young Potter escaped a rather grim childhood when he went to live with an aunt in Kent, England.[1]
Potter had already started composing chamber and vocal music before the war. Now, established in Dublin, he chose the orchestra as his principal means of expression. His early pieces, such as Rhapsody under a High Sky and Overture to a Kitchen Comedy, showed that Potter had absorbed Vaughan Williams' pastoral style and his love of folk music. In 1952, both pieces were awarded Radio Éireann's "Carolan Prize" for orchestral composition by the adjudicator Arnold Bax.[5] A year later Potter repeated this success when his Concerto da Chiesa, a concerto for piano and orchestra, also won the Carolan Prize.[6]
In 1955 Potter was appointed Professor of Composition at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where he became an effective administrator and inspiring teacher.[1]
In the 1960s, Potter turned to ballet, writing four orchestral scores for the Cork Ballet company. The first of these, Careless Love, became the composer's own favourite of all his compositions.[1] Several years later, following a successful battle with alcoholism, he wrote what some regard as his magnum opus, Sinfonia "de Profundis" (1969).[1] The première was given at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin on 23 March 1969 in a performance by the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Albert Rosen.[7]The Irish Times referred to the concert as a "major national event". In December 1969, Potter received a Jacob's Award for the composition.[8]
Potter's last substantial work, an opera entitled The Wedding, received its first public performance in Dublin in 1981, almost a year after the composer's death.[9]
Deathedit
Potter died suddenly at his home in Greystones, County Wicklow at the age of 61. His body is buried in the nearby Redford cemetery.
En passant par la Guyenne (Yvonne Bonnin-Hauterre) (1979)
Recordingsedit
Dreaming (features Nocturne in A Minor for piano), Anew NEWD 406 (CD, 1994)
Romantic Ireland (features Rhapsody under a High Sky), Marco Polo 8.223804 (CD, 1996)
Sinfonia de Profundis", Finnegan's Wake, Fantasia Gaelach No. 1, Variations on a Popular Tune, Overture to a Kitchen Comedy, Marco Polo 8.225158 (CD, 2001)
^"Awards for radio and TV presented". The Irish Times. 11 December 1969.
^Ross Griffel, Margaret (2013). Operas in English: A Dictionary. Scarecrow Press. p. 534. ISBN978-0810883253.
Further referencesedit
Contemporary Music Centre profile of A. J. Potter, including full list of compositions
November 26, 2023
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Archibald James Potter 22 September 1918 5 July 1980 was an Irish composer and teacher who wrote hundreds of works including operas a mass and four ballets as well as orchestral and chamber music Contents 1 Early years 2 Life and career 3 Death 4 Selected works 5 Recordings 6 Sources 7 Further referencesEarly years editPotter was born in Belfast to a Presbyterian family who oddly lived on the Falls Road a republican Catholic stronghold His father was a church organist and piano tuner who was blind since childhood His mother was in Potter s own words a raging alcoholic The young Potter escaped a rather grim childhood when he went to live with an aunt in Kent England 1 Possessed of a good voice and natural musical ability Potter was accepted as a treble by the world famous choir of All Saints Margaret Street In 1933 after four years as a chorister he was sent to Clifton College Bristol 2 From there he went to the Royal College of Music on a scholarship and studied composition under Vaughan Williams 1 While at the Royal College he won the Cobbett prize for chamber music 3 World War II interrupted Potter s music education and he left college to serve with the London Irish Rifles in Europe and the Far East 4 After the war Potter settled in Dublin where he continued his studies at Trinity College Dublin gaining a Doctorate in Music in 1953 1 Life and career editPotter had already started composing chamber and vocal music before the war Now established in Dublin he chose the orchestra as his principal means of expression His early pieces such as Rhapsody under a High Sky and Overture to a Kitchen Comedy showed that Potter had absorbed Vaughan Williams pastoral style and his love of folk music In 1952 both pieces were awarded Radio Eireann s Carolan Prize for orchestral composition by the adjudicator Arnold Bax 5 A year later Potter repeated this success when his Concerto da Chiesa a concerto for piano and orchestra also won the Carolan Prize 6 In 1955 Potter was appointed Professor of Composition at the Royal Irish Academy of Music where he became an effective administrator and inspiring teacher 1 In the 1960s Potter turned to ballet writing four orchestral scores for the Cork Ballet company The first