Routh, Francis (John)
Routh, Francis (John)
Routh, Francis (John) , English pianist, organist, conductor, writer on music, and composer; b. Kidderminster, Jan. 15, 1927. He studied at King’s Coll., Cambridge (1948–51), at the Royal Academy of Music in London (1951–53), and with Seiber. He was founder and artistic director of the Redcliffe Concerts (from 1964), with which he presented works by British composers of the past and present. From 1980 to 1987 he was editor of the magazine Composer. In 1980 he became a contributor to The Annual Register.
Works
ORCH (all 1st perf. in London unless otherwise given): Violin Concerto (1965; April 25, 1968); Dialogue for Violin and Orch. (May 20, 1969); Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orch. (May 11, 1970); Sym. (1973; Dublin, July 22, 1975); Cello Concerto (1973; May 20, 1974); Piano Concerto (1976; Sept. 26, 1977); Scenes I (1978) and II (1999); Oboe Concerto (Dec. 11, 1986) Poème fantastique Gan. 31, 1989); Romance (1989); Suite for Strings (March 11, 1993); Capriccio (1995); Triumphal March (1997). CHAMBER: Duo for Violin and Piano (Dec. 3, 1967); Dance Suite for String Quartet (Nov. 28, 1968); Sonata for Solo Cello (Oct. 10, 1971); Piano Quartet (Oct. 10, 1971); Serenade for String Trio (1972); 2 cello sonatas: No. 1 (Nov. 10, 1975) and No. 2 (1999); Mosaics for 2 Violins (Nov. 27, 1977); Oboe Quartet (Oct. 19, 1977); Fantasy for Violin and Piano (July 23, 1980); Concerto I (Feb. 28, 1982), II (Nov. 20, 1985), III guly 27, 1991), and IV (Oct. 10, 1997) for Ensemble; Tragic Interludes for Oboe (Feb. 24, 1983); Dance Interludes for Flute and Guitar (Sept. 4, 1987); Diversions for Violin (June 22, 1987); Fantasy Duo for Violin and Piano (Jan. 14, 1991); Sonata for Solo Violin (May 11, 1994); Clarinet Quintet (Aug. 7, 1995); Divertimento for String Quartet (June 14, 1998). KEYBOARD: Piano: Little Suite (March 27, 1974); Ballade (1982); Celebration (Sept. 27, 1984); Elegy (May 28, 1986); Scenes for Piano I (April 14, 1991), II, Touraine (April 17, 1994), III, Angels of Albion (1995), IV, Bretagne (May 14, 1999), and V, Sonata Festiva (1999). Organ: Fantasia I (Oct. 10, 1958) and II (June 10, 1971); Sonatina (Dec. 8, 1965); A Sacred Tetralogy, I, The Manger Throne (May 28, 1960), II, Lumen Christi (Jan. 18, 1970), III, Aeterne Rex Altissime (June 6, 1971), and IV, Gloria libi Trinitas (June 9, 1974); Four Marian Antiphons, I, Alma Redemptoris Mater (May 20, 1990), II, Ave Regina Coelorum (Nov. 9, 1998), III, Regina Coeli Laetare (Feb. 18, 1995), and IV, Salve Regina (Nov. 6, 1988); Exultet Coelum laudibus (Feb. 11, 1996). VOCAL: Balulalow (1955); Ode to the Evening Star for Chorus (April 28, 1967); Spring Night, concert aria for Mezzo-soprano and Orch. (March 13, 1972); On a Deserted Shore for Soprano, Chorus, 2 Pianos, and Percussion (Dec. 8, 1975); The Death of lphigenia for Soprano and 13 Instruments (Dec. 13, 1978); Vocalise for Soprano, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (July 12, 1979); Love’s Fool for Soprano, Flute, and Guitar (Oct. 24, 1983); Woefully Arranged for Soprano, Baritone, Chorus, Boy’s Chorus, and Orch. (Jan. 17, 1993); Cantate Domino for Soprano, Clarinet, and Strings (June 26, 1994). songs for high voice and piano: A Woman Young and Old (1962); Shakespeare Songs (1963, 1992); Songs of Farewell (1965); Songs of Lawrence Durrell (1966); Songs of Sir Walter Scott (1980); Songs of Dachine Rainer (1980); Ripeness is All (1990).
Writings
The Organ (1958); Contemporary Music: An Introduction (1968); Contemporary British Music (1972); Early English O rgan Music (1973); with others, Patronage of the Creative Artist (1974); Stravinsky (1975).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire