Frank Merrick 1886-1981

[giles.enders]

The important thing is that you make a copy of this piece of music, even if it is a fragment.  Sadly our major music colleges and also Bristol University cannot be trusted to keep the archives left to them.  I would suggest you try contacting Bristol Uni. as previously suggested and perhaps let us know what reply if any, that you receive. 

[Gareth Vaughan]

I endorse what Giles says. It is very important that a copy or copies be made of this piece as soon as possible, and lodged with (I would suggest) the British Library and the Fleisher Collection (Fleisher can be relied on to look after things).

[giles.enders]

I have revisited my original posting made in March 2011 and added to it - see above.

It is very difficult researching Merrick for three reasons:

Firstly Bristol University disposed of some of his archive without recording what.
Merrick titled some works in Esperanto including many songs.  I may have duplicated some.
Merrick did not appear to have a system for recording his compositions, few opus numbers for example.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I have ascertained from Bristol University that they have MS scores and parts of Merrick's 2 piano concertos. The work titled "Concerto in A minor for 2 pianos" is a 2-piano score. There is no indication that it was intended to be a concerto for 2 pianos and orchestra. It is an early work and is catalogued in an archive box containing early/student pieces. Merrick died in 1981 so all these works will still be in copyright and permission would need to be sought from a member of his family (to whom the University can direct any interested party) to perform or record them.