of these Careless Love became the composer s own favourite of all his compositions 1 Several years later following a successful battle with alcoholism he wrote what some regard as his magnum opus Sinfonia de Profundis 1969 1 The premiere was given at the Gaiety Theatre Dublin on 23 March 1969 in a performance by the RTE Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Albert Rosen 7 The Irish Times referred to the concert as a major national event In December 1969 Potter received a Jacob s Award for the composition 8 Potter s last substantial work an opera entitled The Wedding received its first public performance in Dublin in 1981 almost a year after the composer s death 9 Death editPotter died suddenly at his home in Greystones County Wicklow at the age of 61 His body is buried in the nearby Redford cemetery Selected works editStage Careless Love ballet libretto Donagh MacDonagh 1959 Gamble No Gamble ballet libretto Patrick Kavanagh 1961 Caitlin Bhocht ballet libretto Patricia Ryan 1963 Full Moon for the Bride ballet libretto Micheal Mac Liammoir 1964 orch 1974 Patrick television opera libretto Donagh MacDonagh 1964 The Wedding opera libretto A J Potter 1979 Orchestra Overture to a Kitchen Comedy 1950 Rhapsody Under a High Sky 1950 Concerto da Chiesa for piano and orchestra 1952 Fantasia Gaelach No 1 1952 Aiste O na Gleannta Rhapsody on Corrymeela 1953 Variations on a Popular Tune 1955 Finnegan s Wake 1957 revised 1970 Fantasia Eireannach 1957 Irish Rhapsody for violin and orchestra 1963 Hunters Holiday Concertino for horn and orchestra 1964 Fantasy for clarinet and strings 1965 Spanish Point Concertino for guitar and orchestra 1965 Rhapsody for the End of the Day for violin and orchestra 1966 Tuama an draguinin Concerto for double bass and orchestra 1966 Concerto for Orchestra 1967 Concertino Benino for trumpet and orchestra 1967 Ceithre fichid la Concertino for cello and orchestra 1968 Sinfonia de Profundis Symphony No 1 1969 A Hundred Thousand Welcomes for orchestra 1972 4 Symphony No 2 1976 The Grey Dog of the Sea Concertino for cor anglais and orchestra 1977 An Trumpa Mor Trombone concertino 1978 Choral The Voice of the Rising for chorus and orchestra 1966 The Cornet of Horse for contralto male chorus and orchestra 1975 Four Petrarch Sonnets for mixed choir SATB 1979 Brass military band Finnegan s Wake 1970 Irish March and Trio 1972 Clare Rhapsody 1978 Catstone Cassation 1979 Trombones at Templemore 1979 Phoenix Park 1979 Salala s Castle 1980 Chamber music Fantasie No 1 for string quartet c 1937 Fantasie No 2 for string quartet c 1938 Fugue for string trio 1938 String Quartet 1938 A House Full of Harpers Concerto Grosso for 2 concert harps and 12 Irish harps 1963 Cead mile bienvenues for brass septet 1972 Hail to the Glasshouse for brass quartet 1976 Arklow Quartet for brass quartet 1977 Quartet for four trombones 1979 Solo instrument Scherzo for piano 1936 Nocturne for piano 1936 Suite for Solo Piano 1965 Etude bitonal 1968 for Irish harpSongs for voice and piano The Violet Walter Scott 1932 Pippa s Song Robert Browning 1932 The Hag Robert Herrick 1935 Six Songs from The Glens of Antrim Moira O Neill 1949 Ode to Dives Hilaire Belloc 1956 Song Suite Sidney Bell 1958 The End of the Day W B Yeats c 1973 Nancy Brown Lee McMaster A J Potter 1974 Homage to Belloc H Belloc 1976 Corner of My Heart L McMaster 1977 En passant par la Guyenne Yvonne Bonnin Hauterre 1979 Recordings editDreaming features Nocturne in A Minor for piano Anew NEWD 406 CD 1994 Romantic Ireland features Rhapsody under a High Sky Marco Polo 8 223804 CD 1996 Sinfonia de Profundis Finnegan s Wake Fantasia Gaelach No 1 Variations on a Popular Tune Overture to a Kitchen Comedy Marco Polo 8 225158 CD 2001 Sinfonia de Profundis with Seoirse Bodley s Symphony No 3 RTE 61 LP 1981 Ceol Potter features arrangements of traditional Irish tunes Gael Linn CEFCD 034 CD 2006 re issue of LP 1973 Sources edit a b c d e f The Irish Times Dr A J Potter An Appreciation 17 July 1980 J A O Muirhead Clifton College Register p 481 2 Bristol J W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society April 1948 Bridget Hourican Potter Archibald James Archie in Dictionary of Irish Biography retrieved 12 April 2012 The Irish Times 23 February 1952 p 4 The Irish Times Carolan orchestral prize awarded 14 February 1952 The Irish Times Composer wins radio prize for second year 7 March 1953 Contemporary Music Centre web site Awards for radio and TV presented The Irish Times 11 December 1969 Ross Griffel Margaret 2013 Operas in English A Dictionary Scarecrow Press p 534 ISBN 978 0810883253 Further references editContemporary Music Centre profile of A J Potter including full list of compositions Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A J Potter amp oldid 1164827429, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
