Richard Walthew 1872-1951

[giles.enders]

Richard Henry Walthew  Born London 4 November 1872 -  Died  14 November 1951  East Preston, Surrey, England
According to his grand-daughter the name Walthew is pronounced with the 'TH' as in Mathew.

Educated at Islington Proprietry School then  studied music at The Guildhall School of Music and subsequently at The Royal College of Music under Parry. 
In 1909 he became conductor of The South Place Orchestra, part of The South Place Sunday Concerts run by the South Place Ethical Society, which in 1929 had Conway Hall purpose built for them.  Many of Walthew's chamber music compositions were composed specifically for these concerts.  His closest friend from their schooldays until the latters death was William Heath Robinson, Artist, designer and cartoonist.

Orchestral

Festival Overture in D  1896
Orchestral Variations in B flat major  1909
Overture, 'Friend Fritz' -  performed in 1914 by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra  - now lost
Overture and entr'acts for 'Aladdin'  1899
'The Masque of Peace'   1916
'Three Night Scenes' for orchestra  1906
Piano Concerto in D  1894  Premiered in 1894 at The Queen's Hall, London (full score and parts exist)
Piano Concerto in E flat major   1903   lost?
Caprice-Impromtu for violin and orchestra (also exists for a violin or viola and piano duet)  1904  pub. by Ascherberg
'Fiametta' concert piece for piano and orchestra - first performance 29.3.1925  now lost
'Table-Music'  Suite in four movements for string orchestra arranged by J.Brown  1932
Minuet and intermezzo for string orchestra  1940


Chamber

Piano Quintet in F minor  1905
Phantasy Quintet for piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass in E minor  1912   pub. by Stainer & Bell
Quintet in E flat for clarinet and strings  1930
Piano Quartet in G minor  1903
String Quartet in E major  1900
String Quartet in B flat major
String Quartet in E flat major  1917
Six lyric pieces for string quartet: Caprice, Intermezzo, Mazurka, Romance, Legende, A L'Ongoraise  1904
Trio for piano, violin and clarinet in C minor   1896   pub. by Boosey
Trio for piano violin and cello in G major  1907   pub. by Boosey
Trio for clarinet, horn and piano
Regret and Conversation Gallante for piano violin and cello - version for clarinet and piano  1927
Prelude, Sarabande and Fugue for piano, violin and cello
Five diversions for string trio  1915
Prelude and Fugue for two clarinets and bassoon  1945
Bagatelles for clarinet and piano in four movements
Sonata for violin and piano in A flat major
Serenade - Sonata for violin and piano  in F minor1925
Sonatina in G for violin and piano
Sonatina in A for violin and piano  1926
Sonata di camera for violin and piano  1902
Three sketches for violin and piano - scherzetto, arietta,rondino  1900   pub. by Boosey
Caprice - impromptu for violin and piano
Four impressions for violin and piano   1928
Sonata in D for viola and piano   1938
Sonata for cello and piano
Idyll for flute and piano   1907   pub. by Stainer & Bell
Four Meditations for clarinet and piano - 1st set   1895   pub. by Boosey
Four Meditations for clarinet and piano - 2nd set   1901   pub. by Boosey
Suite in F for clarinet and piano  1899
Concerto for clarinet and piano - although there is evidence, the composer never got around to orchestrating this.
Miniature quartet for flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon.
Troilet in E flat for Oboe, clarinet and bassoon   1932
Horn sonata
Mosaic in ten easy pieces for clarinet and piano (also orchestrated for viola and piano)   1900
Introduction and allegro for bassoon and piano   1900

