Pamela Harrison (28 November 1915 – 28 August 1990) was an English composer, pianist and music teacher.

Biography

Pamela Harrison was born in Orpington, England, and educated at the Brampton Down School for Girls in

Folkestone Folkestone ( ) is a port town on the English Channel, in Kent, south-east England. The town lies on the southern edge of the North Downs at a valley between two cliffs. It was an important harbour and shipping port for most of the 19th and 20t ...

. She studied with

Gordon Jacob Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob CBE (5 July 18958 June 1984) was an English composer and teacher. He was a professor at the Royal College of Music in London from 1924 until his retirement in 1966, and published four books and many articles about m ...

and

Arthur Benjamin Arthur Leslie Benjamin (18 September 1893, in Sydney – 10 April 1960, in London) was an Australian composer, pianist, conductor and teacher. He is best known as the composer of '' Jamaican Rumba'' (1938) and of the ''Storm Clouds Cantata'', f ...

at the

Royal College of Music The Royal College of Music is a music school, conservatoire established by royal charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, UK. It offers training from the Undergraduate education, undergraduate to the Doctorate, doctoral level in a ...

in London. She first made her mark as a composer with the Quintet for flute, oboe and strings, written in 1938 and first performed that year at a concert of the

Society for the Promotion of New Music The Society for the Promotion of New Music (SPNM), originally named The Committee for the Promotion of New Music, was founded in January 1943 in London by the émigré composer Francis Chagrin, to promote the creation and performance of new music in ...

. The Quintet was heard again in 1944 at Fyvie Hall, Regent Street, played by an ensemble led by Leonard Hirsch. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, she worked as a school teacher. She was music mistress at The Hall School,

Wincanton Wincanton ( or ) is a small town and electoral ward in South Somerset, southwest England. The town lies off the A303 road, a main route between London and South West England, and has some light industry. The town and electoral ward has a populati ...

, Somerset in 1942, and at St Monica's School,

Clacton-on-Sea Clacton-on-Sea is a seaside town in the Tendring District in the county of Essex, England. It is located on the Tendring Peninsula and is the largest settlement in the Tendring District with a population of 56,874 (2016). The town is situated a ...

from 1943 until 1945.''Who's Who in Music'', Fifth Edition (1969), p. 134 She also continued to compose and perform. Her String Quartet was played more than once at the wartime

Myra Hess Dame Julia Myra Hess, (25 February 1890 – 25 November 1965) was an English pianist best known for her performances of the works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann. Career Early life Julia Myra Hess was born on 25 February 1890 to a Jew ...

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director o ...

concerts in 1944. After the war Harrison went on to compose chamber and orchestral music, as well as vocal settings of

Baudelaire Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poet who also produced notable work as an essayist and art critic. His poems exhibit mastery in the handling of rhyme and rhythm, contain an exoticism inherited fro ...

, Herrick,

Dowson Dowson is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Anne Lagacé Dowson, Canadian broadcaster and politician * David Dowson (born 1988), English footballer * Duncan Dowson (1928–2020), British engineer and professor emeritus at Univ ...

and Edward Thomas. The Viola Sonata was written in 1946 and performed a year later at the

Wigmore Hall Wigmore Hall is a concert hall located at 36 Wigmore Street, London. Originally called Bechstein Hall, it specialises in performances of chamber music, early music, vocal music and song recitals. It is widely regarded as one of the world's leadin ...

Watson Forbes Watson Douglas Buchanan Forbes (16 November 1909 in St Andrews – 25 June 1997 in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire) was a Scottish violist and classical music arranger. From 1964 to 1974 he was Head of Music for BBC Scotland. Early life Wats ...

and Alan Richardson gave its first broadcast performance on 17 March 1951. Her piece for small orchestra, ''A Suite for Timothy'', was composed for the first birthday of her son in 1948 and first performed at

Hampton Court Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chief ...

in 1949. She married the cellist and conductor Harvey Phillips (1910 – active until late 1970s) in 1943. They lived initially at The Red House,

Crockham Hill Crockham Hill is a village in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England. It is about south of Westerham, and Chartwell is nearby. The village has a population of around 270 people. It contains a 19th-century pub, the Royal Oak, and Holy Trinity ch ...

, Kent, and then at "The Cearne", (previously the house of

Edward Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...

and

Constance Garnett Constance Clara Garnett (; 19 December 1861 – 17 December 1946) was an English translator of nineteenth-century Russian literature. She was the first English translator to render numerous volumes of Anton Chekhov's work into English and the ...

). Harvey was a member of the Hirsch String Quartet and made his professional conducting debut with the Jacques Orchestra at the Wigmore Hall in 1950 (at which he conducted his wife's ''Suite for Tomothy''). That year he formed the Harvey Phillips String Orchestra (with leader Hugh Bean), which included in its repertoire Harrison's ''Five Poems of Ernest Dowson'' for tenor and string orchestra - the first London performance with

Peter Pears Sir Peter Neville Luard Pears ( ; 22 June 19103 April 1986) was an English tenor. His career was closely associated with the composer Benjamin Britten, his personal and professional partner for nearly forty years. Pears' musical career started ...

as the soloist on 15 December 1952 at the

Royal Festival Hall The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. 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 Grade I l ...

