Horace Shepherd (1892-1960): ‘Winter’ for orchestra

One of the most evocative tone-poems describing a winter landscape is Horace Shepherd’s Winter. It is classified as light music, but there is a greater depth and mystery to this piece than that genre may suggest.  This subtle music truly evokes the season. I think that Shepherd had a rural landscape in mind when he devised this piece. There is certainly nothing to suggest the pizzazz of Christmas shopping in Regent Street or Yuletide festivities.  I am certain that this landscape is not snowy but depicts winter sunshine.  

The strings play a major role here. In fact, they create the typical swish romantic sound so often associated with the ‘light’ music genre. But Shepherd has provided some interesting passages for woodwind and the harp.

There is no way of telling when this piece was composed, but guessing from the stylistic parameters, probably in the early 1950s. The only recording of this piece was made in 1953 by New Concert Orchestra, conducted by R. de Porten.

I know precious little about the composer, and there is not much information about him on the Internet. Horace Shepherd was born on 10 October 1892 in Richmond, London. Much of his musical achievement was in the field of film music, working as a musical director and composer. He provided the scores for more than ten British films between the 1930s and 1950s. His best known was written for Hatters Castle, based in the eponymous novel by A.J. Cronin. This film starred Robert Newton and Deborah Kerr. Other scores included The Flamingo Affair and a Musical Masquerade. This latter film was telling. It is about a composer who only manages to get his music performed when it is believed to have been written by Tchaikovsky.  Shepherd contributed many scores for documentary films including Symphonies in Stone: St. Paul's Cathedral and a study of Snowdonia.  Like many light music composers, he provided short character pieces for music libraries, where film, TV and radio producers could find ready-made scores suitable for immediate use. He also published music under the pseudonym of Hugh Kairs. 

Horace Shepherd died in Holloway, London on 10 March 1960.

Only two or three pieces by Shepherd seem to have made it onto CD. These include the present Winter on Guild (GLCD 5138) and The Magic Garden (GLCD 5144).  Several other short numbers include the Fashion Waltz, Hornpipe, Glenside Scena, Dawn of Love, and the Primula Waltz. All these are available on YouTube.

Exploring World Cat I discovered a potential Violin Concerto by Shepherd. This is a holograph score held at the Northwestern University in Illinois. If this by the same Horace Shepherd, this could be a valuably discovery, and may make an interesting project for a professional violinist or orchestra.

Winter by Horace Shepherd is available on YouTube.