Anthony Gilbert

Anthony Gilbert (26 July 1934 – 5 July 2023) was a British composer and academic, long associated with the Royal Northern College of Music. He also taught for extended periods as head of composition at the New South Wales State Conservatorium. His works, many of them for larger chamber ensembles, were published by Schott and University of York Music Press. Several of them were written for particular musicians, who performed and recorded them. He wrote a memoir, published in 2021.

Biography Gilbert, who was born in London on 26 July 1934, trained initially as a translator, then studied composition privately with Mátyás Seiber, piano with Denis Holloway at Trinity College, and composition with Alexander Goehr and Anthony Milner at Morley College. He also studied with Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood.

He worked for the London branch of Schott, beginning as a warehouseman and later chief editor of contemporary music, and head of production. Tim Benjamin, Martin Butler, Simon Holt, Adam Johnson, Paul Newland, Priti Paintal, Janet Owen Thomas, James Saunders, Jane Antonia Cornish and Ian Vine.

Gilbert was an active committee member of the Society for the Promotion of New Music, the music section of the ICA, the ISCM's British and Sydney sections, and the new music panel of North West Arts.

Gilbert was married twice, and divorced twice. His first marriage was to Mary Hill, in 1956. Hill and Gilbert had three children.

His second marriage in 1978 was to Alison Cox, who became the first head of composition at the Purcell School for Young Musicians, where she has taught since 1988, and also founded a musical charity, the Commonwealth Resounds.

Gilbert died on 5 July 2023, at age 88. His three children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive him.

He wrote about composing:

Ultimately, for me, the only honest thing to do in composing is to write straight from the heart and guts, whilst closely involving the brain. Trying to assess what my audience would like to hear, to be "accessible", would to me seem cheap and patronising. Compositions for smaller orchestra during this period included Crow-Cry (1976, written for the London Sinfonietta), and Towards Asvari for solo piano and chamber orchestra (1978, written for Peter Lawson and the Manchester Camerata).

During the following decade smaller scale works were his primary focus. Moonfaring for cello and percussion (1983) has also been performed with dancers. There are a trilogy of humorous pieces based on the imaginary Chinese bestiary of Jorge Luis Borges: Quartet of Beasts (1984). Beastly Jingles (1985) and Six of the Bestiary (1985). Other works from this time include Dream Carousels for wind ensemble (Gilbert's most-performed work, written for RNCM conductor Timothy Reynish) and the orchestral song-cycle Certain Lights Reflecting. Both were inspired by writings of the Tasmanian poet Sarah Day. Igórochki, a recorder concerto written for John Turner, was completed in 1992 and there was a lyrical violin concerto, On Beholding a Rainbow (1997), recorded in 2005 with soloist Anthony Marwood.

Although not noted for his interest in traditional forms, Gilbert composed four piano sonatas (the most recent in 2022) and a cycle of five string quartets spanning the years 1972 to 2009. The third quartet has been recorded by the Nossek String Quartet (1999), the Madawaska Quartet (2009) and the Bingham Quartet (2014), and the fourth by the Tavec Quartet (2009). There is also a string trio, Humdance (2007) and a string quintet, Haven of Mysteries, premiered by the Carducci String Quartet with cellist Guy Johnston at the Wigmore Hall on 14 June 2015. He wrote an extended essay on the British String Quartet since 1935.