- and her ''Six Poems of Baudelaire''. Pamela Harrison wrote her 1944 Cello Sonata for Harvey, who gave its debut performance with pianist John Wills at the Wigmore Hall on 9 May 1947. The marriage ended in 1959.Plane, Robert
Notes to ''Pamela Harris: Chamber Music''
Resonus CD RES10313 (2023) The Clarinet Sonata was written for Jack Brymer, who was also the soloist in several performances and broadcasts of the Clarinet Quintet in the late 1950s. In May 1959, Harrison's Concertante for piano and string orchestra with Eric Harrison (not related) as soloist was broadcast on BBC Radio. An archive recording exists. In 1979

Ian Partridge Ian Partridge (born 12 June 1938) is a retired English lyric tenor, whose repertoire ranged from Monteverdi, Bach and Handel, the Elizabethan lute songs, German, French and English songs, through to Schoenberg, Weill and Britten, and on to conte ...

gave the first broadcast performance of Harrison's song cycle for tenor and strings ''The Dark Forest'' (setting Edward Thomas).''Radio Times'' listing, 18 September 1979
/ref> Harrison's work was influenced by composers including E.J. Moeran,

Arnold Bax Sir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, (8 November 1883 – 3 October 1953) was an English composer, poet, and author. His prolific output includes songs, choral music, chamber pieces, and solo piano works, but he is best known for his orchestral musi ...

and

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 ...

, and French music. She also studied

Dalcroze eurhythmics Dalcroze eurhythmics, also known as the Dalcroze method or simply eurhythmics, is one of several developmental approaches including the Kodály method, Orff Schulwerk and Suzuki Method used to teach music to students. Eurhythmics was developed ...

, giving exhibitions with

Emile Jaques-Dalcroze Emil or Emile may refer to: Literature *'' Emile, or On Education'' (1762), a treatise on education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau * ''Émile'' (novel) (1827), an autobiographical novel based on Émile de Girardin's early life *'' Emil and the Detecti ...

in Brighton. Banfield, Stephen. 'Harrison, Pamela', in ''Grove Music Online'' (2004) By the late 1960s Harrison was living at The Old Toll House,

Yarlington Yarlington is a village and civil parish, near the source of the River Cam, in the English county of Somerset. Administratively, Yarlington shares a parish council with nearby North Cadbury and forms part of the district of South Somerset. The v ...

in Somerset. She died aged 74 in a car accident in

Firle Firle (; Sussex dialect: ''Furrel'' ) is a village and civil parish in the Lewes district of East Sussex, England. Firle refers to an old-English/Anglo-Saxon word ''fierol'' meaning overgrown with oak. Although the original division of East ...

East Sussex East Sussex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England on the English Channel coast. It is bordered by Kent to the north and east, West Sussex to the west, and Surrey to the north-west. The largest settlement in East Su ...

. Jack Brymer performed the short piece ''Drifting Away'' at her Service of Thanksgiving in December 1990.

Selected works

;Orchestral * ''A Suite for Timothy'' for string orchestra (1948) * ''Concertante'' for piano and string orchestra (1954) * ''An Evocation of the Weald'', symphonic poem (1954) * ''Brimstone Down'' for small orchestra (1958) ;Chamber music * ''Allegretto'' for cello and piano (c.1935); published in ''

The Strad ''The Strad'' is a UK-based monthly classical music magazine about string instrumentsprincipally the violin, viola, cello and double bassfor amateur and professional musicians. Founded in 1889, the magazine provides information, photographs and re ...

'', February 2003 * Quintet for flute, oboe, violin, viola and cello (1938) * String Quartet (1944) * String Trio (1945) * Sonata for viola and piano (1946) * Woodwind Quintet (1948) * Sonata for cello and piano (1947) * Sonatina for violin and piano (fp. Wigmore Hall, 15 October 1949) * Sonata for clarinet and piano (1954) * Clarinet Quintet for clarinet, 2 violins, viola and cello (1956) * ''Idle Dan, or, Nothing to Do'' for cello and piano (1959) * ''2 Pieces'' for cello and piano (1959) :# White May Morning :# A Marsh Song * ''Badinage'' for flute and piano (1963) * ''Chase a Shadow'' for oboe and piano (1963) * ''Faggot Dance'' for bassoon and piano (1963) * ''Sonnet'' in D minor for cello and piano (1963) * ''Lament'' for viola and piano (1965) * Piano Trio for violin, cello and piano (1967) * Quartet for flute, violin, cello and piano (1968) * Quintet for flute, oboe, violin, cello and piano (1974) * ''Drifting Away'' for clarinet and piano (1975) * ''5 Pieces'' for flute and piano (1976) * Septet for clarinet, horn, bassoon, violin, viola, cello and double bass (1980) * ''Octetto Pastorale'' for wind octet (2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons) (1981) * ''Mariner's Way'' for flute and piano (1982) * ''Lullaby'' for cello and piano * ''Rock Grove Suite'' for flute, cello and piano (1989) * Trio for oboe, bassoon and piano ;Organ * ''Epithalamium'' (1967) ;Piano * ''Anderida'', 6 Diversions (1960) :# Romney Marsh Goblin :# A Canterbury Tale :# Hoppers' Dance :# Childdingstone Cherry Pickers :# Ebb tide at Sandgate :# Faversham Fair * ''6 Eclogues of Portugal'' (1960) * ''6 Dances for Fanny Simon'' for piano 4-hands (1976) ;Vocal * ''The Lonely Landscape'' for voice and piano (1944); words by

