Role

:

Composer Conductor  

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

January 31, 1906 in London, England

Death

:

February 12, 1973 in London, England

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Film

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Symphony

 

Benjamin Frankel was a British composer of classical music, born on January 31, 1906, in London, England. He was the son of a Jewish immigrant family from Poland, and his father was a tailor. Frankel showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He later studied at the Royal College of Music in London, where he was a pupil of John Ireland and Ralph Vaughan Williams. Frankel's early works were influenced by the music of his contemporaries, including Bartók, Stravinsky, and Schoenberg. He was also interested in the music of the Baroque period, particularly the works of Bach and Handel. Frankel's music was characterized by its use of complex harmonies and rhythms, as well as its emotional intensity. Frankel's first major work was his Symphony No. 1, which he composed in 1930. The symphony was well-received and established Frankel as a promising young composer. He went on to compose a number of other orchestral works, including his Symphony No. 2, which was premiered in 1935. During World War II, Frankel served in the British Army and was stationed in India. While there, he composed a number of works, including his Symphony No. 3, which was inspired by the landscape and culture of India. After the war, Frankel returned to England and continued to compose music. In the 1950s, Frankel began to focus more on chamber music. He composed a number of string quartets, including his String Quartet No. 3, which was premiered in 1952. He also composed a number of works for solo instruments, including his Sonata for Solo Violin, which was premiered in 1955. Frankel's music was often praised for its emotional depth and intensity. His works were also noted for their technical complexity and use of unconventional harmonies and rhythms. Despite this, Frankel's music was not always well-received by critics, who sometimes found it too challenging or difficult to understand. In addition to his work as a composer, Frankel was also a respected music educator. He taught at the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and his students included a number of prominent composers, including Malcolm Arnold and Richard Rodney Bennett. Frankel continued to compose music throughout his life, and his later works were often more introspective and reflective. He died on February 12, 1973, in London, England, at the age of 67. Today, he is remembered as one of the most important British composers of the 20th century, and his music continues to be performed and recorded by orchestras and chamber ensembles around the world.

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