Frederic Curzon (4 September 1899 – 6 December 1973) was an English composer, conductor and organist, associated with the theatre, early cinema and light music.[1] He sometimes wrote under the pen names Graham Collett and Harold Ramsay.[2]
Curzon was born in London, showing early promise studying the violin, cello, piano and organ. By the age of 16 he was playing piano in theatres, and by 20 he was accompanying silent films in cinemas around the country, using music he had composed himself.[2] Curzon was an early exponent of the electronic organ. From 1926 to 1934 he became the organist at Shepherd’s Bush Pavilion, run by the Gaumont British Film Corporation, whose head of music Louis Levy commissioned scores from him.[2] He moved to the New Victoria Cinema in 1935, and in 1938 gave up salaried employment to concentrate full time on composition.[3] That year he composed the music for the high profile 1939-1949 radio comedy series ITMA (It's That Man Again), starring Tommy Handley. From 1939 and throughout the war he conducted at Llandudno Pier.[4] Throughout the 1940s and 1950s he continued to perform organ music for frequent broadcasts at the BBC Theatre Organ.
He was encouraged as an orchestral concert composer by the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra conductor Dan Godfrey and by the music publisher Ralph Hawkes, and was appointed head of Boosey & Hawkes’s Light Music department, where he was an early contributor of mood music or library music, pre-written, royalty-free cues for newsreels, documentaries, radio and eventually television.[2] This caused something of a rift between Curzon and The Musicians' Union, which accused him of "making gramophone records of a kind that could be used publicly to the disadvantage of other musicians".[5]
Curzon married Gladys Marian Fowler in 1937.[2] He returned to Bournemouth in the 1960s - his address there was 15, Winifred's Road[6] - where he died in 1973.
Musicedit
While there are some songs in the ballad style and some solo piano pieces, Curzon's light music for the concert hall was mostly orchestral. Examples include The Spanish Suite: In Malaga (1935) and the Robin Hood Suite (1937), as well as single movement overtures and waltzes such as The Boulevardier (1941, perhaps his best known piece),[7] the Cascade Waltz (1946), Dance of an Ostracised Imp (1940)[8] and Punchinello (1948) which were all popular in their day.[4] The overture Chevalier was commissioned by the BBC for its Light Music Festival in 1949. Capricante, also from 1949, was dedicated to his friend Pasquale Troise.[2] Many of his pieces have been recorded as part of the Guild Light Music series.[9] A Marco Polo CD of orchestral music was issued in 1992.[2]
Selected worksedit
The Boulevardier, characteristic intermezzo (1943)[2]
^John France. Frederic Curzon: Listings of Music recorded on the Guild Light Music Series, September 2014
^Bratby, Richard (2018). Notes - Fanfares(PDF) (SACD). Chandos Records. CHSA5221.
