Peter Graeme

Graeme Peter Crump (1921 – 1 March 2012), known professionally as Peter Graeme and as "Timmy" Crump to friends and family, was an English oboist and academic teacher. He was best known as the principal oboist of the Melos Ensemble.

Career

Peter Graeme studied the oboe with Léon Goossens. Graeme was the oboist of the Melos Ensemble, founded in 1950, and participated with the group in the premiere of the War Requiem by Benjamin Britten, conducted by the composer at the Coventry Cathedral in 1962.

In 1954, he played English horn in a recording of Warlock's song cycle The Curlew. In 1964 he performed in a recording of Benjamin Britten's opera Albert Herring, conducted by the composer. In 1965, Graeme recorded Bach's cantatas Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben, BWV 102 and Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt, BWV 151 with the English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) conducted by Britten and soloists Janet Baker, Peter Pears and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.

In 1968, Graeme took part in a recording of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos with the ECO conducted by Britten. Also with the English Chamber Orchestra and flutist Richard Adeney he recorded works of Gustav Holst, such as A Fugal Concerto for Flute, Oboe and Strings, op. 40/2, conducted by the composers daughter Imogen Holst at the 1969 Aldeburgh Festival. Both in 1971 and 1972, he played in a recording of Bach's St John Passion with Peter Pears as the Evangelist, Gwynne Howell as the Vox Christi, and the ECO conducted by Britten. In 1972, he also recorded Britten's opera The Turn of the Screw.

Graeme was a teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music, among his students is Robin Williams.

Graeme died at home in Shaftesbury on 1 March 2012.

Recordings with the Melos Ensemble

Graeme recorded chamber music with the Melos Ensemble, its principal players Richard Adeney and William Bennett (flute), Gervase de Peyer (clarinet), Sarah Barrington (oboe), Neill Sanders (horn), William Waterhouse (bassoon), Emanuel Hurwitz and Ivor McMahon (violin), Cecil Aronowitz (viola), Terence Weil (cello), Osian Ellis (harp) and Lamar Crowson (piano).

This included works for a large ensemble of both woodwinds and strings, for which the Melos Ensemble was founded. Beethoven: Wind Octet Schubert: Octet Janáček: Mládí Nikos Skalkottas: Octet Gordon Crosse: Concerto Da Camera Harrison Birtwistle: Tragoedia Peter Maxwell Davies: Leopardi Fragments Graeme also recorded chamber music for smaller formations, such as the oboe quintet of Arthur Bliss, dedicated to Léon Goossens. Beethoven: Quintet for piano and winds, Rondino in E flat major, WoO 25 Nielsen: Wind Quintet Francis Poulenc: Trio for Oboe, Bassoon & Piano Jean Françaix: Divertissement for Oboe, Clarinet & Bassoon Arthur Bliss: Conversations for Flute, Oboe and String Trio, Quintet for Oboe and Strings