333:, and set up a pension scheme for the staff. He instituted an overhaul of the college's facilities, from rehearsal space down to lavatories, to provide a better working environment for the students. He also modernised the curriculum and examination system of the college. He held the strong view that with first-rate performances of music now easily and regularly available on radio and record, people now coming into the musical profession needed to attain the highest standards if they were to compete. His emphasis on technical excellence led to criticism;
315:
144:
571:(1989), a selection of Dyson's uncollected articles and talks on music, and also promoted the first modern recordings of Dyson's music. The Sir George Dyson Trust was established in 1998, with the declared aim of advancing public education in the understanding and appreciation of Dyson's music, and making available his manuscripts, writings, scores, drafts and memoranda for the encouragement of the study of his work. Late
1090:
425:, and enjoyed what Foreman describes as "a remarkable Indian summer" of composition, although by this time his music seemed old-fashioned to some listeners. His late works were published and performed, but did not, according to Foreman, "have quite the immediate following" of the music from earlier in his career.
546:
for string quartet. The Trust has published a full list of works, totalling nine orchestral works, seven chamber works, thirteen pieces or sets of pieces for piano, four solo organ pieces, twenty works for chorus and orchestra, seventy-nine works for chorus with piano, or organ or unaccompanied, five
441:
remarked that Dyson's works had a certain ambiguity, "due probably to the fact that great musical skill was allied, exceptionally, with an extrovert temperament." The same writer observed that although everything Dyson wrote was well made, he never developed a personal idiom, "nor engendered much
367:
After the war, Dyson had to deal with a surge in demand for places at the college: students who had interrupted their studies to join the armed forces and the post-war generation of new applicants swelled the numbers of applicants, and Dyson and his board were obliged to make the requirements for
257:
as "a virile fantasia for chorus and orchestra illustrates memorably the composer's talent for diatonic melody of impressive eloquence, his predilection for enharmonic modulation contrived with apposite ingenuity, and his accomplished handling of orchestral subtleties." Foreman writes that the
84:
Greenwood, a weaver. Dyson senior was also organist and choirmaster at a local church, and both parents were members of amateur choirs. They encouraged their son's musical talent, and at the age of 13 he was appointed as a church organist. Three years later he secured an FRCO (Fellowship of the
22:
48:, he was a schoolmaster and college lecturer. In 1938 he became director of the RCM, the first of its alumni to do so. As director he instituted financial and organisational reforms and steered the college through the difficult days of the
436:
Dyson said of himself as a composer, "My reputation is that of a good technician âĻ not markedly original. I am familiar with modern idioms but they are outside the vocabulary of what I want to say". The music critic of
348:. His decision had important consequences beyond the college, as other institutions followed suit, with the result that continuity of training was possible and standards were maintained. At the RCM,
368:
entry more stringent. His emphasis on practical musicianship led him to cull the college's library and archives, disposing of many old books and manuscripts, to the outrage of some colleagues.
547:
hymns, six songs, and thirteen lost or destroyed works from the composer's early career. In 2014, to mark the 50th anniversary of Dyson's death, Ben
Costello produced an arrangement of
1139:
1159:
344:
began in 1939 many educational and other organisations were evacuated from London to avoid the expected bombing. Dyson was adamant that the RCM should remain in its home in
1358:
1298:
1303:
236:
In addition to teaching at the RCM and
Winchester and directing the school's music, Dyson was conductor of an adult choral society, and a visiting lecturer at
294:
From the early 1930s Dyson and others had been concerned about the future of amateur music making in
Britain, which was under increasing pressure from the
1328:
1293:
1288:
1273:
1348:
233:
comments that it was during his dual tenure at the RCM and
Winchester that "the various strands of his mature career as a composer developed".
1283:
36:
371:
Dyson's encouragement of talent sometimes showed itself in a willingness to depart from normal practice when he felt it necessary. Although
1323:
330:
329:; he took great pride in being the first former student of the RCM to become its director. He secured funding for the college from the
171:, he was invalided back to England. Parry recorded in his diary how shaken he was when he saw Dyson, "a shadow of his former self".