Piano

Aubade  in G major  1907   pub. by Joseph Williams & co.
An Autumn Melody   1934
Bagatelle   pub. by Pazdirek
A lyrical fantasy  1916   pub. by Cary & Co.
'At the Picture Gallery': 'Itinerant Musicians', 'Hunting Scene', 'The Path Through the Wood', 'Interior of a Church', 'On a May Morning'.   1919
'The Butterfly', intermezzo for piano   1929
Six Dance Sketches  1919   pub. by Stainer & Bell
Danse polonaise
Introduction, air and jig - duet  1924
Five dream pieces  1926
Noel   pub. by Augener
Pastorale   pub. by Stainer & Bell
Six easy diversions   1924
Six miniature preludes:  'Up in the Morning Early', 'Regrets', 'Cheer Up!, 'Hesitation', 'The Careless Shepherd', 'In Haven'.   1919   pub. by Anglo-French Music Co.
Holiday waltzes   1923
'In Early Spring'   1934
'The Masqueraders' - suite for piano   1927
A Memory   pub. by Augener
Miniature Sonata    1921
Five preludes in varying mood  1920
'The Scholar and a Day off'  1931
Serenade   1908   pub. by Augener
Slender themes:  'Sunbeams', 'The Rivulet'.   1925
'Sun and Shade'   1928
Two little pieces:  Andante moderato, Allegretto   1925
Two Pastels - 'A lace handkerchief' , 'The Coutier'   1926
Two sketches for piano:  'A memory'. 'Noel'.  1912
Valse elegante   1896   pub. by Boosey
Valse intermezzo, pastoral and improvisation   1908   pub. by Stainer & Bell
'The Winged Horse'   1926
Five vignettes for piano   1941
Four miniatures  1948
Introduction, air and jig for piano duet   1924

