Role

:

Composer

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

August 22, 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland

Death

:

April 28, 1935 in London, England

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

Alexander Mackenzie was a Scottish composer and conductor who lived from 1847 to 1935. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to a family of musicians. His father, Alexander Mackenzie Sr., was a violinist and conductor, and his mother, Caroline, was a singer. Mackenzie showed an early interest in music and began studying the violin at the age of six. Mackenzie's musical education continued at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied composition with William Sterndale Bennett and George Macfarren. He also studied conducting with Arthur Sullivan, who would later become famous as half of the Gilbert and Sullivan duo. After completing his studies, Mackenzie returned to Scotland and began his career as a conductor. He was appointed conductor of the Glasgow Choral Union in 1871, and in 1880 he became the first conductor of the Scottish Orchestra, which later became the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Mackenzie's career as a composer began in earnest in the 1870s. His early works were influenced by the German Romantic tradition, particularly the music of Wagner and Brahms. His first major work, the Scottish Concerto for piano and orchestra, was premiered in 1878 and was well received. Mackenzie's most famous work is his Scottish Rhapsody, which was premiered in 1880. The piece is a tribute to Scottish folk music and features a number of traditional Scottish tunes, including "The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond" and "Auld Lang Syne." The Scottish Rhapsody was an immediate success and remains one of Mackenzie's most popular works. In addition to his orchestral works, Mackenzie also composed a number of operas. His first opera, Colomba, was premiered in 1883 and was based on a novel by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was well received and was performed in London and New York. Mackenzie's other operas include The Troubadour (1886), The Cricket on the Hearth (1896), and The Eve of St. John (1910). Mackenzie's later works show a greater interest in Scottish folk music and culture. His Second Scottish Rhapsody, premiered in 1911, features a number of traditional Scottish tunes, including "The Flowers of the Forest" and "The Bluebells of Scotland." Mackenzie also composed a number of songs and choral works based on Scottish folk tunes. In addition to his work as a composer and conductor, Mackenzie was also a respected music educator. He was appointed Principal of the Royal Academy of Music in London in 1888, a position he held until 1924. During his tenure, he oversaw the expansion of the Academy and the establishment of a number of new departments, including a department for the training of music teachers. Mackenzie was knighted in 1895 in recognition of his contributions to music. He continued to compose and conduct until his death in 1935 at the age of 88. Today, he is remembered as one of Scotland's most important composers and conductors, and his music continues to be performed and recorded around the world.

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