Adelina de Lara 1872-1961

[giles.enders]

Adelina de Lara OBE born Lottie Adelina Preston  23.1.1872 in Cumbria, England - died 25.11.1961 Woking, Surrey, England
Daughter of George Mathew Tilbury who changed his name to Preston, Adelina in turn discarded Preston and adopted the name of her maternal grandfather Count Laurent de Lara.  Her first cousin was Landon Ronald, their mothers were sisters. In 1896 she married Thomas Johnson Shipwright, they subsequently had two sons  *.


Her initial studies were with Fanny Davies and later at The Hoch Conservatory, Frankfurt 1886-91 under Ivan Knorr for theory and Clara Schumann for piano.  Her first appearance at St.James's Hall, London was in 1891, She played the Schuman piano concerto with the Halle Orchestra in 1897.  For most of her life she promoted and performed the works of Robert Schumann above all others.  On her 82 birthday she she gave a televised recital.  During both wars she organised War Fund concerts. She was vice president of The Society of Women Musicians.
In later life she became involved with animal charities, particularly with the RSPCA

Orchestral

Piano Concerto No.1  pub. by Stainer & Bell
Piano Concerto No.2
Concerto for strings  1938
'In the Forest' Daybreak, The Storm King rides through the forest, Glory of the Bluebells (noon), As the sun sets, The March of the Gnomes (moonlight) for string orchestra  1949  pub. by Stainer & Bell
Symphonic Dance Fantasy for piano and strings - prelude, dawn and the dance. 
Idyll for tenor and orchestra

Piano

A Children's party  pub. by J B Cramer & Co.
Nocturne  1896  pub. by Stanley Lucas & Co.
Six small pieces for Christmas  1913  pub. by J B Cramer & Co.
Suite 'In the Forest' - later rewritten for strings
Valse Joyeuse  1904  pub. by Chappell & Co.

Song

Rose of the World (5 songs) 'Her Garden Glows', The Birds at their Matins', Love's Elysium', 'Now though art Gone', 'The Splendour of loves dream'.  words by Mrs T Kelly 1907 pub. by Enoch & Co.
The Red Rose of June. words by W B Baldry 1912  pub. by Leonard & Co.
Red lips, farewell  words by F E Weatherly 1913  pub. by J B Cramer & Co.
Night and day  words by F G Bowles1911 pub. by Ascherberg, Hopwood & Crew.
Love's waking  words by E Clifford 1907  pub. by Enoch & Sons.
Love's dream  words by W B Baldry1912 pub. by J Ousley Music Co.
Light of my heart  words by F A Joseph  pub. by Enoch & Sons.
In the light of your eyes  words by F E Weatherly pub. by J B Cramer & Co.
Fight on, brave sons  words by F A Joseph1914  pub. by J B Cramer & Co.
Song of two lives - song cycle: 1.There was a song, 2. Into my life, 3. Through life there runs a chain, 4. Across the void.  words for all by H Simpson 1908  pub. by Enoch & Sons.
Look up from the darkness,  voice with organ or harmonium  words by E Lockton1916  pub. by Enoch & Sons
Dramatic scena - Song of life and death 1914

Her memoirs 'Finale', pub. 1955, are annoying, as there are no dates given, there is no index nor a list of her compositions.

* Alan Thomas Kingston Shipwrignt  10.5.1897-4.1.1980
Denis Ewart Bernard Kingston Shipwright  20.5.1898- 13.9.1984

[Gareth Vaughan]

Did she not also write a Symphony? Do we know the whereabouts of any of her MSS?