David Robert Morgan (1933-1988)

[albion]

There have been several requests for information about the British composer David Morgan, but there seems to be very little information available (there is no entry for him in Grove) and few recordings. Hopefully, this post will fill some gaps.



David Morgan was born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, in January 1933. His family were opposed to a musical career but he nevertheless in 1961 gained a Country Major Award which enabled him to begin studies at the Royal Academy of Music where his principal tutors were Alan Bush (composition) and Leighton Lucas (orchestration). Between 1961 and 1965 he was awarded ten composition prizes (including the Eric Coates Prize) and in his final year at the RAM (1965) became the first student to have an entire concert devoted to his music.

That same year he received a British Council Scholarship to study at the Academy of Music in Prague under Vaclav Dobias. During this period he wrote his Violin Concerto (which was premiered at the Dvořák Hall) and married his first wife. On returning to England in 1967 he struggled to find an outlet for his music, but the award of the Eric Coates Prize gave him the opportunity to have a number of lighter pieces (including the orchestral Partita) produced through the BBC Light Music Department. The death of his wife after only two years of marriage affected him deeply.

His big chance came in 1974 when Erich Gruenberg played the Violin Concerto with the RPO conducted by Sir Charles Groves at the Royal Festival Hall. In 1975, in the same venue, Groves and the RPO gave the premiere of what is perhaps Morgan's masterpiece the Sinfonia da Requiem (written between 1971 and 1972). Following the success of this work, other commissions and performances began to materialise. Also at this time, two major works were recorded by Lyrita at Kingsway Hall on 28th April 1976 - the Violin Concerto (with Erich Gruenberg) and Contrasts performed by the RPO conducted by Vernon Handley.

In 1981 Morgan moved to Canada with his second wife and daughter and established himself as a noted composer for symphonic wind band, also continuing to receive commissions from Britain, including one for an orchestral set of Variations on a Theme of Walton. He died at his home in Belleville, Canada, of a heart attack following a bout of pneumonia on 21st May 1988.


Works:

Orchestral - Violin Concerto, 1966; Sinfonia da Requiem, 1971-72; Partita, 1972; Contrasts, 1974; Cello Concerto, 1981; Variations on a Theme of Walton, 1981-84; Sonata for chamber orchestra, 1985; Clarinet Concerto; Concerto da Camera; Music for Children; Overture for a Festive Occasion; Serenade for string orchestra; Spring Carnival; Threnody for string orchestra; Concerto for Wind Orchestra

Vocal - I Loved a Lass, for mixed choir, 1948; Seven Nursery Rhymes, for voice and piano (1952); Three Tudor Lyrics, for mixed choir (1964); Four English Folk Songs, for soloists, mixed choir and guitar (1965)

Chamber and instrumental - Piano Sonata, 1960; Oboe Quartet, 1962; Trio for Seven, 1962; Divertimento for brass, 1964; String Quartet, 1964; Interludes and Canzonas for brass, 1983; Lyric Suite for guitar, 1987


Happily, both of the Lyrita recordings are currently available -

 

SRCD.276 and SRCD.318

and the 1975 premiere of the Sinfonia da Requiem is in our broadcast archive. I have also just added the following broadcasts from the BBC and CBC -

Three Tudor Lyrics; Partita; Concerto for Wind Orchestra; Interludes and Canzonas; Sonata for Chamber Orchestra

[Jimfin]

Thanks a lot, Albion; I really wanted to know. Today I listened to 'Contrasts' for the first time in maybe twenty years (the LP is still sitting in a cellar back in the UK), and what a fine work it is. Last year I reacquainted myself with the wonderful violin concerto. I had no idea he'd moved to Canada, possibly why he disappeared from view in the UK (Crossley-Holland, Foulds and Pearson are maybe other examples of this).

[Jimfin]

I wonder if John France, who does the great blog 'The Land of Lost Content' is on here. He has often expressed an interest in finding out more about Morgan. But whenever I've tried to register to comment on there for some reason it doesn't work.

[dafrieze]

I'm flabbergasted!  David Morgan has been the mystery man in my collection of British music since I first bought the Lyrita recording of his Contrasts and his Violin Concerto almost 30 years ago.  The frustration of knowing virtually nothing about what was then a living and, presumably, active composer has now been dissolved.  Thank you very much for this boon!

[albion]

I'm flabbergasted!

All part of the service!

[dafrieze]

And worth every penny.  (Oh.  Never mind...)

[eschiss1]

I linked to this forum (this thread, specifically) from one of the posts. Hopefully even if the comment isn't approved the author will see it and find the information interesting.