Emily Brontë Emily Jane Brontë (, commonly ; 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet who is best known for her only novel, ''Wuthering Heights'', now considered a classic of English literature. She also published a book of poet ...

:: Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away :: I'm happiest now when most away :: The night is darkening round me :: The battle has passed from the height :: The starry night shall tidings bring :: 'Tis moonlight, summer moonlight * ''6 Poems of Baudelaire'' for tenor and string orchestra (1944–1945); words by

Charles Baudelaire Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poetry, French poet who also produced notable work as an essayist and art critic. His poems exhibit mastery in the handling of rhyme and rhythm, contain an exoticis ...

* ''8 Poems of Walter de la Mare'' for voice and piano (1949); words by

Walter de la Mare Walter John de la Mare (; 25 April 1873 – 22 June 1956) was an English poet, short story writer, and novelist. He is probably best remembered for his works for children, for his poem "The Listeners", and for a highly acclaimed selection of ...

:# Blindman's In :# A Goldfinch :# White :# Dreamland :# Where :# Why? :# The Horseman :# Nicoletta * ''5 Poems of Ernest Dowson'' for tenor and string orchestra (1951–1952); words by

Ernest Dowson Ernest Christopher Dowson (2 August 186723 February 1900) was an English poet, novelist, and short-story writer who is often associated with the Decadent movement. Biography Ernest Dowson was born in Lee, then in Kent, in 1867. His great-uncle ...

:: :: :: :: Villanelle of Marguerite's :: * ''The Kindling of the Day'' for voice and string quartet (1952) * ''2 Songs'' for voice and piano (1954); words by

* ''The Dark Forest'', Song Cycle for tenor and string orchestra (1957); words by Edward Thomas * ''8 Songs'' for voice, recorder and piano (1959); words by

* ''Ladies' Choice'' for voice, violin, cello and harp (1969); words by

;Choral * Songs for children's chorus and piano (1969); words by

Recordings

Selected recordings include: * ''A Portrait of the Viola'' – Sonata for viola and piano:

Helen Callus Helen Callus is a British violist who teaches at Northwestern University. Callus studied with Ian Jewel at the Royal Academy of Music in London, earning an Honorary ARAM (Associate of the RAM). She then continued her studies at the Peabody Co ...

(viola), Robert McDonald (piano). ASV CD DCA 1130 (2002) * ''English String Miniatures, Volume 5'' – ''A Suite for Timothy'': Gavin Sutherland (conductor),

Royal Ballet Sinfonia The Royal Ballet Sinfonia is the orchestra of Birmingham Royal Ballet. The Sinfonia appears with Birmingham Royal Ballet in its home town, in London and around the UK, and frequently appears with The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House and on ...

. Naxos 8.557752 (2006) * ''La Viola: Music for Viola and Piano by Women Composers of the 20th Century'' – ''Lament'', Viola Sonata: Hillary Herndon (viola), Wei-Chun Bernadette Lo (piano). MSR 1416 (2012) *
Eclogues of Portugal
': performed by pianist Marc Verter. Sidholme Music Room, 21 June 2018 * ''Chamber Works'' – Piano Trio, Violin Sonatina, Clarinet Quintet, Clarinet Sonata, ''Idle Dan'' (cello and piano), ''Sonnet'' (violin and piano), ''Drifting Away'' (clarinet and piano). Gould Piano Trio, Robert Plane, David Adams, Gary Pomeroy. Resonus RES10313 (2023)

Sources

References

External links

Official website

Extract, Clarinet Quintet
Jack Brymer, Arnici String Quartet, BBC broadcast, 1959
Pamela Harrison, by Robert Plane
''Clarinet & Saxophone'', Spring 2003, Vo. 48 No 1 {{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, Pamela 1915 births 1990 deaths 20th-century classical composers English classical pianists English women pianists English classical composers British women classical composers British music educators 20th-century classical pianists 20th-century English composers Road incident deaths in England People from Orpington Alumni of the Royal College of Music 20th-century English women musicians Women music educators 20th-century women composers 20th-century women pianists