David Morgan (1933 - 1988) was a British

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

Life and career

Morgan was born in

Harpenden Harpenden () is a town and civil parish in the City and District of St Albans in the county of Hertfordshire, England. The population of the built-up area was 30,674 in the 2021 census, while the population of the civil parish was 31,128. Harpe ...

, Hertfordshire in 1933. In 1961 he began his studies at the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is one of the oldest music schools in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the firs ...

, with

Alan Bush Alan Dudley Bush (22 December 1900 – 31 October 1995) was a British composer, pianist, conductor, teacher and political activist. A committed communist, his uncompromising political beliefs were often reflected in his music. He composed prol ...

(composition) and

Leighton Lucas Leighton Lucas (5 January 1903 – 1 November 1982) was an English composer and conductor. His career was wide-ranging: he was associated with the revival of interest in 20th century English ballet, arranged music for dance bands, conducted chall ...

(orchestration). He was awarded ten prizes for his compositions between 1961 and 1965 including the Eric Coates Prize. After receiving a

British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lang ...

Scholarship, David Morgan moved to Prague to study at the Academy of Music under Vaclav Dobias. During this period he wrote his Violin Concerto, which was premiered at the Dvořák Hall in Prague. He returned to England in 1967 after which a number of his lighter works were produced by the BBC Light Music Department. In 1974 the violinist

Erich Gruenberg Erich Gruenberg (12 October 19247 August 2020) was an Austrian-born British violinist and teacher. Following studies in Israel, he was a principal violinist of major orchestras, including the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the London ...

performed his Violin Concerto with the

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, England. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable recording contracts and important engagemen ...

, conducted by Sir

Charles Groves Sir Charles Barnard Groves CBE (10 March 191520 June 1992) was an English conductor. He was known for the breadth of his repertoire and for encouraging contemporary composers and young conductors. After accompanying positions and conducting ...

at the

Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London, England. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a G ...

in London. Morgan's ''Sinfonia da Requiem'' was performed there later in the same year. Two of his major works were recorded by

Lyrita Lyrita is a British classical music record label, specializing in the works of British composers.Lewis Foreman. ''Recording British Music'' (2024), ch. 17, pp. 223-233 Lyrita began releasing LPs in October 1959 as Lyrita Recorded Edition for ...

in 1976 - the Violin Concerto (with Erich Gruenberg) and ''Contrasts'', performed by the RPO conducted by

Vernon Handley Vernon George "Tod" Handley (11 November 1930 – 10 September 2008) was a British conductor (music), conductor, known in particular for his support of British composers. Early life and education He was born of a Welsh father and an Irish mothe ...

. In 1977

Vic Lewis Victor Lewis MBE (29 July 1919 – 9 February 2009) was a British jazz guitarist and bandleader. He also enjoyed success as an artists' agent and manager. Performing career He was born in London, England to a family of jewellers. Lewis beg ...

conducted his orchestral movement ''Black'' on the RCA LP ''Colours''. In 1981 Morgan moved to Canada. He worked as a composer for symphonic wind band, and continued to receive commissions from Britain, including his orchestral ''Variations on a Theme of Walton''. 1984 marked the Canadian Premiere of his Partita by the

Kingston Symphony Orchestra The Kingston Symphony Orchestra was a Canadian orchestra based in Kingston, Ontario Kingston is a city in Ontario, Canada, on the northeastern end of Lake Ontario. It is at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Catar ...

and 1986 and 1987 saw the world premiere of ''Interludes and Canzonas'' for brass quintet and the Canadian premiere of Concerto for Wind Orchestra. David Morgan died in Belleville, Canada in 1988.'David Robert Morgan (1933-1988) at the ''Unsung Composers Forum''
/ref>

Selected works

Orchestral

* Violin Concerto, 1966 * Sinfonia da Requiem, 1971–72 * Partita, 1972 * Contrasts, 1974 * ''Black'' segment, in the collective work "Colours", by Vic Lewis and al. (1977) * Cello Concerto, 1981 * Variations on a Theme of Walton, 1981–84 * Sonata for chamber orchestra, 1985 * Clarinet Concerto * Concerto da Camera; Music for Children * Overture for a Festive Occasion * Serenade for string orchestra; Spring Carnival * Threnody for string orchestra * Concerto for Wind Orchestra

Vocal

* I Loved a Lass, for mixed choir, 1948 * Seven Nursery Rhymes, for voice and piano (1952) * Three Tudor Lyrics, for mixed choir (1964) * Four English Folk Songs, for soloists, mixed choir and guitar (1965)

Chamber and instrumental

* Piano Sonata, 1960 * Oboe Quartet, 1962 * Trio for Seven, 1962 * Divertimento for brass, 1964 * String Quartet, 1964 * Interludes and Canzonas for brass, 1983 * Lyric Suite for guitar, 1987 *Fantasy Sonata for Flute, 1974 (written for flautist

Susan Milan Susan Milan ( ; born 3 September 1947) is an English professor of flute of the Royal College of Music, classical performer, recording artiste, composer, author and entrepreneur. Biography Susan Milan was born in London, the daughter of civil ...

)

References

External links

* https://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-no2017049344/ Entry David Morgan in WorldCat * http://www.wyastone.co.uk/violin-concertos-fricker-morgan-banks.htmlRecording by David Morgan * http://classicalsource.com/db_control/db_cd_review.php?id=5764Reference to David Morgan on Classical Source
https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/banks-fricker-morgan-violin-concertos
Review of David Morgan's Concerto for Violin on Grammophone Newsletter {{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, David 1933 births 1988 deaths People from Harpenden 20th-century British composers Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music British emigrants to Canada