^'Palace Premieres', MPR CWSO01 (2019), reviewed at MusicWeb International
External linksedit
The Boulevardier - Orchestra of the Light Music Society, conducted by Sir Vivian Dunn
Dance of an Ostracised Imp, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Leaper
January 01, 1970
frederic, curzon, british, peer, frederick, curzon, earl, howe, september, 1899, december, 1973, english, composer, conductor, organist, associated, with, theatre, early, cinema, light, music, sometimes, wrote, under, names, graham, collett, harold, ramsay, co. For the British peer see Frederick Curzon 7th Earl Howe Frederic Curzon 4 September 1899 6 December 1973 was an English composer conductor and organist associated with the theatre early cinema and light music 1 He sometimes wrote under the pen names Graham Collett and Harold Ramsay 2 Contents 1 Biography 2 Music 3 Selected works 4 References 5 External linksBiography editCurzon was born in London showing early promise studying the violin cello piano and organ By the age of 16 he was playing piano in theatres and by 20 he was accompanying silent films in cinemas around the country using music he had composed himself 2 Curzon was an early exponent of the electronic organ From 1926 to 1934 he became the organist at Shepherd s Bush Pavilion run by the Gaumont British Film Corporation whose head of music Louis Levy commissioned scores from him 2 He moved to the New Victoria Cinema in 1935 and in 1938 gave up salaried employment to concentrate full time on composition 3 That year he composed the music for the high profile 1939 1949 radio comedy series ITMA It s That Man Again starring Tommy Handley From 1939 and throughout the war he conducted at Llandudno Pier 4 Throughout the 1940s and 1950s he continued to perform organ music for frequent broadcasts at the BBC Theatre Organ He was encouraged as an orchestral concert composer by the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra conductor Dan Godfrey and by the music publisher Ralph Hawkes and was appointed head of Boosey amp Hawkes s Light Music department where he was an early contributor of mood music or library music pre written royalty free cues for newsreels documentaries radio and eventually television 2 This caused something of a rift between Curzon and The Musicians Union which accused him of making gramophone records of a kind that could be used publicly to the disadvantage of other musicians 5 Curzon married Gladys Marian Fowler in 1937 2 He returned to Bournemouth in the 1960s his address there was 15 Winifred s Road 6 where he died in 1973 Music editWhile there are some songs in the ballad style and some solo piano pieces Curzon s light music for the concert hall was mostly orchestral Examples include The Spanish Suite In Malaga 1935 and the Robin Hood Suite 1937 as well as single movement overtures and waltzes such as The Boulevardier 1941 perhaps his best known piece 7 the Cascade Waltz 1946 Dance of an Ostracised Imp 1940 8 and Punchinello 1948 which were all popular in their day 4 The overture Chevalier was commissioned by the BBC for its Light Music Festival in 1949 Capricante also from 1949 was dedicated to his friend Pasquale Troise 2 Many of his pieces have been recorded as part of the Guild Light Music series 9 A Marco Polo CD of orchestral music was issued in 1992 2 Selected works editThe Boulevardier characteristic intermezzo 1943 2 Bravada Paro Doble 1938 Capricante 1949 2 Cascade Waltz 1936 Ceremonial Occasion march 1953 Charm of Youth Suite Chevalier overture first broadcast 1949 Dance of the Ostracised Imp 1940 2 Fanfares 10 Fanfare No 4 Fanfare No 5 For a Merry Occasion Fanfare No 6 Westminster Galavant 1949 2 La Peineta Spanish Serenade 1938 Pasquinade 1943 Pastoral Scene 1938 11 Punchinello miniature overture 1948 2 Robin Hood Suite 1937 2 Salon Suite 1942 Saltarello for piano and orchestra 1952 2 Serenade of a Clown 1939 Simonetta Serenade 1943 Spanish Suite In Malaga 1935 2 Vanguard overtureReferences edit Philip L Scowcroft Curzon Ernest Frederic in Grove Music Online 2001 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o McConald Tim 1992 Notes for Marco Polo CD 8 223425 Radio Times Issue 817 28th May 1939 p 26 a b Philip Scowcroft MusicWeb International Musicians Reject Conductor BBC Makes Change in The Manchester Guardian 2 May 1953 Who s Who in Music Fifth edition 1969 p 70 It was popularised in the recording by Sidney Torch with the Queen s Hall Light Orchestra in 1948 Columbia D B 2421 Used in Holland as the theme music for the radio series of Paulus the woodgnome created by Jean Dulieu John France Frederic Curzon Listings of Music recorded on the Guild Light Music Series September 2014 Bratby Richard 2018 Notes Fanfares PDF SACD Chandos Records CHSA5221 Palace Premieres MPR CWSO01 2019 reviewed at MusicWeb InternationalExternal links editThe Boulevardier Orchestra of the Light Music Society conducted by Sir Vivian Dunn Dance of an Ostracised Imp Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Adrian Leaper Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Frederic Curzon amp oldid 1217999163, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