1094:
1023:
375:, as a clarinet student, was not allowed to take part in the conducting class because his pianistic skills were judged inadequate,
1278:
1166:
63:. His works were well known during his lifetime but underwent a period of neglect before being revived in the late 20th century.
994:
1313:
379:
fared better: even though he decamped from the college, Dyson encouraged him to return and smoothed his path in doing so; for
1073:
217:
In 1920 Dyson's composing career advanced when his Three
Rhapsodies for string quartet were chosen for publication under the
383:
Dyson made special arrangements to enable him to pursue his guitar studies, not hitherto part of the college's curriculum.
526:
In addition to those mentioned by the composer, the Dyson Trust lists the following compositions as available as at 2017:
178:, who became a noted theoretical physicist and mathematician, and a daughter, Alice. In 1917 Dyson received the degree of
1353:
1343:
1130:
1338:
1333:
975:
291:
praised for originality, underivative nature and avoidance of "the freakishly obscure or the pompously grandiose".
280:
748:
259:
174:
In
November 1917 Dyson married Mildred Lucy Atkey (1880â1975), daughter of a London solicitor. They had a son,
361:
222:
218:
40:(28 May 1883 – 28 September 1964) was an English musician and composer. After studying at the
264:(1931) "a succession of evocative and colourful Chaucerian portraits âĻ and probably his most famous score".
225:
and professor of composition at the RCM. In 1924, while remaining at the RCM he switched schools, moving to
1110:
133:
112:, which enabled him to spend three years in Italy, Austria and Germany. He met leading musicians including
303:
244:
universities; composing had to be fitted into what spare time he had. Works from this period include the
98:
718:
80:, Yorkshire, the eldest of the three children of John William Dyson, a blacksmith, and his wife, Alice,
1122:
457:
in D and F are performed with any frequency. Dyson himself chose to include the following works in his
206:
86:
55:
As a composer Dyson wrote in a traditional idiom, reflecting the influence of his teachers at the RCM,
1308:
648:, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004. Retrieved 20 November 2017
306:
in 1935 as an umbrella organisation and financial bulwark for music groups and performing societies.
94:
60:
415:
237:
109:
77:
97:. He supported himself during his years studying at the RCM by working as assistant organist at
1318:
1229:
1199:
1176:
1152:
1106:
693:
446:
411:
403:
326:
318:
90:
41:
395:
391:
268:
241:
1268:
1263:
202:
183:
1144:
8:
1126:
991:
407:
749:"British Classical Music: The Land of Lost Content: George Dyson : Siena Overture"
560:
534:
for orchestra, Evening
Service in C Minor, Evening Service in D, Morning Service in D,
226:
129:
to stand out from many works by other young composers, but the score has not survived.
314:
1069:
1052:
488:
459:
337:
said that he "reversed the humanistic trend that had been the ideal of the college".
299:
253:
198:
197:(RAF), serving until 1920. In this capacity, organising RAF bands, he completed the
1134:
345:
341:
295:
163:
officer of the 99th infantry brigade. In that role he wrote a training pamphlet on
49:
651:
1235:
1223:
998:
979:
399:
387:
349:
194:
179:
156:
152:
132:
When he returned to
Britain in 1907 Dyson was appointed director of music at the
113:
105:
45:
1211:
1140:
Audio track of Dyson
Magnificat in F available from Cardiff Cathedral Choir.org
376:
353:
117:
1116:
645:
1257:
1217:
572:
230:
175:
116:, whose style is believed to have influenced Dyson's early compositions. His
26:
700:, online edition, Oxford University Press, 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2017
108:
prize for composition while still an RCM student, and in 1904 was awarded a
1241:
1193:
1187:
721:, Grove Music Online, Oxford University Press. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
585:
380:
258:
cantata was so successful that Dyson soon produced a more ambitious piece,
190:
140:, director of the RCM. From there he moved to Marlborough College in 1911.
137:
56:
1056:
972:
372:
168:
143:
1044:
422:
302:
and the radio. With the aid of the
Carnegie Trust Dyson co-founded the
287:(1934). Purely orchestral works included a Symphony in G (1937), which
221:'s publication scheme. In 1921 he took up the posts of music master at
825:
789:
1024:
Freeman Dyson, Math Genius Turned Visionary Technologist, Dies at 96'
586:
Grenade Warfare: Notes on the Training and Organisation of Grenadiers
454:
325:
In 1938 Dyson was appointed director of the RCM on the retirement of
160:
125:
428:
Dyson died at his home in Winchester on 28 September 1964, aged 81.
267:
British choral festivals commissioned new works from Dyson. For the
21:
209:, adding a slow middle section and fully scoring the whole piece.
167:
warfare for which he became well known. In 1916, incapacitated by
245:
164:
1101:
1010:
298:
and what Dyson called "the invasions of mechanical music" â the
1089:
559:
Foreman writes that a revival of Dyson's music was started by
1174:
357:
25:
Dyson as Director of the Royal College of Music, 1952, by
147:
Dyson's first publication: notes on grenade warfare, 1915
826:"Towards National Co-operation: An Outline and a Policy"
189:
After a long convalescence Dyson was commissioned as a
1118:
Performance of Dyson Fantasy for cello and orchestra
1013:, Sir George Tyson Trust. Retrieved 22 November 2017
1001:, Sir George Dyson Trust. Retrieved 22 November 2017
982:, Sir George Dyson Trust. Retrieved 22 November 2017
1359:Presidents of the Independent Society of Musicians
779:Foreman, Lewis. Notes to Naxos CD 8.557720 (2004)
89:), and in 1900 he won an open scholarship to the
1255:
421:In 1952 Dyson retired from the RCM. He moved to
1299:Instructors of the Royal Naval College, Osborne
309:
1304:Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
1160:
396:Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
212:
575:was also a champion of his father's music.
1167:
1153:
352:took charge of the college orchestra, and
808:"Queen's Hall: Dr Dyson's New Symphony",
449:writes that of the composer's works only
44:(RCM) in London, and army service in the
1329:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I
874:
872:
870:
868:
313:
142:
93:(RCM) where he studied composition with
20:
1294:Directors of the Royal College of Music
1289:Academics of the Royal College of Music
820:
818:
775:
773:
771:
769:
713:
711:
709:
1274:Musicians from Halifax, West Yorkshire
1256:
1063:
746:
565:George Dyson: a Centenary Appreciation
304:National Federation of Music Societies
1349:British Army personnel of World War I
1148:
1043:
865:
689:
687:
685:
683:
681:
679:
640:
638:
636:
634:
632:
630:
628:
626:
1284:Alumni of the Royal College of Music
1066:Sir George Dyson: His Life and Music
815:
766:
706:
442:emotional sap in his larger works".
1324:Pupils of Charles Villiers Stanford
13:
1131:Academy of St Martin in the Fields
676:
623:
66:
14:
1370:
1083:
992:"Sir George Dyson: List of Works"
578:
1088:
551:for two pianos and percussion.
410:and honorary fellowships of the
1016:
1004:
985:
966:
957:
948:
939:
930:
921:
912:
903:
894:
885:
856:
847:
838:
802:
796:, September 1933, pp. 800â801
646:"Dyson, Sir George (1883â1964)"
491:, 1939; Violin Concerto, 1942;
364:in Vienna, joined the faculty.
1279:20th-century English composers
878:"Obituary: Sir George Dyson",
782:
740:
727:
667:
658:
71:
1:
1314:Composers awarded knighthoods
1068:. Woodbridge: Boydell Press.
832:, February 1936, pp. 121â125
747:France, John (29 July 2008).
