Role

:

Composer Conductor

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

September 6, 1869 in Oswestry, Shropshire, England

Death

:

March 11, 1941 in London, England

Period

:

Romantic

 

 

Contemporary

Genre

:

Choral

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

Henry Walford Davies was a British composer, conductor, and educator who made significant contributions to the world of classical music during the early 20th century. Born on September 6, 1869, in Oswestry, Shropshire, England, Davies was the youngest of six children. His father was a Congregational minister, and his mother was a talented pianist who encouraged her children to pursue music. Davies showed an early aptitude for music and began taking piano lessons at the age of six. He later studied organ with his brother, who was a church organist. In 1884, Davies won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music in London, where he studied composition with Charles Villiers Stanford and organ with Walter Parratt. After completing his studies, Davies worked as an organist and choirmaster at several churches in London, including St. George's Church in Hanover Square and Temple Church. In 1898, he was appointed organist and choirmaster at the newly built Royal Naval College in Greenwich, a position he held for 20 years. During his time at the Royal Naval College, Davies composed a number of works for the chapel choir, including anthems, hymns, and canticles. He also wrote music for the college's annual Christmas concerts, which were attended by members of the royal family and other dignitaries. In addition to his work at the Royal Naval College, Davies was also active as a conductor and educator. He conducted the London Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Choral Society, and he taught at the Royal College of Music and the University of Wales. Davies's compositions were influenced by the English choral tradition and the works of composers such as Bach, Handel, and Purcell. His music is characterized by its clarity of form, melodic inventiveness, and harmonic richness. One of Davies's most famous works is his setting of the hymn "God be in my head," which has become a staple of the Anglican choral repertoire. Other notable works include his "Solemn Melody for String Orchestra," which was written in memory of the victims of the Titanic disaster, and his "Psalm 121," which was composed for the coronation of King George VI in 1937. Davies was also a prolific writer on music, and he published several books on music theory and composition. His most famous work in this area is "The Boy's Own Book of Music," which was first published in 1919 and became a standard textbook for music education in schools. In addition to his musical accomplishments, Davies was also a respected academic and administrator. He served as the first director of music at the BBC from 1924 to 1939, and he was appointed Master of the King's Music in 1934, a position he held until his death in 1941. Throughout his career, Davies was recognized for his contributions to the world of classical music. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 1919 and was knighted in 1922. In 1938, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society, one of the highest honors in British music. In conclusion, Henry Walford Davies was a talented composer, conductor, and educator who made significant contributions to the world of classical music during the early 20th century. His compositions, which were influenced by the English choral tradition and the works of Bach, Handel, and Purcell, are characterized by their clarity of form, melodic inventiveness, and harmonic richness.

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