Michael Head (composer)
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Michael Head, FRAM (28 January 1900 – 24 August 1976) was a British composer, pianist, organist and singer who left some enduring works still popular today. He was noted for his association with the Royal Academy of Music. His compositional oeuvre mainly consists of songs, as well as choral works and few larger-scale pieces such as a piano concerto.
Life
Michael Dewar Head was born in Eastbourne, England, on 28 January 1900. His father was a barrister and journalist and his mother an accomplished amateur singer and pianist. His mother's influence evidently dominated, and at age 10 he commenced his musical training, taking lessons in piano with Jean Adair and in singing with Fritz Marston at the Adair-Marston School of Music.[1] He was educated at Monkton Combe School in Somerset.
He began to study at the Royal Academy of Music but was soon called up for service in the War. While working at an ammunition factory, he composed the song cycle Over the rim of the moon (Head et al., 1920).[2] This was to become his first published work.[1]
After the war, Head resumed his studies at the Academy. He studied composition with
Head gave his first public recital as a self accompanied singer at Wigmore Hall in 1929. After this debut performance, his fame grew rapidly. He gave several more recitals in the British Isles and in many parts of the world. Additionally he gave several radio recitals, both in Britain and Canada. He took up the post of Pianoforte Professor at the Royal Academy in 1927 after an invitation by Sir John McEwen. This post he was to hold until his retirement in 1975.
Head was appointed an examiner for the
Head died in Cape Town on 24 August 1976, from a sudden and unexpected illness, while examining for the Associated Board in Rhodesia and South Africa.[4]
Works
Most of Head's works are songs.
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-900707-73-5.
- ^ Head, M. D., and Ledwidge, F, 1920, Over the rim of the moon, Boosey, UK.
- LCCN 78643248.
Michael Head studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London, winning the Sir Michael Coster Scholarship for composition, studying this subject with Frederick Corder.
- ^ a b Armstrong, Sir T., 1976, "Obituary of Michael Head", Magazine of the Royal Academy of Music.
- ISBN 978-0-900707-73-5.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ The complete poems of Francis Ledwidge with introductions by Lord Dunsany.Published 1919 by Brentano's in New York