Following the MusicWeb International’s publication
of my review of Christopher Howell’s excellent release of piano music, An Englishman in Italy, I was
delighted to see that the editor had appended a short biography of Frank Merrick
(1886-1981). His ‘Tarantella’, op.5
appears on the second of Howell’s two CD set.
I noted in that review that relatively little is known about the
composer, however, based on his thrilling ‘Tarantella’ ... I believed that he
deserves further exploration. This is an interesting ‘first step.’
MusicWeb international
have given me kind permission to reprint this short note.
Frank Merrick (1886-1981) Pianist and teacher. His
parents were musically inclined. His father (1854 - 1941) was also a D. Mus,
Dublin, and had the same Christian name. His mother was Irish. Both parents
were his first music teachers. In 1898 they passed the young Merrick into the
hands of the famous Theodor Leschetizky (1830 - 1915) at Vienna with whom
Merrick stayed until 1901 working with Leschetizky's assistant, Malwine Brée. Returned
for further tuition with Leschetizky in 1905. M. Mus. Bristol. FRCM. FTCL.
Merrick's first concert was given at Clifton, Bristol in November 1895 in aid
of Barnardo's Homes. He made his first London concert appearance in March 1903
at the Bechstein Hall. He also toured as accompanist with Clara Butt. Toured
Australia in 1907. In 1911 he married the composer, pianist and teacher Hope
Squire, a pupil of Dohnanyi. Later re-married. Professor at the Royal
Manchester College of Music from 1910 to 1929.
During the First World War he was imprisoned as a
conscientious objector at Wormwood Scrubs. He used his time in prison to teach
himself Esperanto. In 1929 he moved to the staff of the RCM remaining there
until 1956 when he was employed at Trinity College of Music.
On 15.10.1933 Merrick gave the first performance of
John Foulds' Dynamic Triptych for
piano and orchestra with the Reid Orchestra conducted by Sir Donald Tovey. On
4.8.1933 he gave the first broadcast performance of the Dynamic Triptych with
the BBC Orchestra under Sir Dan Godfrey. He was amongst the first pianists to
broadcast for the BBC from Savoy Hill.
The Prize which Merrick won for his two movement
completion of the Schubert Unfinished Symphony recognised the straightforward
and simple treatment of the task undertaken and of Merrick's love and respect
for Schubert. Grove comments also on the successful imitation of Schubert's
style and idiom. He edited a students’ edition of Chopin's works. He also
prepared accompaniments in contemporary style to sonatas for violin and figured
bass by Veracini, in D minor and E minor, and by Purcell in G minor.
His tastes in music he performed was wide although
he specialised in modern music including Prokofiev, Ireland and Bax. Bax
dedicated his Paean to Merrick. He studied and gave concert performances with
his first wife of many rarely heard works for two pianos. Merrick gave the
first performances in this country of Prokofiev's Piano Sonatas 2 to 7. Later
he recorded the 3rd and 4th Sonatas for the Frank Merrick Society.
John Field was another composer whose works he
championed. His interest in Field dated from 1937 when Beecham's secretary
asked Merrick to investigate the Field concertos. Merrick recorded Field's
Sonata in C minor and a Nocturne in the late 1930s. In the late 1960s he
recorded all the Field Piano Concertos, Nocturnes and other works for Rare
Recorded Editions. His completion of the Schubert Unfinished was recorded once
by RPO/Stanford Robinson on 78 and also on LP for the Frank Merrick Society.
The various records he made late in life only
intermittently reflect the depth and brilliance of his technique and artistic
insight. The best of these were issued by the Merrick Record Association
between 1961 and 1965. He also made a notable series of records for the Concert
Artists label of the Bax Violin Sonatas with Henry Holst. He made records of
his two piano concertos with semi-professional orchestras for Rare Recorded
Editions (SRRE 156 conductor Oliver Broome and anonymous orchestra and SRRE 128
Beckenham Orchestra and John Foster) and of his Bonny Bluebell Variations. He
recorded a selection of his songs to English and Esperanto texts with the
soprano Stella Wright on Rare Recorded Editions. With Michael Round he recorded
initially for Cabaletta, Bax's music for two pianos and Vaughan Williams’ The
Running Set. Merrick was also a teacher and counted Rawsthorne amongst his
piano pupils. Published a book, Practising The Piano. He was a vegetarian and a
total abstainer from alcohol. CBE 1979. Lived at 5, Horbury Crescent, London.
Works List
Choral: Chorus of Echoes for unaccompanied chorus (from Shelley's Prometheus Unbound)
Orchestra: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat (1901); Piano Concerto No. 2 in E minor; Symphony in D minor (1912); Celtic Suite for small orchestra (1920, Blackburn 1923 / Bournemouth Dec 1923); Scherzo and Finale for Schubert's Unfinished Symphony (1923?, the winner in the British division of the Columbia Gramophone Schubert Centenary Competition); Overture; A Dream Pageant for strings; Overture for military band;
Chamber: Trio in F sharp minor for piano, violin and cello;
Piano: Piano Sonata; An Ocean Lullaby; Variations on a Somerset Folk-Song, The Bonny Bluebell; Rhapsody in C minor; Paraphrase (in the Bach style) on a Somerset Folk-Song, Hares on the Mountains; (the last four items listed under this heading were included in a programme which gained a Diploma of Honour at the International Rubinstein Competition, Petrograd in August 1910);
Song: various, including The Four Seasons; The Well; The Black rider; Lullaby; Snow; A Summer Night; and October. Some of the songs set Esperanto texts.
Frank Merrick (a draft entry with acknowledgement to Grove V)
Choral: Chorus of Echoes for unaccompanied chorus (from Shelley's Prometheus Unbound)
Orchestra: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat (1901); Piano Concerto No. 2 in E minor; Symphony in D minor (1912); Celtic Suite for small orchestra (1920, Blackburn 1923 / Bournemouth Dec 1923); Scherzo and Finale for Schubert's Unfinished Symphony (1923?, the winner in the British division of the Columbia Gramophone Schubert Centenary Competition); Overture; A Dream Pageant for strings; Overture for military band;
Chamber: Trio in F sharp minor for piano, violin and cello;
Piano: Piano Sonata; An Ocean Lullaby; Variations on a Somerset Folk-Song, The Bonny Bluebell; Rhapsody in C minor; Paraphrase (in the Bach style) on a Somerset Folk-Song, Hares on the Mountains; (the last four items listed under this heading were included in a programme which gained a Diploma of Honour at the International Rubinstein Competition, Petrograd in August 1910);
Song: various, including The Four Seasons; The Well; The Black rider; Lullaby; Snow; A Summer Night; and October. Some of the songs set Esperanto texts.
Frank Merrick (a draft entry with acknowledgement to Grove V)
2 comments:
Tomorrow (26 July) is the 125th anniversary of the publication of Esperanto. That's quite an achievement for what started as the idea of just one man.
I'm sure that Frank Merrick would be pleased that the dream lives on.
Hi, I have found a book belonging to my great grandmother. Inside is a handwritten music piece and is signed Frank merrick Jr. Its going to be early 1900s. Does anyone know where or who to go to, to get more information?
Many thanks
Anoushka
Post a Comment