Charles Wilfred Leslie Orr, generally known as C. W. Orr (31 July 1893 – 24 February 1976), was an English composer. He is particularly noted for his songs, though his output was small. He wrote only 35 songs in 82 years, 24 of them setting words by A. E. Housman.[1]
Plaque commemorating the home of Charles Wilfred Orr on St. Mary's Street, Painswick
He married in 1929 and moved to Painswick, Gloucestershire, to get away from the busy atmosphere of London, which was detrimental to his health; a vaccination as a child had left him with eczema, and he contracted tuberculosis as an adult. He would remain in Painswick for the rest of his life.
His work as a composer was dominated by the composition of songs accompanied by piano; his life's study was the expressive setting of poetry to music. He was a particular admirer of A. E. Housman, and wrote more settings of his poetry than any other composer. He became acquainted with Housman's poetry just after World War I, during which he had enlisted, but was unable to fight for medical reasons. He undertook research visits to Shropshire, taking photographs, and attended one of Housman's lectures as Kennedy Professor of Latin at Cambridge University. He asked for permission to translate A Shropshire Lad into German so he could bring his songs into wider circulation, but the request was refused.
His piano accompaniments and postludes are an integral part of each song, providing more than bare harmony; examples of its use for programme music include fluttering semiquavers depicting aspen leaves in Along the Field and heavy chords in a march to the scaffold in The Carpenter's Son. His harmonic language is a mixture of English modality and late Romanticism. Orr is regarded[by whom?] as one of Britain's finest 20th century songwriters.
4 Songs (1959): Bahnhofstrasse (1932), Requiem (1954), The Time of Roses (1955), Since Thou, O Fondest and Truest (1957)
Housman settingsedit
When the Lad for Longing Sighs (1921)
2 Songs from A Shropshire Lad: 'Tis Time I Think by Wenlock Town, Loveliest of Trees, The Cherry (1921–1922)
The Carpenter's Son (1922)
When I was One-and-Twenty (1924)
With rue my heart is laden (1924)
Is my team ploughing (1925)
On your Midnight Pallet Lying (1925)
O When I Was in Love with You (1926)
This Time of Year (1926)
Soldier from the Wars Returning (1928)
7 Songs from A Shropshire Lad (1934): Along the Field (1927), When I Watch the Living Meet (1930), The Lent Lily, Farewell to barn and stack and tree (1928), O fair enough are sky and plain (1931), Hughley Steeple (1930), When Smoke Stood Up from Ludlow (1929)
The Lads in their Hundreds (1936)
3 Songs from A Shropshire Lad (1940): Into My Heart an Air that Kills (1935), Westward on the High-Hilled Plains (1927), O see how thick the goldcup flowers, (1939)
^Trevor Hold. Parry to Finzi: Twenty English Song Composers (2007), Chap. 17, pp. 314-329
^Palmer, Christopher (31 December 1973). "C. W. Orr: An 80th Birthday Tribute". The Musical Times. 114 (1565): 690–692. doi:10.2307/956461. JSTOR 956461.
Further readingedit
Stephen Banfield: Sensibility and English Song: Critical Studies of the Early 20th Century (Cambridge, 1985).
I. A. Copley: An English Songwriter: C.W. Orr; in Composer no.29 (1968)
Trevor Hold: Parry to Finzi: Twenty English Song-Composers (2001), Chap. 17
Sydney Northcote: The Songs of C.W. Orr; in Music & Letters XVIII (1937)
Christopher Palmer: C.W. Orr: an 80th Birthday Tribute; in Musical Times CXIV (1973)
Christopher Palmer: In Memoriam C.W. Orr; in Delius Society Journal no.55 (1977)
J. Wilson: C.W. Orr: the Unknown Song-Writer (London, 1989)
charles, wilfred, charles, wilfred, leslie, generally, known, july, 1893, february, 1976, english, composer, particularly, noted, songs, though, output, small, wrote, only, songs, years, them, setting, words, housman, contents, biography, works, songs, housman. Charles Wilfred Leslie Orr generally known as C W Orr 31 July 1893 24 February 1976 was an English composer He is particularly noted for his songs though his output was small He wrote only 35 songs in 82 years 24 of them setting words by A E Housman 1 Contents 1 Biography 2 Works 2 1 Songs 2 1 1 Housman settings 2 2 Choral music 2 3 Instrumental music 3 Recordings 3 1 Songs complete 3 2 Songs extracts 4 References 5 Further reading 6 Sources 7 External linksBiography editBorn in Cheltenham Gloucestershire 2 shortly after the death from tuberculosis of his father who was a captain in the Indian Army he learnt the piano and studied music theory as a child He was attracted to the singing of Elena Gerhardt whom he heard sing in London and developed an interest in lieder especially those of Johannes Brahms Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann After reading Ernest Newman s book on the composer Hugo Wolf he determined to become a songwriter which occupation he