611:
536:Prelude, Fantasy and Chaconne
503:for Piano and Strings, 1951;
362:Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde
95:Sir Charles Villiers Stanford
1111:Choral Public Domain Library
652:UK public library membership
310:RCM director and later years
134:Royal Naval College, Osborne
7:
1107:Free scores by George Dyson
392:1941 New Years Honours List
331:University Grants Committee
136:, on the recommendation of
99:St Alfege Church, Greenwich
10:
1375:
1354:British military musicians
1037:
882:, 30 September 1964, p. 17
273:St Paul's Voyage to Melita
213:Schoolmaster and professor
87:Royal College of Organists
1344:Royal Air Force musicians
1183:
812:, 17 December 1937, p. 14
605:Fiddling While Rome Burns
554:
538:for cello and orchestra,
402:from the universities of
155:in 1914 Dyson joined the
123:(1907) was considered by
61:Charles Villiers Stanford
1339:Royal Air Force officers
1334:Royal Fusiliers officers
997:31 December 2016 at the
616:
453:and two sets of evening
431:
398:(KCVO) in 1953. He held
1095:George Dyson (composer)
978:1 December 2017 at the
834:(subscription required)
798:(subscription required)
753:British Classical Music
723:(subscription required)
702:(subscription required)
505:Sweet Thames Run Softly
469:The Canterbury Pilgrims
451:The Canterbury Pilgrims
416:Imperial College London
261:The Canterbury Pilgrims
151:On the outbreak of the
110:Mendelssohn Scholarship
1230:Michael Gough Matthews
1177:Royal College of Music
1102:Sir George Dyson Trust
412:Royal Academy of Music
322:
319:Royal College of Music
148:
91:Royal College of Music
42:Royal College of Music
29:
1097:at Wikimedia Commons
1064:Spicer, Paul (2014).
1051:. London: Ian Allan.
599:The Progress of Music
549:In Honour of the City
465:In Honour of the City
317:
269:Three Choirs Festival
251:(1928), described by
249:In Honour of the City
146:
24:
1236:Dame Janet Ritterman
203:Henry Walford Davies
193:in the newly formed
184:University of Oxford
1224:Sir David Willcocks
1127:Julian Lloyd Webber
945:Spicer, pp. 295â296
918:Spicer, pp. 276â277
737:, 21 May 1909, p. 1
719:"Dyson, Sir George"
694:"Dyson, Sir George"
521:A Christmas Garland
499:for Strings, 1949;
445:Dyson's biographer
356:, displaced by the
1212:Sir Ernest Bullock
1030:, 28 February 2020
561:Christopher Palmer
497:Concerto da Chiesa
493:Concerto da Camera
487:; Symphony, 1937;
394:and was appointed
323:
227:Winchester College
223:Wellington College
149:
76:Dyson was born in
30:
1251:
1250:
1218:Sir Keith Falkner
1175:Directors of the
1093:Media related to
1075:978-1-84383-903-3
830:The Musical Times
794:The Musical Times
650:(subscription or
517:Let's go a-Maying
501:Concerto Leggiero
386:Dyson received a
254:The Musical Times
229:. His biographer
1366:
1309:Knights Bachelor
1206:Sir George Dyson
1194:Sir Hubert Parry
1188:Sir George Grove
1169:
1162:
1155:
1146:
1145:
1135:Neville Marriner
1119:
1092:
1079:
1060:
1031:
1020:
1014:
1008:
1002:
989:
983:
970:
964:
961:
955:
952:
946:
943:
937:
934:
928:
925:
919:
916:
910:
907:
901:
898:
892:
889:
883:
876:
863:
860:
854:
851:
845:
842:
836:
835:
822:
813:
806:
800:
799:
788:Hull, Robert H.
786:
780:
777:
764:
763:
761:
759:
744:
738:
731:
725:
724:
717:Foreman, Lewis.
715:
704:
703:
691:
674:
671:
665:
662:
656:
655:
644:Foreman, Lewis.
