Peter Warlock

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Warlock, Peter [ Heseltine, Philip Arnold] (b London, 1894; d London, 1930). Eng. composer, critic, and author. Pubd. his mus. under pseudonym Peter Warlock. Studied mus. at Eton, then helped by van Dieren and Delius. Founded and co-ed. periodical The Sackbut 1920 and wrote book on Delius 1923. Friend of Cecil Gray, E. J. Moeran, and Constant Lambert. Edited much 16th- and 17th-cent. music in collab. with Mangeot. His songs alternate between lyricism of Delius and roistering spirit reminiscent of first Elizabethan age. His personality veered between extrovert, heavy-drinking joviality and neurotic introspection. Eventually (it may be presumed, despite the open verdict at the inquest) took his own life. Sensitive critic and writer. His mus., especially his songs and part-songs, is of high merit. Prin. works:ORCH.: An Old Song (1917); Serenade for Delius on his 60th birthday, str. (1921–2); Capriol, suite for str. (1926: for full orch. 1928).CHORUS & ORCH.: 3 Carols (1923).VOICE & ENS.: The Curlew, song-cycle, ten., fl., cor anglais, str. qt. (1920–1, rev. 1922); Corpus Christi, sop., bar., str. qt. (1919–23); Sorrow's Lullaby, sop., bar., str. qt. (1927).CHORUS & KEYBOARD: Sociable Songs, male vv., pf., (1924–5); What Cheer? Good cheer!; Where Riches is everlastingly, ch., org. (1927); The bailey beareth the bell away, 2 vv., pf. (1918–28); Lullaby, women's trio, pf. (1918–28); The First Mercy, 3 vv. and pf. (1927–8); The Five Lesser Joys of Mary, ch., org. (1929).UNACC. VOICES: Cornish Christmas Carol (1918); As dewe in Aprylle (1918); Corpus Christi, cont., ten., ch. (1919); The Full Heart (1917–22); 3 Dirges of Webster (1923–5, No.3 is The Shrouding of the Duchess of Malfi, male vv.); The Spring of the Year (1925); Bethlehem Down (1927).SOLO SONGS: 3 Saudades (1916–17), The bailey beareth the bell away (1918), There is a lady (1919), Balulalow (1919), Captain Stratton's Fancy (1920), Mr Belloc's Fancy (1921–30), Piggesnie (1922), 6 Peterisms, sets 1 and 2 (1922), Sleep (1922), Tyrley Tyrlow (1922), Milkmaids (1923), Candlelight (12 nursery rhymes) (1923), Peter Warlock's Fancy (1924), Twelve Oxen (1924), Yarmouth Fair (1924), 3 Belloc Songs (1926), Sigh no more, ladies (1927), Passing by (1928), The Passionate Shepherd (1928), The Cricketers of Hambledon (1928), The Frostbound Wood (1929), Bethlehem Down (1927–30), The Fox (1930), and others.

Heseltine, Philip. See Warlock, Peter.