Monckton, (John) Lionel (Alexander)

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Monckton, (John) Lionel (Alexander)

Monckton, (John) Lionel (Alexander), English composer; b. London, Dec. 18, 1861; d. there, Feb. 15, 1924. He was educated at Oriel Coll., Oxford, where he first composed for productions of the univ. dramatic society. He was active as a drama and music critic before launching his career as a composer of musical comedies in London in 1891. With John Crook, he collaborated on his first musical, Claude Du-Val (Sept. 25, 1894). After contributing to successful scores by Ivan Caryll and Sidney Jones, he worked with Howard Talbot on Kitty Grey (Sept. 7, 1901). He then won success in his own right with the musicals A Country Girl (Jan. 18, 1902) and The Cingalee (May 14, 1904). Collaborating again with Talbot, he created his most outstanding work in The Arcadians (April 28, 1909), which was performed throughout the world to great acclaim. Further success followed with his The Quaker Girl (Nov. 5, 1910). Collaborating once more with Talbot, he produced The Mousme (Sept. 9, 1911). His final collaboration with Talbot brought forth the enormously successful The Boy (Sept. 14, 1917).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire