William Henry Bell (1873-1946)

[albion]

An intriguing and now largely forgotten figure: after studying with Stanford at the Royal College of Music, Bell taught at the Royal Academy from 1903 before emigrating to South Africa in 1912 where he served as Director of the South African College of Music in Cape Town until 1935 (his manuscripts are held largely at the University of Cape Town). Several of his early orchestral works were given prominent performances (I've included some in the list below) - The Shepherd was first performed as a 'Prelude' to the premiere of Holbrooke's 'Illuminated Symphony' Apollo and the Seaman in 1908.

This listing of Bell's principal works is heavily indebted to the comprehensive wikipedia entry, which in turn is reliant upon the Catalogue of the music manuscripts of William Henry Bell, 1873-1946 by Loree Elizabeth Taylor (University of Cape Town Libraries, 1948).

1895 - Miserere Maidens for soloist, chorus, orchestra and organ
           Hawke for chorus and orchestra (c.1895)
1896 - The Canterbury Tales, Symphonic Prologue (Crystal Palace, London, 30th April 1898)
1898 - The Pardoner's Tale, Symphonic Poem (Crystal Palace, London, 5th April 1899)
1899 - Symphony No.1 in C minor, Walt Whitman (incomplete performance given at the Crystal Palace, London, 10th March 1900; first complete performance given at Bournemouth, 21st April 1902)
1901 - A Song of the Morning, Symphonic Prelude (Three Choirs Festival, Gloucester, 1901; Queen's Hall, London, 29th October 1901)
1901-02 - Mother Carey, Suite (2 movements performed at the Philharmonic Society, London, 27th February 1902)
1903 - The Four Winds, for baritone and orchestra
1902-04 - The Call of the Sea, Ode for soprano, choruses and orchestra
1904 - Epithalamium, Serenade for orchestra
1907 - St. Albans Pageant Music, July 1907 for chorus and orchestra
           The Shepherd, Symphonic Poem (Queen's Hall, London, 20th January 1908)
1908 - Love among the Ruins, Symphonic Poem (Queen's Hall, London, 31st March 1908)
           Agamemnon, Symphonic Prelude (Queen's Hall, London, 13th October 1908)
           Arcadian Suite (c.1908)
1909 - The Ballad of the Bird Bride, for baritone and orchestra
           Danse du tambour
1911 - The Baron of Brackley, Scotch Border Ballad for chorus and orchestra
1912 - Le fée des sources, Symphonic Poem
           Prelude, for orchestra
           Staines Morrice Dance, for orchestra
c.1914 - Hippolytus, music drama in 3 acts
1915 - Symphonic Variations
1916 - Concerto for viola and orchestra, Rosa Mystica
1918 - Symphony No.2 in A minor
1918-19 - Symphony No.3 in F major
1920 - Sappho, Song Cycle for soprano and orchestra (revised 1942)
1921 - The Portal, Symphonic Poem
           A Song of Greeting, Symphonic Poem
           Veldt Loneliness, for orchestra
1922 - Maria assumpta for soprano, choruses and orchestra
1922-24 - Isabeau, fantasia [opera] in 1 act
1923-24 - Prometheus Unbound for chorus and orchestra
1924 - Suite in C minor, In modo academico
1925 - Komachi, music for a Japanese Noh play
1926 - Tsuneyo of the Three Trees, music for a Japanese Noh play
1927 - Symphony No.4, A South African Symphony
1928 - The Mouse Trap, opera in 1 act
1929 - An English Suite
1930 - Doctor Love, opera in 1 act
1932 - Symphony No.5 in F minor
1932? - Dicitus philosophi for chorus and orchestra
1934 - Hatsuyuki, music for a Japanese Noh play
1935 - The Wandering Scholar, musical comedy [opera] in 1 act
           The Pillow of Kantan, music for a Japanese Noh play
1936 - The Tumbler of Our Lady for soloists, choruses and orchestra
           Kageyiko, music for a Japanese Noh play
1939 - The Duenna, musical comedy [opera] in 3 acts
           Romeo and Juliet, opera (unfinished)
1941 - Aeterna munera, Symphonic Fantasy
1942 - Hamlet, 5 Preludes
1944 - The Song of the Sinless Soul for mezzo-soprano, female chorus and orchestra
1945 - Adonis for soprano and mezzo-soprano soloists, female chorus and orchestra

Commercial recordings -

Concerto for viola and orchestra, Rosa Mystica (Dutton CDLX 7216)
Symphony No.4, A South African Symphony (Marco Polo 8.223833)