Alan Rowlands (1 March 1929 – 2 January 2012) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

pianist (though born in Swansea, Wales) who made notable contributions to British musical life both as a teacher and as a performer. He obtained a degree in chemistry at Jesus College,

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, before winning a scholarship to study at the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the undergraduate to the doctoral level in all aspects of Western Music including performanc ...

(RCM) under Angus Morrison. A particular preoccupation of his was the oeuvre of

John Ireland John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in ''All the King's Men'' (1949), making him the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomin ...

. He studied much of Ireland's piano output with the composer himself, who recommended him to undertake a recording of the complete Ireland piano music. Rowlands completed the manuscript of Ireland's ''

Ballade of London Nights ''Ballade of London Nights'' is a solo piano work composed in 1930 by John Ireland but not finished. The manuscript was completed after his death by Alan Rowlands, who first performed it on 6 June 1965. Rowlands advocated repeating the opening ...

'', a piano piece composed in 1930. Rowlands first performed it on 6 June 1965. For much of his life Rowlands taught at the RCM, from which he retired in 1999.

References

English classical pianists Male classical pianists 1929 births 2012 deaths Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford 20th-century classical pianists 20th-century English musicians 20th-century British male musicians {{UK-classical-pianist-stub