642:
563:, who published
544:Three Rhapsodies
540:Te Deum Laudamus
532:Children's Suite
528:A Spring Garland
473:St Paul's Voyage
400:honorary degrees
346:South Kensington
342:Second World War
296:Great Depression
138:Sir Hubert Parry
50:Second World War
39:
33:Sir George Dyson
16:English composer
1374:
1373:
1369:
1368:
1367:
1365:
1364:
1363:
1254:
1253:
1252:
1247:
1179:
1173:
1117:
1086:
1076:
1040:
1035:
1034:
1021:
1017:
1009:
1005:
999:Wayback Machine
990:
986:
980:Wayback Machine
971:
967:
962:
958:
953:
949:
944:
940:
935:
931:
926:
922:
917:
913:
908:
904:
899:
895:
890:
886:
877:
866:
861:
857:
852:
848:
843:
839:
833:
824:Dyson, George.
823:
816:
807:
803:
797:
787:
783:
778:
767:
757:
755:
745:
741:
732:
728:
722:
716:
707:
701:
692:
677:
672:
668:
663:
659:
649:
643:
624:
619:
614:
581:
569:Dyson's Delight
557:
477:The Blacksmiths
434:
350:Malcolm Sargent
312:
285:The Blacksmiths
279:(1935) and for
215:
195:Royal Air Force
157:Royal Fusiliers
153:First World War
114:Richard Strauss
106:Arthur Sullivan
74:
69:
67:Life and career
46:First World War
35:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1372:
1362:
1361:
1356:
1351:
1346:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1291:
1286:
1281:
1276:
1271:
1266:
1249:
1248:
1246:
1245:
1239:
1233:
1227:
1221:
1215:
1209:
1203:
1200:Sir Hugh Allen
1197:
1191:
1184:
1181:
1180:
1172:
1171:
1164:
1157:
1149:
1143:
1142:
1137:
1114:
1104:
1085:
1084:External links
1082:
1081:
1080:
1074:
1061:
1039:
1036:
1033:
1032:
1028:New York Times
1015:
1003:
984:
965:
956:
954:Spicer, p. 394
947:
938:
936:Spicer, p. 232
929:
920:
911:
909:Spicer, p. 272
902:
900:Spicer, p. 247
893:
891:Spicer, p. 245
884:
864:
862:Spicer, p. 242
855:
853:Spicer, p. 240
846:
844:Spicer, p. 238
837:
814:
801:
790:"George Dyson"
781:
765:
739:
726:
705:
675:
666:
657:
621:
620:
618:
615:
613:
610:
609:
608:
602:
596:
590:
580:
579:Books by Dyson
577:
556:
553:
483:Nebuchadnezzar
433:
430:
377:Malcolm Arnold
354:Karl Geiringer
327:Sir Hugh Allen
311:
308:
277:Nebuchadnezzar
219:Carnegie Trust
214:
211:
207:RAF March Past
118:symphonic poem
73:
70:
68:
65:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1371:
1360:
1357:
1355:
1352:
1350:
1347:
1345:
1342:
1340:
1337:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1325:
1322:
1320:
1319:Freeman Dyson
1317:
1315:
1312:
1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1287:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1270:
1267:
1265:
1262:
1261:
1259:
1243:
1240:
1237:
1234:
1231:
1228:
1225:
1222:
1219:
1216:
1213:
1210:
1207:
1204:
1201:
1198:
1195:
1192:
1189:
1186:
1185:
1182:
1178:
1170:
1165:
1163:
1158:
1156:
1151:
1150:
1147:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:conducted by
1132:
1128:
1124:
1120:
1115:
1112:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1091:
1077:
1071:
1067:
1062:
1058:
1054:
1050:
1046:
1042:
1041:
1029:
1025:
1019:
1012:
1007:
1000:
996:
993:
988:
981:
977:
974:
969:
960:
951:
942:
933:
924:
915:
906:
897:
888:
881:
875:
873:
871:
869:
859:
850:
841:
831:
827:
821:
819:
811:
805:
795:
791:
785:
776:
774:
772:
770:
754:
750:
743:
736:
730:
720:
714:
712:
710:
699:
695:
690:
688:
686:
684:
682:
