Berners the Humourist
Donald Macleod concentrates on a Berners work for puppet theatre, an exuberant essay in Spanish colour and a trio of waltzes, which contain a passage described as 'impudent'.
Gerald Tyrwhitt-Wilson, the 14th Lord Berners, was a painter, novelist, writer of poetry and nonsense verse, and a composer of brilliant and whimsical music. He was famous for his wit and and outlandish behaviour. His eccentricities marked him out as a very English Englishman, but his music was a different matter entirely. Unlike many of his contemporaries on the British musical scene, he developed a distinctly European slant to his compositions, and came to be regarded as one of the truly original composers of the early 20th century.
Donald Macleod explores Berners's colourful life and music, starting with a work for puppet theatre, an exuberant essay in Spanish colour and a trio of waltzes which contain a passage Stravinsky described as "one of the most impudent in modern music".
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Music Played
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Lord Berners
Lieder album - 3 songs - no.1; Du bist wie eine Blume
Singer: Felicity Lott. Performer: Peter Lawson.- ALBANY TROY : TROY-290.
- ALBANY TROY.
- 1.
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Lord Berners
L' Uomo dai Baffi for ensemble
Conductor: David Lloyd‐Jones. Orchestra: Orchestra of Opera North.- MARCO POLO : 855930-223711.
- MARCO POLO.
- 1.
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Lord Berners
Valses bourgeoises for piano duet
Performer: Peter Lawson. Performer: Alan Maclean.- ALBANY TROY : troy-142.
- ALBANY TROY.
- 1.
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Lord Berners
Le Poisson d'or for piano
Performer: Len Vorster.- MARCO POLO : 8.225-159.
- MARCO POLO.
- 5.
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Lord Berners
Fantaisie espagnole vers. for orchestra
Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.- EMI : CDM-5 65098-2.
- EMI.
- 16.
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Lord Berners
3 Pieces for orchestra
Orchestra: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Barry Wordsworth.- EMI : CDM-5 65098-2.
- EMI.
- 13.
Broadcasts
- Mon 15 Sep 200812:00BBC Radio 3
- Mon 15 Sep 200822:00BBC Radio 3
- Mon 1 Dec 201412:00BBC Radio 3
- Mon 1 Dec 201418:30BBC Radio 3
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