Robert Sherlaw Johnson
Robert Sherlaw Johnson (21 May 1932 – 3 November 2000), was a British composer, pianist and music scholar. Sherlaw Johnson was one of that group of post-war British musicians whose work reflected wider European interests in new ideas, techniques and aesthetics. While his work and influence were wide-ranging, he is particularly noted for his advocacy and performance of the music of Olivier Messiaen.
Biography
Sherlaw Johnson was born in
Sherlaw Johnson taught at the
Sherlaw Johnson was to the last an enthusiastic campanologist. He died while ringing bells at the historic tower of Appleton, south-west of Oxford.
He married the painter Rachael Clarke in 1959. They had two daughters and three sons, one of whom, Austin, is married to the television writer, producer, and director Sally Wainwright.[1]
Influences and interests
Sherlaw Johnson's time in Paris exerted its mark on his professional development. He came to be known for his performances and recordings of Messiaen's piano and (as accompanist) vocal music. The insight this gave him is evident in his monograph on the composer, which remains a standard English-language text on its subject. Some of his own earlier compositions show the influence of Messiaen,
Religion was another significant influence on Sherlaw Johnson's work. A convert to
The continuing influence of Sherlaw Johnson's geographical origins is evident in compositions, such as the Northumbrian Symphony and his opera,
Sherlaw Johnson's interest in bells and bell-inspired music (he rang regularly at his local church at Stonesfield) is also evident in some of his own compositions.
Sources and external links
- "Obituary". Times. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011.
- "Obituary: Robert Sherlaw-Johnson". the Guardian. 16 November 2000.
- "The Musical Times: Robert Sherlaw Johnson 1932-2000". Archived from the original on 15 September 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
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Notes
- ^ "Reporter 459, 20 November 2000". reporter.leeds.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
External links
- "Sherlaw-Johnson". Archived from the original on 6 February 2006. on the Oxford University Press web site. Includes a catalogue of works and a discography.