George Lloyd (composer)
Encyclopedia
George Walter Selwyn Lloyd (born 28 June 1913, St Ives
, Cornwall
; died 3 July 1998, London
) was a British composer.
ancestry, Lloyd grew up in a family with great enthusiasm for music. He was mainly home-schooled because of rheumatic fever
. He later studied violin
with Albert Sammons
and composition
with Harry Farjeon
. He was a student at Trinity College London
. Lloyd showed his talent as a composer early. His first symphony, written at age 19, was premiered in 1933. A second symphony had its premiere in 1935 and was soon followed by a third. His first opera, Iernin, was performed in 1934 at Penzance. His second opera, The Serf, was staged by Vladimir Rosing
at Covent Garden
in 1938.
with the Royal Marines
as a bandsman. On board the cruiser
HMS Trinidad
on Arctic convoys
he was one of the Bandsmen manning the Transmitting Station, which was situated deep in the hull of the ship. In 1942, the ship fired a faulty torpedo
which travelled in a circular track and hit the ship, fracturing a large fuel oil tank. Many of Lloyd's shipmates were drowned in the fuel oil, and he was the last man to escape from the compartment. He suffered severe mental trauma from the shell shock
, exacerbated by his frail childhood health, but recovered through the devotion and love of his wife, Nancy.
, the last commissioned for the 1951 Festival of Britain
. Lloyd's health deteriorated further, and in 1952, he took up full-time residence in Dorset
. For 20 years, in addition to intermittent composition, he was a market gardener and grew mushroom
s and carnation
s. He composed regularly from 4:30 AM to 7:30 AM, before the start of the rest of working day. During this period, he met with difficulties in obtaining performances of his music. He recalled:
and Edward Downes
and the pianist John Ogdon
, for whom Lloyd wrote his first piano concerto (Scapegoat). He devoted more time to composition from 1973 onwards, and began to receive greater attention in subsequent years. The BBC broadcast his Symphony No. 8 in 1977, 8 years after its acceptance for broadcast in 1969. His Symphony No. 6 received a performance at The Proms
in 1981. Lyrita Records and the American record label Albany Records championed Lloyd's music through recordings. For Albany Records, Lloyd conducted his own music, with orchestras including the Albany Symphony Orchestra
, the Philharmonia
Orchestra, and the BBC Philharmonic
.
three weeks before he died at age 85. Lloyd inscribed the score, his last composition, "Written in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales
".
Lloyd and his Swiss
-born wife Nancy married in 1937. The marriage lasted until Lloyd's death. She survived him, and the couple had no children.
s, 2 violin concerto
s and a cello concerto. For his 3 operas, Lloyd's father wrote the libretti. Lloyd also wrote 4 works for brass band: Royal Parks, Diversions on a Bass Theme, English Heritage and Kings Messenger. His choral-orchestral works include The Vigil of Venus and a Symphonic Mass.
St Ives, Cornwall
St Ives is a seaside town, civil parish and port in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town lies north of Penzance and west of Camborne on the coast of the Celtic Sea. In former times it was commercially dependent on fishing. The decline in fishing, however, caused a shift in commercial...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
; died 3 July 1998, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) was a British composer.
Early life
Of CornishCornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
ancestry, Lloyd grew up in a family with great enthusiasm for music. He was mainly home-schooled because of rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever
Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that occurs following a Streptococcus pyogenes infection, such as strep throat or scarlet fever. Believed to be caused by antibody cross-reactivity that can involve the heart, joints, skin, and brain, the illness typically develops two to three weeks after...
