Anthony Gilbert (composer)

Gilbert, who was born in London on 26 July 1934,[1] trained initially as a translator, then studied composition with Mátyás Seiber privately, with Denis Holloway at Trinity College, and with Alexander Goehr and Anthony Milner at Morley College.[2] He also studied with Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood.[1][3] Until 1970 he was working in London at Schotts the music publishers where he was Editor of contemporary music. In 1970 he became Granada Arts Fellow at Lancaster University and then went on to become first Tutor, then Head of the School of Composition at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he stayed until retirement in 1999.[4] Amongst his students there were Sally Beamish, Tim Benjamin, Martin Butler, Simon Holt,[5] Paul Newland, Janet Owen Thomas and James Saunders.[6]

Gilbert has been an active committee member of the Society for the Promotion of New Music, the ICA Music Section, the British and Sydney Sections of the ISCM and the New Music Panel of North West Arts. He was founder member and artistic director of New Music Forum, Manchester. His memoirs, Kettle of Fish, were published in 2021.[7][8] He is published by Schott Music (works prior to 1994)[1] and the University of York Music Press (since 1994).[9]

Gilbert has been a prolific composer since the 1960s, the majority of works for instrumental or chamber ensemble.[10] Early ensemble pieces include Brighton Piece and Nine or Ten Osannas (both 1967), and works especially written for The Fires of London, such as The Incredible Flute Music (1970) and Spell Respell for basset clarinet and piano (1973). From the 1970s he produced a series of larger orchestral compositions such as the Symphony (1973) and Ghost and Dream Dancing (1974), which Gilbert has called "in effect, a second symphony",[11] as well as two operas: The Scene-Machine (1970, for the Staatstheater Kassel) and The Chakravaka-Bird (1977, for BBC Radio).[12] Compositions for smaller orchestra during this period included Crow-Cry (1976, written for the London Sinfonietta), and Towards Asvari for solo piano and chamber orchestra (1978, written for Peter Lawson and the Manchester Camerata).[9]

During the following decade smaller scale works were his primary focus. Moonfaring for cello and percussion (1983) has also been performed with dancers. There are a trilogy of humorous pieces based on the imaginary Chinese bestiary of Jorge Luis Borges: Quartet of Beasts (1984). Beastly Jingles (1985) and Six of the Bestiary (1985).[13] Other works from this time include Dream Carousels for wind ensemble (Gilbert's most-performed work, written for RNCM conductor Timothy Reynish) and the orchestral song-cycle Certain Lights Reflecting. Both were inspired by writings of the Tasmanian poet Sarah Day. A recorder concerto written for John Turner, Igórochki, was completed in 1992 and a lyrical violin concerto, On Beholding a Rainbow, in 1997, recorded in 2005 with soloist Anthony Marwood.[14]

Although not noted for his interest in traditional forms Gilbert has composed four piano sonatas (the most recent in 2022) and a cycle of five string quartets spanning the years 1972 to 2009. The third quartet has been recorded by the Nossek String Quartet (1999), the Madawaska Quartet (2009) and the Bingham Quartet (2014), and the fourth by the Tavec Quartet (2009).[15] He wrote an extended essay on the British String Quartet since 1935.[16] There is also a string trio, Humdance (2007) and a string quintet, Haven of Mysteries, premiered by the Carducci String Quartet with cellist Guy Johnston at the Wigmore Hall on 14 June 2015.[17]

• Connolly, Justin. 1968. "Cornelius Cardew's The Great Digest and Anthony Gilbert's Missa brevis". Tempo 86:16–17.
• Henderson, R. 1971–72. "Anthony Gilbert". Music and Musicians 20, no. 7:42–49.
• Hopkins, G.W. 1968. "Anthony Gilbert". Musical Times 109:907–10.
• Jarman, Douglas. 2004. "The Music of Anthony Gilbert", 2 parts. Tempo 58, no. 229 (July): 2–17; 58, no. 230 (October): 38–49.
• Kennedy, Michael (2006), The Oxford Dictionary of Music, 985 pages, ISBN 0-19-861459-4
• Walsh, Stephen. 1972. "Time Off and The Scene Machine". Musical Times 113:137–39.
• Williams, Nicholas. 2001. "Gilbert, Anthony". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan Publishers.

• Anthony Gilbert official website
• Anthony Gilbert introduces his work Nine or Ten Osannas