Song

All Fools Day  words by R H U Bloor   1899   pub. by Boosey
A Dream of Venice  words by R H U Bloor   1900   pub. by Boosey
All Things Lovely and True  words by E Teschemacher   1913
April and I  words by E Langbridge   1897   pub. by Boosey
Arcady  two part song  words by R H U Bloor   1913
A Song of Love and Death  with violin obligato  pub. by Boosey
A Summer Song   words by R H U Bloor   1900  pub. by Boosey
Amantes Amantibus
At the Church Gate  words by W M Thackeray   1904   pub. by Boosey
At the Window   1895   pub. by Chappell
Beat upon mine, Little Heart  words by A L Tennyson   1894   pub. by Boosey
Beneath the Pines, A Su Swap love song  words by C Bayliff   1898
Bird Raptures  two part song  words by Christina Rossetti   1931
Break, break, break,   words by Tennyson   11898
Child Songs:  The City Child, Minnie and Winnie.  words by A L Tennyson    1904
The Comrades  words by C Battersby   pub. by Boosey
December  unison song  words by Christina Rossetti     1924
Doris  words by H E Hunt   1912
Dream Daisies  words by G J Hicks   1898
Eldorado  words by E A Poe   1896   pub. by Boosey
England  two part song words by H Johnson   1907
Evening two part song  words by R M Watson   1927
Fain Would I Change  words by T Hume   1899   pub. by Boosey
False Cupid  from Horace  words by R H U Bloor   1903
Fold and Field  words by C Bayliff   1903   pub. by Boosey
The Fountain  unison song  words by J R Lowell
Gay go up  - Maypole song  words by R H U Bloor   1901  pub. by Boosey
Gentle Spring  unison song  words by Longfellow   1913
A Gipsy song  words by E Teschemacher   1902
The Gleaner's Slumber Song'  words by C Battersby
Good Morrow   words by T Heywood
The Hemlock Tree  words by Longfellow   1898  pub. by Boosey
Hey, ho, the wind and rain   words by Shakespeare
Hey, Jolly Robin!  words by R Jones   1899
Home - keeping hearts  words by Longfellow
Hunting song  two part song  words by Samuel Taylor-Coleridge   1930
Hush-a-bye Baby  words by R H U Bloor   1900   pub. by Boosey
If Love should brush you with his wing   four part song   words by A Simpson   1912
If though art Sleeping, Maiden  words by Longfellow   1899   pub. by Boosey
Invocation at Daybreak  words by D Donaldson   1897
In Yonder Vale  words by G Tanner
It was a lover and his lass (Duet)  words by W Shakespeare   1892   pub. by Boosey
Je n'ose pas  words by J M Levy   pub. by Boosey
Love and Friendship  two part song  words by Emily Bronte   1931
Love's a Thing of Tears and Laughter  four part song  words by A Simpson
Love's Gift  words by Victor Hugo   1903
Love's quest   words by A Simpson
Lullaby for an infant Child  unison song  words by Sir Walter Scott
Maire, my Girl  words by J K Casey   1896   pub. by Boosey
May-Day  words by R H U Bloor   1896  pub. by Boosey
The Mermaid's Home  two part song  words by E H Gomes
Mister Nobody   unison song
A Mother's song  words by G Tanner
My beloved  words by L Creswicke   1897   pub. by Boosey
My Day-dreams   words by A Simpson   1901   pub. by Boosey
My love is like a fountain true  words by S Baring Gould   1899   pub. by Boosey
My Pot-Pouri  words by L Johnston   1928
Mynheer Vandunck  words by G Colman the Younger   1895
Night and Rest  words by Goethe translated by Longfellow   1894   pub. by Boosey
Nocturn  four part song   words by D Donaldson   1904
Our Lady's Children  words by D Donaldson   1922
Over the Hills  two part song  words by E Oxenford   1921
The Piper unison song  words by S O'Sullivan
Queen Buttercup  two part song  words by D Donaldson   1913
Qu'apelle   pub by Boosey
The Restless River  two part song  words by E Oxenford
St Agnes' Eve  words by Tennyson   1905
Serenade  two part song words by G Darly   1918
Sing Aloud ye joyful People (Carol)
Sing a song of gladness   pub. by Boosey
Sleep  four part song   words by Beaumont and Fletcher   1909
A Song of love and death   words by Tennyson
Song on May morning  two part song   words by Milton   1924
The Building of the City  pub. by Joseph Williams & Co.
The Butterfly and the Rose words by Heine   1914
The Childrens Madrigal  words by A C Jeffreys   pub. by Boosey
The Letter   words by Tennyson   1902
The Perfect Note  four part song   words by A Simpson   1912
The Shepherd's Roundelay  duet  words by G Peele   1896   pub. by Boosey
The Shepherd's wife's song  words by R Greene   1897   pub. by Boosey
The Shower  two part song  words by D Gilman   1921
The Spring of the year   words by E Teschemacher   1906
Three Carols  pub. by Boosey
Sighing Winds  two part song  words by E Oxenford   1924
Silent Birds  two part song  words by E Oxenford   1923
A Suswap Love Song   pub. by Boosey
The Little Dream men  words by D Dickinson   1913
The Splendour Falls   words by Tennyson   1903   pub. by Boosey
The Trysting Tree   words by D Donaldson   1908   pub. by Novello
The Voices   four part song   words by J Russell   1914
Three of us   1907
To Pyrrha   words by RH U Bloor   1901   pub. by Boosey
To the Nightingale  unison song   words by G Tanner
Two songs: 1. Love's Quest  2. The Perfect Note
What is it calls ?  words by C Bayliff   1898
What is love?   words by R H U Bloor   1900   pub. by Boosey
When Bonny brown Skylarks   words by G Hadath   1903   pub. by Boosey
When Daylight dies   words by T Moore   1922
When in Disgrace - madrigal words by Shakespeare
When lovers meet  words by P G Ross   1922
When my Lady sings  words by D Donaldson   1908   pub. by Novello
When the Wind Blows words by B Cornwall   1901   pub. by Boosey
Wherever the spot   pub. by Boosey
Where Love is King   1900
Who Goes?   1915
A windy day  unison song  words by A Bronte   1930
The World Flag, a song of peace  words by J Russell
A Song of love and Death for mezzo and piano with clarinet obbligato
My Daydreams (page missing)
When I am old my dearest    words by Christina Rossetti
Ye little birds that sit and sing  words by T Heywood   1893