. He later studied violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
with Albert Sammons
Albert Sammons
Albert Edward Sammons CBE was an English violinist, composer and later violin teacher. Almost self-taught on the violin, he had a wide repertoire as both chamber musician and soloist, although his reputation rests mainly on his association with British composers, especially Elgar...
and composition
Musical composition
Musical composition can refer to an original piece of music, the structure of a musical piece, or the process of creating a new piece of music. People who practice composition are called composers.- Musical compositions :...
with Harry Farjeon
Harry Farjeon
Harry Farjeon was a British composer.He was born in Hohokus, New Jersey, USA, the eldest son of Jewish author Benjamin Farjeon, and Margaret, the daughter of American actor Joseph Jefferson. His parents returned to Britain when he was a baby and he lived in Hampstead in London for the rest of his...
. He was a student at Trinity College London
Trinity College London
Trinity College London is an international examinations board based in London, England. TCL offers qualifications across a range of disciplines in the performing arts and arts education and English language learning and teaching...
. Lloyd showed his talent as a composer early. His first symphony, written at age 19, was premiered in 1933. A second symphony had its premiere in 1935 and was soon followed by a third. His first opera, Iernin, was performed in 1934 at Penzance. His second opera, The Serf, was staged by Vladimir Rosing
Vladimir Rosing
Vladimir Sergeyevich Rosing , aka Val Rosing, was a Russian-born operatic tenor and stage director who spent most of his professional career in England and the United States...
at Covent Garden
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in 1938.
Royal Marines
Lloyd served in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
with the Royal Marines
Royal Marines Band Service
The Royal Marines Band Service is the musical wing of the Royal Navy. It currently consists of five Bands and its headquarters is the Royal Marines School of Music at HMS Nelson in Portsmouth dockyard.-History:...
as a bandsman. On board the cruiser
Crown Colony class cruiser
The Crown Colony-class light cruisers of the Royal Navy were named after Crown Colonies of the British Empire. The first eight are known as the Fiji class, while the last three to be built are commonly referred to as the Ceylon class and were built to a slightly modified design.-Design:They were...
HMS Trinidad
HMS Trinidad (C46)
HMS Trinidad was a Royal Navy Crown Colony-class cruiser . She was lost while serving in the Arctic on convoy duty after being damaged escorting PQ-13 in 1942.-Early career:...
on Arctic convoys
Arctic convoys of World War II
The Arctic convoys of World War II travelled from the United Kingdom and North America to the northern ports of the Soviet Union—Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. There were 78 convoys between August 1941 and May 1945...
he was one of the Bandsmen manning the Transmitting Station, which was situated deep in the hull of the ship. In 1942, the ship fired a faulty torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
which travelled in a circular track and hit the ship, fracturing a large fuel oil tank. Many of Lloyd's shipmates were drowned in the fuel oil, and he was the last man to escape from the compartment. He suffered severe mental trauma from the shell shock
Combat stress reaction
Combat stress reaction , in the past commonly known as shell shock or battle fatigue, is a range of behaviours resulting from the stress of battle which decrease the combatant's fighting efficiency. The most common symptoms are fatigue, slower reaction times, indecision, disconnection from one's...
, exacerbated by his frail childhood health, but recovered through the devotion and love of his wife, Nancy.
Later life
After the war, Lloyd resumed composition and wrote two symphonies and the opera John SocmanJohn Socman
John Socman is an opera in three acts by George Lloyd to a libretto by William Lloyd . It was first performed by the Carl Rosa Opera Company at the Bristol Hippodrome, England on 15 May 1951...
, the last commissioned for the 1951 Festival of Britain
Festival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
. Lloyd's health deteriorated further, and in 1952, he took up full-time residence in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. For 20 years, in addition to intermittent composition, he was a market gardener and grew mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
s and carnation
Carnation
Dianthus caryophyllus is a species of Dianthus. It is probably native to the Mediterranean region but its exact range is unknown due to extensive cultivation for the last 2,000 years. It is the wild ancestor of the garden carnation.It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 80 cm tall...
s. He composed regularly from 4:30 AM to 7:30 AM, before the start of the rest of working day. During this period, he met with difficulties in obtaining performances of his music. He recalled:
"I sent scores off to the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. They came back, usually without comment. I never wrote 12-tone music because I didn't like the theory. I studied the blessed thing in the early 1930s and thought it was a cock-eyed idea that produced horrible sounds. It made composers forget how to sing."