Works Gilbert's compositions include: Kauri for solo Tuba, 11', 2002 Tulip Tree Dances for solo bass and treble recorders, 15', 2003 Rose luisante for solo freebass accordion, 9', 2003 Litany for clarinet and piano (Associated Board Spectrum series), 2', 2004 Catercorny, four pieces for clarinet and piano (contains Litany above), 6', 2004 Swallowtail for solo vibraphone, 2', 2004 Halifenu Vine Dance for organ and pre-recorded organ, 9', 2005 U-Go for Arirang for variable instruments, 4', 2005 A Piece of Cake for treble recorder and piano (MS), 80", 2006 Jugalbandi Blues for bass clarinet solo, 60", 2006 Echo for solo trumpet (Cincuentas 5), 4', 2007 Twirlpool for flute and viola, 3', 2008 Gioco dei Pari for violin & viola (reworking of Duo of 1962), 10', 2008 Tulip Dance, for solo flute (arranged from Tulip Tree, 2003), 5', 2008 Twinned Set, seven short pieces for solo bassoon (and Set 2 for bass clarinet), 18', 2008 Converse, for bass clarinet and tenor saxophone, 9', 2010 Inseparable, for alto flute or oboe and string trio, 7', 2010 Recitative, for solo trombone, 8', 2010 Running Free, for tenor saxophone solo, 6', 2010 Above all that, for recorder and piano, 3', 2011 Early to Bloom, for tenor recorder and harpsichord, 3', 2011 Rapprochement for piano and cello, 8', 2011 Songline, for double bass and piano, 3', 2011 Behind all this, for descant recorder and harpsichord, 3', 2012 Dançando con Flores, for solo guitar, 5', 2012 DancE-a-Triple-Round, for recorder and cello, 2', 2012 Outflow, for solo double bass, 3', 2012 Pilbara Park, for solo guitar, 10', 2012 Skipping side to side, for solo banjo, 5', 2012 Behind all this, for recorder and piano, 3', 2012 Haunted, for solo bass guitar, 5', 2013 The Flame has Ceased (in memory John McCabe), 2016 Verse for solo double bass (written for David Hayes), 2019 Duologue – small sonata for viola & piano, 8'45", 2020 Tulip Dance 5 – ‘Spring Dance’ music for bass recorder and tuned percussion, intended for ballet-type dance, 4'44", 2021 A Breath for Life brief song for John Turner's 80th birthday, 2023

Chamber music Serenade for 6 instruments, 1963 Brighton Piece for 8 players, 1967 Nine or Ten Osannas for 5 players, 1967 O'Grady Music for clarinet, cello and toy instruments, 24', 1971 String Quartet No. 1 (also available in arrangement with piano), 22', 1972 Canticle I (Rock-Song) for wind instruments, 9', 1973 Canticle I (Rock-Song) version 2 for woodwind, horns, harp & piano, 9', 1979 Calls around Chungmori for chamber ensemble and participating audience, 15', 1979 Vasanta with Dancing for chamber ensemble (dancer optional), 17', 1981 Bendigo Match for wind band (MS), 3', 1981 Concert Fanfare for Strathfieldsaye for 5 brass and 2 percussion (MS), 1', 1981 Little Fantasy on Gold-digger Melodies for flute and string quartet (MS), 4', 1981 Little Dance of Barrenjoey for flute, clarinet, viola and cello (MS), 2', 1981 Quartet of Beasts for 3 wind instruments and piano, 13', 1984 Six of the Bestiary for saxophone quartet, 12', 1985 Fanfarings for 6 and 8 brass instruments (MS), 1', 1986 String Quartet No. 2 (revised 2003), 19', 1987 String Quartet No. 3 super hoqueto 'David''', 7', 1987 Tree of Singing Names for chamber orchestra, 15', 1989 Fanfaring V for brass (MS), 1', 1992 Moon comes up, Pearl Beach (June '79) for alto flute, vibraphone and cello (version 2, MS lost), 1', 1995 Dancing to the Tune for 4–8 oboes, 2–4 cors anglais, 1–2 heckelphones (MS), 4', 1996 Sinfin 2 for 4 vibraphones, 8', 2000 Unrise for ten wind instruments, 16', 2001 Four Seasons for Josca's for young players (variable ensemble), 3', 2001 String Quartet No. 4, 23', 2002 Ondine (version 2, extended) for soprano, recorder, cello and harpsichord, 11', 2003 Palace of the Winds for 11 solo strings, 15', 2003 Tinos for soprano, clarinet and vibraphone (text Magdalena Mismareza), 3', 2004 Dark Singing, Dancing Light for bassoon and string quintet or string ensemble, 10', 2005 ecco Eco for flute, clarinet & vibraphone (Cincuentas 4), 50", 2007 HumDance for string trio, 20', 2007 York Surprise for flute, clarinet and bass clarinet, 8', 2007 Word-Chimes in the Wind for wind quintet, 18', 2008 String Quartet No. 5, 20', 2009 Not for the Nashties, septet for three woodwind and string quartet (unpublished), 14', 2012 Hope's Place for chamber ensemble, 18', 2013 Tryptych for three winds and string ensemble, 16', 2014 Haven of Mysteries, string quintet, 2015 La Douceur, septet for three winds and string quartet, dedicated to Raymonde Sassoon, 11'15", 2016 Return of the St Louis, trio for oboe, clarinet in A and bassoon, 9', 2017

