Herbert Fryer

George Herbert Fryer (21 May 1877 – 7 February 1957) was an English pianist, teacher and composer.

Early life Fryer was born in Hampstead, London in 1877, the only son of three children. He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, then went on for two years study (1893–95) under Oscar Beringer at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM). This was followed by four years of study (1895–1898) at the Royal College of Music (RCM), under Franklin Taylor. In 1898, Fryer had some lessons with Ferruccio Busoni in Weimar.

Career He made his London debut on 17 November 1898, Australia (including the goldfields of Western Australia), South Africa, the Far East, and India. The King of Norway attended his recital in Christiania. His knowledge of the Brahms concerto was informed by the fact that his teacher Oscar Beringer had given the British premiere of the work in 1882. From 1922 Fryer was also a frequent broadcaster during the earliest days of radio.

In 1905, he took up a teaching position at the RAM, where he continued until 1914. His first tour of North America came in 1914, and he stayed there for three years, teaching at the Institute of Musical Art in New York (later merged with the Juilliard School).

Later life and death On retirement, he continued teaching privately above Blüthner's showrooms,

Students Fryer's students: Arthur Bliss (1891–1975), composer Richard Bonynge (born 1930), conductor and husband of Dame Joan Sutherland Philip Challis (1929–1996), British pianist John Clegg (1928–2014), pianist Lance Dossor (1916–2005), British-born pianist and teacher who emigrated to Australia in May 1953 Philip Gammon, (b. 1940), pianist Colin Horsley (1920–2012), New Zealand-born pianist and teacher resident in the UK Leonard Isaacs (1909–1997), UK pianist and teacher who moved to Canada in 1963 Mack Jost (1918–2000), Australian pianist from Melbourne John Kuchmy (1912–1988), Canadian pianist who worked in the UK Constant Lambert (1905–1951), composer George Malcolm (1917–1997), pianist, organist, harpsichordist, and conductor Anthony Milner (1925–2002), composer David Parkhouse (1930–1989), pianist Leo Quayle (1918–2005), South African pianist and conductor Phyllis Schuldt (1911–1982), UK-born pianist who worked in Canada Cyril Smith (1909–1974), pianist and teacher Richard Smith (1928–2009), English pianist, teacher and concert director for Southport Arts Center Kendall Taylor (1905–1999), pianist and teacher Glyn Townley (1911–2012), South African pianist

Recordings Herbert Fryer made some recordings, both Welte-Mignon piano rolls and 78 rpm acoustic recordings for Vocalion. Chopin: Trois nouvelles études; Prelude from Op. 28 Dvořák: Humoresque in G-flat MacDowell: Sea Pieces, Op. 55, recorded 1909 Schumann: The Prophet Bird, from Op. 82

Compositions His compositions are now little known. They include: Intermezzo, Op. 1 (1903) Étude-Caprice, Op. 9, No. 1 Suite in Old Form, Op. 11, for piano (1910) Deux Morceaux de danse, Op. 12 (No. 1: Valse en ré; No. 2: Petite danse) (1912) Trois Préludes pour piano seul, Op. 16 (1914) Three Preludes, Op. 17 Country Side. Suite for pianoforte, Op. 18 (1918) Transcriptions for Pianoforte of Old English Melodies from H. Lane Wilson's Collection, Op. 19 (1919) The Virgin's Cradle-Hymn, Op. 20, No. 1 Five Transcriptions from Bach, Op. 22 (all from his Suites for solo cello): Bourrée & Gigue from Suite No. 3 in C major, BWV 1009 Sarabande from Suite for Suite No. 4 in E flat major, BWV 1010 Sarabande & Gavotte from Suite No. 6 in D major, BWV 1012 (Jonathan Plowright has recorded the Sarabande; his live performance of it at the Wigmore Hall on 15 November 2008 can be heard ) Six Little Variations on a Rigadoon by H. Purcell, Op. 21 (1922) piano arrangements of traditional Irish and English tunes My Love's an Arbutus

He wrote Hints on Pianoforte Practice (New York: G. Schirmer, 1916).