British music critic and composer (1940–2022)
Bayan Peter Northcott (24 April 1940 – 13 December 2022) was an English music critic and composer.
Biography
Born in Harrow on the Hill , London to Roy and Cecilia Northcott (née Venning) on 24 April 1940 he was educated at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith.[ 1] Oxford University and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oxford in 1962.[ 2] Chichester High School For Boys .[ 1] Alexander Goehr and Hans Keller .[ 3] University of Southampton , where his instructors included Goehr and Jonathan Harvey . Northcott earned a BMus degree from Southampton in 1971. He mentored other composers such as Robin Holloway and Julian Anderson .[ 4] [ 5]
Northcott served as a music critic for the New Statesman Sunday Telegraph [ 3] chief music critic of The Independent Anthony Payne and Tess Knighton.[ 6] Tempo BBC Music Magazine NMC .[ 7]
He died in London on 13 December 2022, aged 82.[ 8] [ 1] [ 9]
Compositions
As a composer, Northcott's output was modest and mainly scored for small forces.[ 8] Fires of London ).[ 10] Hymn to Cybele (1983, performed at the 2010 Proms),[ 11] Four Votive Antiphons , Op. 7 (2003, a cumulative cycle), and Canticle: The Doubting of Thomas (2007).[ 9]
But there were also orchestral works. The Horn Concerto, which took eight years to complete, was first performed in 1998 by Speculum Musicae in New York, and subsequently by the London Sinfonietta .[ 7] the Proms in 2016.[ 12]
List of compositions
Sonata for Solo Oboe, Op. 1 (1977–78)
Six Japanese Lyrics , Op. 2, for Sop, cl, vn (1971/79) (texts translated by the composer)Fantasia for Guitar, Op. 3 (1981–82)[ 13]
Hymn to Cybele , Op. 4, for Mezz, Ten, Bar, chor, 2 perc, db (1983) (text – Catullus, translated by the composer)Sextet, Op. 5, for fl/picc, cl/b cl, pno, perc, vn, vc (1984–85)
Carillon (after Machaut), for 14 players (1987)Three English Lyrics , Op. 6, for Sop, cl, va, db (1988) (texts – Anon, 15th-16th century)Of All the Instruments (after Purcell), for fl, ob, cl, glock, vn, vc, db (1994)Concerto for Horn and Ensemble, for 11 players, Op. 8 (1990–98)[ 14]
Memento , for Sop, fl (1999) (text – Hilda Morley)Four Votive Antiphons Op. 7, for Alt, 3 Ten, Bar, or chor (1997-2003)
"Salve Regina", Op. 7, No. 1 (1999) (text - Anon Latin)
"Alma Redemptoris Mater", Op. 7, No. 2 (2000) (text – Anon Latin)
"Ave Regina Celorum" / "Alleluia", Op. 7, No. 3 (1997) (text – Anon Latin)
"Regina Celi", Op. 7, No. 4 (2003) (text – Anon Latin) Fandango, Op. 9, for Harpsichord (2006)
Canticle: The Doubting of Thomas , for Mezz, Ten, Bar, chor, org (2007) (text - Bible, Authorized Version)Poet and Star , for Sop, Ten, pno (2008) (text – Thomas Hardy)Doubles All Round , for fl/picc, cl/b cl, hn, pno, vn, vc (2009)Elegy for Solo Viola (2013)
Concerto for Orchestra (2014–16)[ 15]
Sonata for Flute and Clarinet (2018)
Filmography
2006 – In Search of Mozart (contributor)[ 16]
2009 – In Search of Beethoven (contributor) [ 17]
2012 – In Search of Haydn (contributor)[ 18]
Writing
Books
Journalism
References
^ a b c "Bayan Northcott, composer and Sunday Telegraph music critic of the 1970s and 1980s – obituary" . The Telegraph . 20 December 2022.(subscription required) ^ Williamson, Rosemary. 'Northcott, Bayan', in Grove Music Online (2001)
^ a b Don Michael Randel (editor) (1999). The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians . Belknap Press (Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA). ISBN 0674000846 . p 454.
^ Nicholas Kenyon (6 November 1983). "Flexibility is this orchestra's hallmark" . The New York Times . Retrieved 7 June 2016 . ^ Julian Anderson (8 June 2007). "First night nerves" . The Guardian . Retrieved 7 June 2016 . ^ Julian Andreson, Programme note to Prom 62, BBC Proms , 31 August 2016, pp 6-7.
^ a b Colin Matthews (14 December 2022). "Bayan Northcott (1940-2022)" . NMC Recordings . Retrieved 18 December 2022 . ^ a b Peter Quantrill (15 December 2022). "British music critic and composer Bayan Northcott has died" . Gramophone . Retrieved 16 December 2022 . ^ a b "Bayan Northcott (1940–2022)" . Stainer & Bell .^ Bayan Northcott biography, NMC ^ Hymn to Cybele , BBC Singers, Endymion, conducted by David Hill^ BBC Proms performance archive ^ Allan Kozinn (2 November 1986). "Recordings: Bridge Records: A Haven for New Music Honors the Old" . The New York Times . Retrieved 7 June 2016 . ^ Tom Service (9 April 2000). "London Sinfonietta/ Knussen - Queen Elizabeth Hall, London" . The Guardian . Retrieved 7 June 2016 .^ Andrew Clements (1 September 2016). "BBCSO/Young review – sumptuous variety but balance problems" . The Guardian . Retrieved 30 October 2016 . ^ In Search of Mozart , Letterboxd^ "Short Redhead Reel Reviews for the week of April 30" . hometownsource.com . 30 April 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022 .^ Grabsky, Phil (19 January 2012), In Search of Haydn , retrieved 25 April 2022
External links
International National Artists Other