Choral and vocal Missa Brevis for unaccompanied choir, 1965 Assonants 1 for SATB soloists, clarinet and horn, 1965 Three War Poems for chorus, 1966 Shepherd Masque for young voices, 1968 Love Poems for soprano and instrumental ensemble (2 versions), 10', 1970 Cantata: the man who tried to hijack an airliner, 16' (withdrawn), 1971 Canticle II (Anger) for 6 male voices, 6', 1974 Inscapes for soprano, speaking voice and small ensemble, 30', 1975 Long White Moonlight for soprano and electric double bass, 18', 1980 Chant of Cockeye Bob for children's voices and instruments, 14', 1981 Victorian Round for any number of voices (MS), 1981 Beastly Jingles for soprano and instrumental ensemble, 11', 1984 Certain Lights Reflecting, song-cycle for mezzo-soprano and orchestra to poems of Sarah Day, 19', 1989 Upstream River Rewa for storyteller and Indo-European ensemble, 29', 1991 Little Cycle for Elizabeth Yeoman for soprano, cello and piano (MS), 7', 1992 Handles to the Invisible for a cappella choir to poems of Sarah Day (rev. 2003), 15', 1995 'This Tree' (Frances Horovitz) (No. 1 of Love Poems, 1970, arr. mezzo and piano) (Schott), 3', 1996 Vers de Lune for soprano, flute, cello and percussion to texts by Aloysius Bertrand (incorporating a version of Ondine – chant au clair), 17', 1999 Encantos, song-cycle to Spanish symbolist love poetry for soprano or mezzo, clarinet, vibraphone and guitar to texts by Magdalena Mismareza and anon.), 14', 2004 Ygg-drasill for soprano or mezzo, recorder, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, three violins and cello (Cincuentas 3), 9', 2006 En Bateau, after Watteau for soprano, recorder, oboe, violin and cello to poems by Baudelaire and Proust), 9', 2007 Those Fenny Bells for treble, counter-tenor and vibraphone (to a poem by John Clare), 3', 2008 Encantos 2010 (Mismareza) for soprano or mezzo-soprano + ensemble of 8 instruments (alternative re-scoring of Encantos of 2004), 14’30", 2010 Peace Notes, (Sarah Day) for soprano or mezzo-soprano and piano, 14', 2011 Placing Art, (Ian Kemp) for soprano and bass recorder, 4', 2012 Lay the Lances, five songs for baritone and string orchestra, 2018

Orchestral Sinfonia for chamber orchestra, 1965 Regions for two orchestras, 1966 Peal II for big band, 1968 Symphony (incorporates modified version of Regions), 39', Cheltenham Festival, 1973 Ghost and Dream Dancing for orchestra, 19', 1974 Crow-Cry for chamber orchestra, 20', 1976 Welkin for orchestra, 11', 1976 Koonapippi for youth orchestra, 6', 1981 Dream Carousels for wind orchestra, 13', 1984 Mozart Sampler with Ground for orchestra, 10', 1991 ...into the Gyre of a Madder Dance for concert band, 7', 1994 Another Dream Carousel for string orchestra, 8', 2000 Even in flames, / the Thames/ can't hold a candle/ to the Wandle for variable orchestra, 6', 2000 Sheer for string orchestra, 16', 2003 Dance Concerto – Groove by chants, for orchestra, 19', 2006 Loopy Line-dance orchestral wind, 7', 2011 Lifelines, roundelay for orchestra, 10', 2020 Liaison, tone poem for medium-sized orchestra, 11'17", 2021

A Melding, concerto for B♭ clarinet and chamber ensemble, 14', 2019

OperaThe Scene-Machine, one-act opera to a libretto by George MacBeth, 50', 1970The Chakravaka-Bird, radio opera to a libretto translated from Indian sources by A. K. Ramanujan, Daniel H. H. Ingalls and A. Gilbert, 77', 1977

