Frank Merrick 1886-1981

[giles.enders]

Frank Merrick Born 3.4.1886  - Died 19.12.1981.

His parents were both musical.  His father also named Frank was a Doctor of Music and was Frank jnr's initial teacher.  From 1898 to 1901 he was in Vienna studying with Theodor Leschetizky. His first concert was for charity in Bristol in 1895.  He made his London concert debut in 1903.  Early on he toured as an accompanist with Clara Butt.  In 1911 he became a professor at the Royal Manchester College of Music. During WW1 he was imprisoned for being a conscientious objector. During this period he taught himself Esperanto. From 1929 he held the same post at the RCM in London.  In 1956 he joined the music faculty of Trinity College, London.  He married twice ¹

Following his 1903 London concert at Bechstein now Wigmore Hall he was described by one critic as the finest British pianist since D'Albert and Lamond. It goes on to say 'he has a priceless gift of thought in addition to his technical prowess.  There are several very good reviews from this concert.

Orchestral

Symphony in D minor  1912
Piano Concerto in B flat   1901
Piano Concerto in E minor  1936
Concerto in A minor for two pianos and orchestra  1901
Scherzo and finale - completion of Schubert's unfinished symphony (this was for a Columbia Gramophone competition and was recorded)
'Celtic Suite for small orchestra  1920
'A Dream Pageant' for string orchestra or string quintet
Ballad overture in E minor

Chamber

Piano Quartet in G minor
Piano Trio in F sharp minor  1910
Chaconne in G minor for violin and piano
Chaconne de Tomaso Vitali  for violin and piano
Descriptive piece of a country church from a distance for violin and piano
Gavotte and Sarabande for oboe, harp or piano
Suite in C: overture, gavotte, minuet, rondo. for two B flat clarinets, three violins, viola cello and bass.
Sonatina for clarinet or viola d'amore and pianoforte
Variations on a rustic theme for B flat clarinet or viola d'amore and piano
Maud's minuet  for violin and piano
Jig for five violins
Sonata for viola and piano or cello and piano
Suite in Eighteenth C. style  for unaccompanied cello
Theme and variations for basoon and piano
Variations on a Russian folk song 'Fly Little Hare'  for two B flat cornets and two trombones  or strings
Twenty five variations in F minor scored for piano with notes indicating military band with options for instruments.

Piano

Sonata in A minor  1902
Air and variations  mostly in A major in manuscript
Air and variations  mostly in B flat  in manuscript
Air with variations  dedicated to his mother  1904
Barcarolle in G minor   dedicated to his father
Gavotte in A Op.2  pub. by E Chriton, Bristol
Minuet
Rhapsody in C minor  Op.8   pub. by Augener
Tarantella  in B minor  Op.7  pub. by Augener
Cadenzas for Beethoven's G major piano concerto
Symphony in D minor arr. by Merrick for two pianos
'Ocean Lullaby'  1910  pub. by Stainer & Bell
'Hares on Mountains' - three part invention on Somerset folk-song   pub. by Novello
'Hebridean Seascape'  arr. by Ronald Stevenson from slow movement of 2nd. piano concerto
'The Bonnie Bluebell variations on a Somerset folk song   pub. by Novello
Irish Dance
Theme and variations - manuscript
Untitled piece scored for two pianos   manuscript
Untitled piece scored as a piano duet   manuscript

Song

'A Nocturnal Sketch by Thomas Hood  for three unaccompanied female voices
'Al Eta Pra-Omklino'  for children or female voice and piano
'Antikva Gaela Dorn-Moto' song for unaccompanied voice
Antikva Hina Popolkanto'
'Awake the Lute' for two voices and piano
'The Black Rider' 
'Brunulo' for male voice and piano
'Chorus and Echoes'  four part song  words by Shelley   pub. by Stainer & Bell
'Fumoj'  for voice and piano
'In Praise of Music'  four part song  words by R Edwards  pub. by Stainer & Bell
'Kanto De Vagabondo'  for male voice and piano
'Konko' for contralto and piano
'Krak, Krak, Krakad'  for voice and piano
'La Cisterno'  for female voice and piano
'La Flugiloj'  for male voice and piano
'La Hirondoj'  for children's or female voices with piano and recorder
'La Kvar sezonoj' (The four seasons)  for voice, piano, clarinet and strings
'Lulkanto' for voice, harp, lute, guitar or piano.
'Lullaby'
'Memnon' for voice and piano
'La Nigra Rajdanto'  for voice and piano
'Nego' for voice and piano
'Octobro'  (October)  for voice and piano
'Oh! Snatch'd away in beauty's bloom'  words by Byron   
'Parliamentry Language' for two voices and piano
'Pluvo' for voice and piano
'Rajdante Lernejon'  for female voice and piano
'Rondelo, al Forlasitaj Kordoj'  for bass voice and violin
Snow
'Somera Nokto'  (Summer Night) for voice and piano
'Sur La Saimaa' for voice and piano
'Tago Mezo' for contralto and piano
'Tajpado'  for voice and piano
The Well
'Veko Asfodela'  for voice and piano

Carols

Epiphany  words by Horace King   pub. by OUP
Lift up lightly the golden bar  for four voices words by Horace King

Choral

'La Vojo'  chorus with piano
'Naiva Poemeto'  for chorus
Psalmo 104a  chorus with two oboes, two horns and bass trombone.
Psalmo 23 for chorus
'We praise thee O God'  chorus and piano

Music for John Redwood Anderson's 'The Pursuit of Diarmuid Graunia'  harp prelude and seven choruses.