'The Girl in the Garden'  five little songs for high voice:   words by J Vogel
1. Spring's awakening
2. The first Hyacinthe
3. The Nestling bird
4. The First red leaf
5. Hope's renewal

'The Village': a cycle of two part songs for ladies voices.   words by E Pertwee
1. Morning Song
2. Milking song   pub. by Chappell
3. School Song
4. The Haymakers
5. Boating Song
6. Evensong

Five songs from Thackery:   1921
1. The Garret
2. The Age of Wisdom
3. The King on the Towr
4. Sorrows of Werther
5. The Mahogany Tree


A bound book of ten songs

1. Ave Maria, Hail Virgin Holy  words by M C Gillington   1906   pub. by Joseph Williams & co.
2. Diaphenia  words by H Constable   1908  pub. by Stainer & Bell
3. Good Morrow  words by T Heywood
4. Hail! Holy Child!   1909
5. Invocation at Daybreak   1907   pub. by Boosey
6. Milking Song  words by E Pertwee
7. Mule Music   1912   pub. by Joseph Williams & Co
8. Stars of a Summer Night   words by Longfellow   1905   pub. by Boosey
9.  To Blossoms   unison song   words by Heine
10. When All the World Was Sleeping   words by Chrystabel   pub. by Boosey

A Bound Book of Part Songs

1. Duet : The Skylark   1908   pub. by Stainer & Bell[/size]
2. Duet : Moonlight  words by Heine   1909  pub. by Stainer & Bell
3. Duet : Autumn  words by D Donaldson   1909  pub. by Stainer & Bell
4. Hymn to Diana  four part song words by B Johnson   1908   pub. by Laudy & Co.
5. There be None of Beauty's Daughters   four part song   words by Byron   1908
6. The Words of Alfred
7. There sits a Bird on Yonder Tree   four part song   words by T Ingolsby   1905   pub. by Novello
8. Green Fields of England  four part song  words by A H Clough   1908



Cantatas

'An Ode to St.Cecilia's Day' for soprano, bass, chorus and orchestra   1914   
'Ode to a Nightingale' - baritone, chorus and orchestra  words by John Keats   1897   pub. by Boosey
'The Pied Pieper of Hamlin' for tenor, bass, chorus and orchestra  words by R Browning 1893   pub. by Novello
'The Fair Maids of February'   1895  pub. by Joseph Williams  Ltd

I have lifted up mine eyes   anthem for choir

Operetta

'The Enchanted Island' 1900
'The Gardeners'  1906    pub. by Boosey
John O'Dreams  lyrics by A Ross   1911   pub. by Boosey

[Gareth Vaughan]

Do we know how many of these compositions have survived, and where the surviving manuscripts are?

[giles.enders]

Most of the chamber music is at Conway Hall.

[eschiss1]

The piano quartet I think I remember skimming back in college (not for performance, but out of interest - I'd read about Walthew and decided to inter-loan something of his...) Worldcat has some 200, I think, entries for Walthew, though many may be solely at St. Pancras. Well, not all- the clarinet trio in C minor is at a library in Australia. (I speak of survival of published copies, not manuscripts. And I think IMSLP has a work or two of his- yes ,"The Gleaner's Slumber Song.")

British Library has the score and parts to the Intermezzo Aladdin's Cave for small orch. pub. 1940. (presumably from "Aladdin") , and likewise the Minuet & Intermezzo for strings... (and a lot of chamber works and songs) -so there's that much- and some things that might be parts and not just vocal scores to his vocal works, their cataloguing sometimes seems to leave something to be desired on this end.

[albion]

Richard Henry Walthew in 1928 -




Some manuscripts, including the Piano Concerto (fp. at Queen's Hall on 3rd May 1894, with the composer as soloist), are with his grandson, John Walthew (a clarinettist).