Arrangements Guillaume de Machaut: Ma fin est mon commencement, arr. for recorder ensemble with tambour (MS), 4', 1981 Arthur Benjamin: Two Jamaican Street Songs, arr. for piano four-hand (Boosey), 1990 Mátyás Seiber: Burlesque from Pastorale & Burlesque, arr. for recorder and piano; or for recorder and string trio (Schott), 2005

Recordings Nine or Ten Osannas - Music Projects London/Bernas - NMC D 014 (1993) Beastly Jingles - Jane’s Minstrels/Montgomery - NMC D 025 (1995) Chant-au-clair - Postern PPD 003 (1997) Midwales Lightwhistle Automatic - Tabernacle TABIP 1 (1997) Moonfaring - BML 026 (1998) Farings - Forsyth FS001/002 (1999) String Quartet No. 3 super hoqueto ‘David’ - Nossek String Quartet - ASC CS CD11 (1999) Dream Carousels, Quartet of Beasts, Igórochki, Six of the Bestiary, Towards Asávari - RNCM Wind Orchestra and New Ensemble - NMC D 068 (2000) MANCHESTER ACCENTS - Northern Chamber Orchestra, dir. Nicholas Ward - ASC CS CD45 (2001) Another Dream Carousel - Northern Chamber Orchestra dir. Nicholas Ward - ASC CS CD45 (2001) and Prima Facie PFCD 003 (2011) On Beholding a Rainbow, Certain Lights Reflecting...into the Gyre of a Madder Dance, Unrise - NMC D 105 (2005) String Quartet No. 4 - Tavec String Quartet - Campion Cameo 2046 (2006) Stars - Turquoise Guitar Editions, TGE 015 (2006) Os - Dutton CDLX 7180 (2007) Jugalbandi Blues - Shoepair DVD 701 (2007) Another Dream Carousel - Manchester Chamber Ensemble, dir. Richard Howarth - Dutton CDLX 7207 (2008) Those Fenny Bells - NMC D 150, disc 1 (2009) String Quartet No. 3 super hoqueto ‘David’ - Madawaska Quartet - ART 039 (2009) Doubles - Endymion Ensemble dir. Quentin Poole - NMC D 160, disc 1 (2010) Ondine; En Bateau, d’après Watteau - Prima Facie PFCD 004 (2011) Piano sonatas 1 - 3, Little Piano Pieces, Elegy, 3 Papillon Postcards - Prima Facie PFCD 007 (2011) Palace of the Winds - Goldberg Ensemble, dir. Malcolm Layfield - NMC D 174 (2011) 3 Papillon Postcards - NMC D 181 (2011) Réflexions, Rose nord - Atoll ACD 212 (2011) Dream Carousels for Wind Orchestra - National Youth Wind Ensemble of Great Britain, cond. Phillip Scott - Mark Records 9560 MCD (2011) Chimes in Time, Propel, Chatkwell, Toll, John’s Peal, Farewell, Speedwell, Duelo - Prima Facie PFCD 013 (2012) Above all that - Divine Art dda 21217 (2012) Piano Sonata No. 3 - Benjamin Powell - UHC 02001 1026 (2012) String Quartet No. 3 super hoqueto ‘David’ - Bingham Quartet - Prima Facie PFCD 032 (2014) DancE-a-Triple Round - Birthday tribute for David Ellis for recorder and cello - Prima Facie PFCD 037 (2014) Travelling with Time - Ygg-drasill, Papillon Postcards, En Bateau, Piano Sonata 3, Another Dream Carousel, Rapprochement, String Quartet No. 3 - Prima Facie PFCD 041 (2015) Haven of Mysteries for String Quintet, on: ‘Bracing Change’ - Chamber works commissioned for and recorded at Wigmore Hall, London - NMC D216 (2017) A Shooting Star - Music by Janet Owen Thomas and Anthony Gilbert - Prima Facie PFCD063 (2018) Zustandsformen - works for recorder and guitar - Stadt Baden Aargauer (2020)