Percy Sherwood: Violin concerto

[violinconcerto]

The score of the Violin concerto (1902) by Percy Sherwood can be downloaded for free from my website:

http://www.tobias-broeker.de/rare-manuscripts/violin-concertos/percy-sherwood/


Percy Sherwood was born on 23 May 1866 in Dresden (Germany) to an English father and a German mother. He attended school in Dresden and later studied music at the Dresden University under Felix Draeseke (composition) and Bertrand Roth (piano). After his studies he worked as a performer and conductor as well as a teacher at the Dresden University. In 1893 he was appointed professor at the Dresden University, in 1911 even ,,Königlicher Professor". One notable student of Percy Sherwood from that time in Dresden is Dora Pejacevic.

Percy Sherwood also composed music since his student years with immediate success: He was awarded the famous Mendelssohn Prize in 1889 for his Requiem and his works in general were widely performed in Germany during the first decade of the 20th century.

In 1914, when war was declared between Germany and England, Percy Sherwood stayed in England coincidentally and decided to remain there (he was of English nationality). In Dresden Percy Sherwood was an important and renowned figure in the musical life, but in England he was virtually nameless. Therefore it is little known about the activities from that part of his life. He surely made a living as a private music teacher and he continued to compose music. Despite his worse personal situation in England Percy Sherwood decided to stayed in England after World War I. Percy Sherwood died in London on 15 May 1939.

[Alan Howe]

Thanks, Tobias. Sherwood is an important figure, just being rediscovered.

[minacciosa]

That is just excellent! Thank you very much! Do you know who has the orchestral material?

[Alan Howe]

As far as I know it hasn't survived. It's not in the Bodleian. So this may remain a purely academic exercise, sadly.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Alan is right. The full score (assuming Sherwood ever prepared one) appears to be lost. Percy Sherwood's surviving autograph MSS, together with a number of copyist's MSS are in the Bodleian Library. The piano/violin score which Tobias has so considerately produced exists there in a copyist's hand.