pursued through study at the Guildhall School of Music with Orlando Morgan He was attracted to the music of Frederick Delius after approaching him at a London restaurant in 1915 and Delius became his mentor helping him with his early compositions He also came to know Philip Heseltine Peter Warlock who helped him in publishing his early songs nbsp Plaque commemorating the home of Charles Wilfred Orr on St Mary s Street PainswickHe married in 1929 and moved to Painswick Gloucestershire to get away from the busy atmosphere of London which was detrimental to his health a vaccination as a child had left him with eczema and he contracted tuberculosis as an adult He would remain in Painswick for the rest of his life His work as a composer was dominated by the composition of songs accompanied by piano his life s study was the expressive setting of poetry to music He was a particular admirer of A E Housman and wrote more settings of his poetry than any other composer He became acquainted with Housman s poetry just after World War I during which he had enlisted but was unable to fight for medical reasons He undertook research visits to Shropshire taking photographs and attended one of Housman s lectures as Kennedy Professor of Latin at Cambridge University He asked for permission to translate A Shropshire Lad into German so he could bring his songs into wider circulation but the request was refused His piano accompaniments and postludes are an integral part of each song providing more than bare harmony examples of its use for programme music include fluttering semiquavers depicting aspen leaves in Along the Field and heavy chords in a march to the scaffold in The Carpenter s Son His harmonic language is a mixture of English modality and late Romanticism Orr is regarded by whom as one of Britain s finest 20th century songwriters Works editHis music is published by Chester Novello and Oxford University Press Songs edit For solo voice and piano Plucking the Rushes 1921 Silent Noon 1921 The Earl of Bristol s Farewell 1927 Tryste Noel 1927 When as I Wake 1928 Hymn before Sleep 1953 While Summer on is Stealing 1953 4 Songs 1959 Bahnhofstrasse 1932 Requiem 1954 The Time of Roses 1955 Since Thou O Fondest and Truest 1957 Housman settings edit When the Lad for Longing Sighs 1921 2 Songs from A Shropshire Lad Tis Time I Think by Wenlock Town Loveliest of Trees The Cherry 1921 1922 The Carpenter s Son 1922 When I was One and Twenty 1924 With rue my heart is laden 1924 Is my team ploughing 1925 On your Midnight Pallet Lying 1925 O When I Was in Love with You 1926 This Time of Year 1926 Soldier from the Wars Returning 1928 7 Songs from A Shropshire Lad 1934 Along the Field 1927 When I Watch the Living Meet 1930 The Lent Lily Farewell to barn and stack and tree 1928 O fair enough are sky and plain 1931 Hughley Steeple 1930 When Smoke Stood Up from Ludlow 1929 The Lads in their Hundreds 1936 3 Songs from A Shropshire Lad 1940 Into My Heart an Air that Kills 1935 Westward on the High Hilled Plains 1927 O see how thick the goldcup flowers 1939 The Isle of Portland 1938 In Valleys Green and Still 1952 Choral music edit The Brewer s Man bass and two part choir 1927 Slumber Song choir and piano 1937 Fain would I change that note three part choir and piano 1937 Instrumental music edit Cotswold Hill Tune string orchestra 1937 Midsummer Dance cello and piano 1957 Recordings editSongs complete edit The complete CW Orr songbook volume 1 Stone Records The complete CW Orr songbook volume 2 Stone Records Songs extracts edit A E Housman A Shropshire Lad Complete in verse and song Hyperion Records CDA66471 2References edit Trevor Hold Parry to Finzi Twenty English Song Composers 2007 Chap 17 pp 314 329 Palmer Christopher 31 December 1973 C W Orr An 80th Birthday Tribute The Musical Times 114 1565 690 692 doi 10 2307 956461 JSTOR 956461 Further reading editStephen Banfield Sensibility and English Song Critical Studies of the Early 20th Century Cambridge 1985 I A Copley An English Songwriter C W Orr in Composer no 29 1968 Trevor Hold Parry to Finzi Twenty English Song Composers 2001 Chap 17 Sydney Northcote The Songs of C W Orr in Music amp Letters XVIII 1937 Christopher Palmer C W Orr an 80th Birthday Tribute in Musical Times CXIV 1973 Christopher Palmer In Memoriam C W Orr in Delius Society Journal no 55 1977 J Wilson C W Orr the Unknown Song Writer London 1989 Sources editJane Wilson Orr C harles W ilfred Grove Music Online ed L Macy Accessed 2007 06 07 http www grovemusic com Archived 16 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine Andrew Green notes to A E Housman A Shropshire Lad Complete in verse and song Hyperion Records CDA66471 2External links editChester Novello C W Orr Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Wilfred Orr amp oldid 1192829583, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