Reception
Lloyd's champions included conductors Charles GrovesCharles Groves
Sir Charles Barnard Groves CBE was an English conductor. He was known for the breadth of his repertoire and for encouraging contemporary composers and young conductors....
and Edward Downes
Edward Downes
Sir Edward Thomas "Ted" Downes, CBE was an English conductor, specialising in opera.He was associated with the Royal Opera House from 1952, and with Opera Australia from 1970. He was also well known for his long working relationship with the BBC Philharmonic and for working with the Netherlands...
and the pianist John Ogdon
John Ogdon
John Andrew Howard Ogdon was an English pianist and composer.-Biography:Ogdon was born in Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, and attended Manchester Grammar School, before studying at the Royal Northern College of Music between 1953 and 1957, where his fellow students under Richard Hall...
, for whom Lloyd wrote his first piano concerto (Scapegoat). He devoted more time to composition from 1973 onwards, and began to receive greater attention in subsequent years. The BBC broadcast his Symphony No. 8 in 1977, 8 years after its acceptance for broadcast in 1969. His Symphony No. 6 received a performance at The Proms
The Proms
The Proms, more formally known as The BBC Proms, or The Henry Wood Promenade Concerts presented by the BBC, is an eight-week summer season of daily orchestral classical music concerts and other events held annually, predominantly in the Royal Albert Hall in London...
in 1981. Lyrita Records and the American record label Albany Records championed Lloyd's music through recordings. For Albany Records, Lloyd conducted his own music, with orchestras including the Albany Symphony Orchestra
Albany Symphony Orchestra
The Albany Symphony Orchestra is a professional symphony orchestra based in Albany, New York. The upcoming season will mark the orchestra's 78th....
, the Philharmonia
Philharmonia
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
Orchestra, and the BBC Philharmonic
BBC Philharmonic
The BBC Philharmonic is a British broadcasting symphony orchestra based at Media City UK, Salford, England. It is one of five radio orchestras maintained by the British Broadcasting Corporation. The orchestra's primary concert venue is the Bridgewater Hall....
.
Personal life
Lloyd had heart trouble toward the end of his life, but recovered sufficiently to complete his RequiemRequiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead or Mass of the dead , is a Mass celebrated for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, using a particular form of the Roman Missal...
three weeks before he died at age 85. Lloyd inscribed the score, his last composition, "Written in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
".
Lloyd and his Swiss
Swiss (people)
The Swiss are citizens or natives of Switzerland. The demonym derives from the toponym of Schwyz and has been in widespread use to refer to the Old Swiss Confederacy since the 16th century....
-born wife Nancy married in 1937. The marriage lasted until Lloyd's death. She survived him, and the couple had no children.
Music
Lloyd's works include 12 symphonies and 4 piano concertoPiano concerto
A piano concerto is a concerto written for piano and orchestra.See also harpsichord concerto; some of these works are occasionally played on piano...
s, 2 violin concerto
Violin concerto
A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up through the present day...
s and a cello concerto. For his 3 operas, Lloyd's father wrote the libretti. Lloyd also wrote 4 works for brass band: Royal Parks, Diversions on a Bass Theme, English Heritage and Kings Messenger. His choral-orchestral works include The Vigil of Venus and a Symphonic Mass.
External links
- The George Lloyd Society
- George Lloyd biography by Jane Lofthouse at the British Music Page
- George Lloyd Symphonies by Paul Conway
- George Lloyd on the Famous Cornish People website
- HMS Trinidad and the Music of George Lloyd Part 1 at the Royal Marines Band Service
- HMS Trinidad and the Music of George Lloyd Part 2 at the Royal Marines Band Service
- Classics Today.com review of Symphony No. 11