[giles.enders]

On 2 March 2014 at Conway Hall, London there will be a performance given by L'Anima di Musica of Walthew's Piano Quartet in G minor and his Piano Trio in G major, also included in the concert will be Five Negro Melodies by Coleridge-Taylor and Vaughan- Williams, Romance and Pastorale. 

I hope people will make an effort to attend as this will encourage more rare and unsung works to be performed.  It is difficult to persuade musicians to learn and perform rare works if there is to be only one performance.  I would like to record this concert but there are no funds.

[vicharris]

The grandson had a computer-synthesized performance of the piano concerto on the net several years ago and I see it is here:

http://www.classicalarchives.com/midi/composer/3536.html

[Gareth Vaughan]

On 2 March 2014 at Conway Hall, London there will be a performance given by L'Anima di Musica of Walthew's Piano Quartet in G minor and his Piano Trio in G major, also included in the concert will be Five Negro Melodies by Coleridge-Taylor and Vaughan- Williams, Romance and Pastorale.

Well done, Giles! I have put it in my diary.

[Leafshimmer]

I hope the concert went off with great eclat!  Although I have heard only a few songs and one chamber work by Walthew, what I have heard makes me long to hear more.  For some reason he is mixed up in my memory with Albert Mallinson, probably because I had works by them adjacent on the same tape back in the 1970s.

It is heartening to see musicians take the time (and time, we all know, is MONEY) and expend the energy to learn and perform works by such unsung artists of yore.

Best,

Steve

[giles.enders]

Further performances of Walthew's chamber music are planned for later in the year both in Kent and Somerset.  I have no further details yet.  His first piano concerto is with a record company but a substantial donation towards recording would help to bring it to the front of the queue.  Unfortunatly 'Fiametta' and the more substantial second piano concerto cannot be traced. The first concerto is about twenty five minutes long and is quite 'tuneful'. 

[Leafshimmer]

That all sounds wonderful, Giles.  I am trying to recall details of a chamber work (of a variety once known as "salon music")  RW composed in 1900.  It was said to have been performed at the Crystal Palace.  There was an old recording of a few of the short movements from around the 1920s or 1930s and then in the 1980s, I believe, it was recorded on LP in an arrangement for clarinet and piano.  I want to say the title was "Mosaic" but that could be completely wrong.  Really delightful stuff.  If I chivvy out more details I will post here.

I would love to hear the 1st pf concerto.  Let's hope an angel appears with the requisite cash to make it happen...

cheers, Steve

[Leafshimmer]

Here's a recording of the clarinet version of MOSAIC by Walthew:

http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/17675/Richard-Henry-Walthew-A-Mosaic-in-Ten-Pieces

I believe the old recording (circa 1920s?) was an arrangement for violin and piano.

It really is charming, delightful music... I highly recommend it.

Best, Shimmer

[Lang]

You seem to have missed the song 'Mule Music' - it was an important work.

[edurban]

He must have been a gentleman with a lively sense of humor.  The songs from Thackery (sic), include WMT's cool distillation of the Sorrows of Young Werther:

Sorrows of Werther
 
William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–63)
 


 
WERTHER had a love for Charlotte 
  Such as words could never utter; 
Would you know how first he met her? 
  She was cutting bread and butter. 
 
Charlotte was a married lady,         
  And a moral man was Werther, 
And for all the wealth of Indies 
  Would do nothing for to hurt her. 
 
So he sigh'd and pin'd and ogled, 
  And his passion boil'd and bubbled,         
Till he blew his silly brains out, 
  And no more was by it troubled. 
 
Charlotte, having seen his body 
  Borne before her on a shutter, 
Like a well-conducted person,         
  Went on cutting bread and butter. 

Best, David
 

[giles.enders]

As mentioned in the original post, his closest friend was the cartoonist William Heath Robinson.  so I assume they shared some of Heath Robinson's humour.  HR is worth a 'Google'