680:
673:Spicer, p. 35
670:
664:Spicer, p. 15
661:
653:
647:
641:
639:
637:
635:
633:
631:
629:
627:
622:
606:
603:
600:
597:
594:
593:The New Music
591:
588:
587:
583:
582:
576:
574:
573:Freeman Dyson
570:
566:
562:
552:
550:
545:
541:
537:
533:
529:
524:
522:
518:
514:
510:
506:
502:
498:
494:
490:
486:
482:
478:
474:
470:
466:
462:
461:
456:
452:
448:
443:
440:
429:
426:
424:
419:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
397:
393:
389:
384:
382:
378:
374:
369:
365:
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
343:
338:
336:
332:
328:
320:
316:
307:
305:
301:
297:
292:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
265:
263:
262:
256:
255:
250:
247:
243:
239:
234:
232:
231:Lewis Foreman
228:
224:
220:
210:
208:
204:
200:
196:
192:
187:
185:
181:
177:
172:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
145:
141:
139:
135:
130:
128:
127:
122:
119:
115:
111:
107:
102:
100:
96:
92:
88:
83:
79:
64:
62:
58:
53:
51:
47:
43:
38:
34:
28:
27:Anthony Devas
23:
19:
1244: (2005)
1242:Colin Lawson
1238: (1993)
1232: (1985)
1226: (1974)
1220: (1960)
1214: (1953)
1208: (1938)
1205:
1202: (1918)
1196: (1895)
1190: (1882)
1113:(ChoralWiki)
1087:
1065:
1048:
1027:
1018:
1006:
987:
968:
963:Spicer, p. 1
959:
950:
941:
932:
923:
914:
905:
896:
887:
879:
858:
849:
840:
829:
809:
804:
793:
784:
756:. Retrieved
752:
742:
734:
729:
697:
669:
660:
604:
598:
592:
584:
568:
564:
558:
548:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
525:
520:
519:, 1958; and
516:
512:
508:
504:
500:
496:
492:
484:
480:
476:
472:
468:
464:
458:
450:
444:
438:
435:
427:
420:
385:
381:Julian Bream
370:
366:
339:
334:
324:
293:
288:
284:
276:
272:
271:he composed
266:
260:
252:
248:
235:
216:
188:
173:
150:
131:
124:
120:
103:
81:
75:
57:Hubert Parry
54:
32:
31:
18:
1269:1964 deaths
1264:1883 births
1049:Colin Davis
1045:Blyth, Alan
927:Blyth, p. 8
698:Who Was Who
567:(1984) and
447:Paul Spicer
373:Colin Davis
275:(1933) and
199:short score
169:shell-shock
159:, becoming
104:He won the
72:Early years
1258:Categories
612:References
513:Hierusalem
423:Winchester
388:knighthood
300:gramophone
1011:"Welcome"
880:The Times
810:The Times
758:9 January
735:The Times
733:"Music",
654:required)
509:Agincourt
489:Quo Vadis
460:Who's Who
455:canticles
439:The Times
360:from the
340:When the
335:The Times
289:The Times
238:Liverpool
182:from the
161:grenadier
126:The Times
1129:and the
1047:(1972).
995:Archived
976:Archived
523:, 1959.
515:, 1956;
511:, 1955;
507:, 1954;
475:, 1933;
471:, 1931;
467:, 1928;
404:Aberdeen
321:, London
1123:YouTube
1109:in the
1038:Sources
1026:in the
973:"Works"
463:entry:
390:in the
246:cantata
242:Glasgow
176:Freeman
165:grenade
78:Halifax
1072:
1057:675416
1055:
607:(1954)
601:(1932)
595:(1924)
589:(1915)
555:Legacy
542:, and
485:, 1935
479:, 1934
617:Notes
432:Music
408:Leeds
358:Nazis
281:Leeds
191:major
121:Siena
1070:ISBN
1053:OCLC
760:2020
495:and
414:and
406:and
240:and
180:DMus
59:and
37:KCVO
1125:by
1121:on
205:'s
201:of
82:nÊe
1260::
867:^
828:,
817:^
792:,
768:^
751:.
708:^
696:,
678:^
625:^
530:,
481:;
418:.
283:,
186:.
101:.
52:.
1168:e
1161:t
1154:v
1078:.
1059:.
1022:'
762:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
