Philip Spratley (born 1942) is an English composer and writer on

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

folksong. He has worked as a school music teacher and church organist. Spratley was born in

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

in Nottinghamshire and grew up in the village of

Balderton Balderton is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England, which had a population of 9,757 at the 2011 Census. Balderton is one of the largest villages in Nottinghamshire, although it may be more properly considered a suburb of Newa ...

. He won a scholarship to the

Royal Manchester College of Music The Royal Manchester College of Music (RMCM) was a tertiary level conservatoire in Manchester, north-west England. It was founded in 1893 by the German-born conductor Sir Charles Hallé in 1893. In 1972, the Royal Manchester College of Music a ...

, where he studied composition with

Thomas Pitfield Thomas Baron Pitfield (5 April 190311 November 1999) was a British composer, poet, artist, engraver, calligrapher, craftsman, furniture builder and teacher. Life He was born in Bolton to elderly parents whose strict Victorian values and la ...

. He went on to work as a teacher, choirmaster and organist, including 19 years as director of music at

Bourne Abbey Bourne Abbey and the Parish Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is a scheduled Grade I church in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England. The building remains in parochial use, despite the 16th-century Dissolution, as the nave was used by the parish, probably ...

. On retirement, Spratley moved to

Deeping St James Deeping St James is a large village in the South Kesteven Non-metropolitan district, district of Lincolnshire, England. The population of the civil parish (including Frognall) was reported as 7,051 at the 2011 census. History Based around a n ...

in Lincolnshire and concentrated on composition, including the revision of many of his earlier works.Philp Spratley biography, Bardic Edition
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Works, editions and recordings

Spratley's music, in the English tradition of Britten and Tippett, shows the influence of folk song, a subject on which he has written. His works include three symphonies - ''A Choral Symphony'' (1983, later revised), ''An Autumn Symphony'' (2008-9) and the Symphony No 3 ''Sinfonia Pascale'' (2013) - as well as a Violin Concerto (1991 and later revisions), and two operas: ''Rutterkin'' op. 14 (1971) and ''The Three Strangers'', op. 20 (1977). His catalogue includes orchestral, band and choral music, chamber music and works for organ. Toccata Classics has issued several recordings. Philip Spratley:
Orchestral Works Vol. 1 and Vol. 2
', reviewed at MusicWeb International Bardic Edition is his publisher.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spratley, Philip English composers 1942 births Living people