This is a far from complete list.



 The piano concerto in A minor for two pianos and orchestra.  I know nothing about this work. Has anyone looked at it?

1.
Evelyn Hope Squire  -1936
Sybil Phoebe Case 1911-1989  Married Frank Merrick in 1937

Children
Phoebe Merrick 1939-
Paul Merrick 1941-
Celia  Merrick 1946

[albion]

I'm afraid I don't know very much about Merrick the composer rather than the pianist. Most of his extant manuscripts (including piano reductions of the concerto and an incomplete Symphony in D minor) are at the University of Bristol, housed in the Centre for the History of Music in Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth (http://bristol.ac.uk/music/CHOMBEC/bms/merrick-catalogue.pdf). The catalogue is headed, rather ominously, This list is what remains of his library in 1997. Much of it was dispersed a few years ago. 

[jerfilm]

I have, on tape, recordings of Merrick's Piano Concerto #1 in Bb and Piano Concerto #2 (key signature unknown to me).  Both are in a late romantic idiom.  Know nothing of a two piano concerto. 

Jerry

[albion]

I've never come across the concertos by Merrick, but they sound intriguing. I've just found a reference to Rare Recorded Editions LPs -

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat major (1905)

Frank Merrick (piano)/Oliver Broome/Orchestra
( + Tomlinson: An English Suite)
RARE RECORDED EDITIONS SRRE 156 (LP) (c. 1975)

Piano Concerto No. 2 in E minor (1936)

Frank Merrick (piano)/John Foster/Beckenham Orchestra
RARE RECORDED EDITIONS SRRE 128 (LP) (c. 1975)

Although they are not broadcasts, given the rarity of the repertoire might these performances be possible candidates for BMB?   

[Steve B]

Frank Merrick is hero in my eyes for first recordings(I think!) of Field concerti; though of course a pioneer in Field studies, his playing is atrocious; but at least 80 when he recorded; lots of the "Divine passagework"(Liszt re Field) and florid stuff is fluffed; but the opening movement of PC no. 4 , played at a stentorian pace, is very moving because it really suits this sad, grand music, especially the opening tutti; I have some, not all, of these Rare recorded edtn Lps but not the Merrick PCs; there is also some Hummel, etc.

Steve

[eschiss1]

hrm. he may have been beaten to the pinch[?] in particular Field concertos by other people by a few years, but it does seem he was among the earlier people to record them, at least...

[Rob H]

I hope someone has the Merrick Concerti. I remember finding out about them about 25 years ago in an old copy of the Gramophone Classical Catalogue (in the 'special issues' section at the back) - If I'd known then how rare they would turn out to be I would've snapped up copies! I seem to remember 8 concertos were mentioned and for some reason - I can only imagine that it was written in the same place - I recall that in one of them that trumpet has just one note, one solitary note in the slow movement. Can anyone confirm this or knows the whereabouts of any of these Merrick Concerto recordings?
Rob

[eschiss1]

Who was involved with "Rare Recorded Editions" in those days, anyone know? They might have some idea where the scores are to the recordings that are now the documents for the concerto in E minor recording from 1968-ish... or could start to lay a trail, or something.  That, or Merrick's estate? Or is all that well-trod path that's turned up nothing...

[albion]

It might be an idea to contact the Centre for the History of Music in Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth at Bristol University and ask if they know what was dispersed from Merrick's library before 1997 (see post number 2 above) and where it might now possibly be. 

[jerfilm]

I have tapes of both Merrick Concertos which came from the RRE discs.  I would be happy to share them when I get back to Minnesota in another month or so.

Jerry

[Mykulh]

I am pleased that Albion utilized my reference  to Frank Merrick's Piano Concertos. I just wish he had mentioned the source. Here it is: British and Commonwealth Concertos - A Discography of CDs and LPs http://www.musicweb-international.com/British_Symphonies_on_CD/British_symphonies_on_CD_page1.htm. It is part of a series of Discographies that appears on the MusicWebInternational website. The general URL for the series is: http://www.musicweb-international.com/herman_discogs.htm. Please take a look if you haven't done so already. I am always looking for more "eyes" to spot omissions or errors.

[Mark Thomas]

Welcome Mykulh! I quite enjoyed the Merrick concertos, by the way. Good mainstream Rachmaninovesque stuff.

[albion]

I am pleased that Albion utilized my reference  to Frank Merrick's Piano Concertos. I just wish he had mentioned the source.

Hi Michael - you've got your very own thread here - http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,967.0.html   

[Steve B]

There is a recording, with a scrappy orchestra, of the Merrrick First piano concerto; it is the RRE LP mentioned earlier; he was 89 when he recorded this!; the pianism is not perfect but is much better than on the Field RRE Lps. I am forever indebted to Merrick for his preparation of the Field editionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfk4U3HSfn0&list=FLPAXlImLTFAkclTJrTOwWSQ&index=1&feature=plpp_video.
this link is to the Merrick performance of his own first concerto, uploaded on U-tube.
Steve

[anoushkabirnie]

Hi guys, I have found my great grandmothers personal music/drawing/signature book. Inside of it was a handwritten music piece signed Frank Merrick JR it's gonna be around 1905-1920. Does anyone know where or who would be the right person to speak to about it, to get information. Many thanks Anoushka