Richard Henry Walthew Born London 4 November 1872 - Died 14 November 1951 East Preston, Surrey, England
According to his grand-daughter the name Walthew is pronounced with the 'TH' as in Mathew.
Educated at Islington Proprietry School then studied music at The Guildhall School of Music and subsequently at The Royal College of Music under Parry.
In 1909 he became conductor of The South Place Orchestra, part of The South Place Sunday Concerts run by the South Place Ethical Society, which in 1929 had Conway Hall purpose built for them. Many of Walthew's chamber music compositions were composed specifically for these concerts. His closest friend from their schooldays until the latters death was William Heath Robinson, Artist, designer and cartoonist.
Orchestral
Festival Overture in D 1896
Orchestral Variations in B flat major 1909
Overture, 'Friend Fritz' - performed in 1914 by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra - now lost
Overture and entr'acts for 'Aladdin' 1899
'The Masque of Peace' 1916
'Three Night Scenes' for orchestra 1906
Piano Concerto in D 1894 Premiered in 1894 at The Queen's Hall, London (full score and parts exist)
Piano Concerto in E flat major 1903 lost?
Caprice-Impromtu for violin and orchestra (also exists for a violin or viola and piano duet) 1904 pub. by Ascherberg
'Fiametta' concert piece for piano and orchestra - first performance 29.3.1925 now lost
'Table-Music' Suite in four movements for string orchestra arranged by J.Brown 1932
Minuet and intermezzo for string orchestra 1940
Chamber
Piano Quintet in F minor 1905
Phantasy Quintet for piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass in E minor 1912 pub. by Stainer & Bell
Quintet in E flat for clarinet and strings 1930
Piano Quartet in G minor 1903
String Quartet in E major 1900
String Quartet in B flat major
String Quartet in E flat major 1917
Six lyric pieces for string quartet: Caprice, Intermezzo, Mazurka, Romance, Legende, A L'Ongoraise 1904
Trio for piano, violin and clarinet in C minor 1896 pub. by Boosey
Trio for piano violin and cello in G major 1907 pub. by Boosey
Trio for clarinet, horn and piano
Regret and Conversation Gallante for piano violin and cello - version for clarinet and piano 1927
Prelude, Sarabande and Fugue for piano, violin and cello
Five diversions for string trio 1915
Prelude and Fugue for two clarinets and bassoon 1945
Bagatelles for clarinet and piano in four movements
Sonata for violin and piano in A flat major
Serenade - Sonata for violin and piano in F minor1925
Sonatina in G for violin and piano
Sonatina in A for violin and piano 1926
Sonata di camera for violin and piano 1902
Three sketches for violin and piano - scherzetto, arietta,rondino 1900 pub. by Boosey
Caprice - impromptu for violin and piano
Four impressions for violin and piano 1928
Sonata in D for viola and piano 1938
Sonata for cello and piano
Idyll for flute and piano 1907 pub. by Stainer & Bell
Four Meditations for clarinet and piano - 1st set 1895 pub. by Boosey
Four Meditations for clarinet and piano - 2nd set 1901 pub. by Boosey
Suite in F for clarinet and piano 1899
Concerto for clarinet and piano - although there is evidence, the composer never got around to orchestrating this.
Miniature quartet for flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon.
Troilet in E flat for Oboe, clarinet and bassoon 1932
Horn sonata
Mosaic in ten easy pieces for clarinet and piano (also orchestrated for viola and piano) 1900
Introduction and allegro for bassoon and piano 1900
Piano
Aubade in G major 1907 pub. by Joseph Williams & co.
An Autumn Melody 1934
Bagatelle pub. by Pazdirek
A lyrical fantasy 1916 pub. by Cary & Co.
'At the Picture Gallery': 'Itinerant Musicians', 'Hunting Scene', 'The Path Through the Wood', 'Interior of a Church', 'On a May Morning'. 1919
'The Butterfly', intermezzo for piano 1929
Six Dance Sketches 1919 pub. by Stainer & Bell
Danse polonaise
Introduction, air and jig - duet 1924
Five dream pieces 1926
Noel pub. by Augener
Pastorale pub. by Stainer & Bell
Six easy diversions 1924
Six miniature preludes: 'Up in the Morning Early', 'Regrets', 'Cheer Up!, 'Hesitation', 'The Careless Shepherd', 'In Haven'. 1919 pub. by Anglo-French Music Co.
Holiday waltzes 1923
'In Early Spring' 1934
'The Masqueraders' - suite for piano 1927
A Memory pub. by Augener
Miniature Sonata 1921
Five preludes in varying mood 1920
'The Scholar and a Day off' 1931
Serenade 1908 pub. by Augener
Slender themes: 'Sunbeams', 'The Rivulet'. 1925
'Sun and Shade' 1928
Two little pieces: Andante moderato, Allegretto 1925
Two Pastels - 'A lace handkerchief' , 'The Coutier' 1926
Two sketches for piano: 'A memory'. 'Noel'. 1912
Valse elegante 1896 pub. by Boosey
Valse intermezzo, pastoral and improvisation 1908 pub. by Stainer & Bell
'The Winged Horse' 1926
Five vignettes for piano 1941
Four miniatures 1948
Introduction, air and jig for piano duet 1924
Song
All Fools Day words by R H U Bloor 1899 pub. by Boosey
A Dream of Venice words by R H U Bloor 1900 pub. by Boosey
All Things Lovely and True words by E Teschemacher 1913
April and I words by E Langbridge 1897 pub. by Boosey
Arcady two part song words by R H U Bloor 1913
A Song of Love and Death with violin obligato pub. by Boosey
A Summer Song words by R H U Bloor 1900 pub. by Boosey
Amantes Amantibus
At the Church Gate words by W M Thackeray 1904 pub. by Boosey
At the Window 1895 pub. by Chappell
Beat upon mine, Little Heart words by A L Tennyson 1894 pub. by Boosey
Beneath the Pines, A Su Swap love song words by C Bayliff 1898
Bird Raptures two part song words by Christina Rossetti 1931
Break, break, break, words by Tennyson 11898
Child Songs: The City Child, Minnie and Winnie. words by A L Tennyson 1904
The Comrades words by C Battersby pub. by Boosey
December unison song words by Christina Rossetti 1924
Doris words by H E Hunt 1912
Dream Daisies words by G J Hicks 1898
Eldorado words by E A Poe 1896 pub. by Boosey
England two part song words by H Johnson 1907
Evening two part song words by R M Watson 1927
Fain Would I Change words by T Hume 1899 pub. by Boosey
False Cupid from Horace words by R H U Bloor 1903
Fold and Field words by C Bayliff 1903 pub. by Boosey
The Fountain unison song words by J R Lowell
Gay go up - Maypole song words by R H U Bloor 1901 pub. by Boosey
Gentle Spring unison song words by Longfellow 1913
A Gipsy song words by E Teschemacher 1902
The Gleaner's Slumber Song' words by C Battersby
Good Morrow words by T Heywood
The Hemlock Tree words by Longfellow 1898 pub. by Boosey
Hey, ho, the wind and rain words by Shakespeare
Hey, Jolly Robin! words by R Jones 1899
Home - keeping hearts words by Longfellow
Hunting song two part song words by Samuel Taylor-Coleridge 1930
Hush-a-bye Baby words by R H U Bloor 1900 pub. by Boosey
If Love should brush you with his wing four part song words by A Simpson 1912
If though art Sleeping, Maiden words by Longfellow 1899 pub. by Boosey
Invocation at Daybreak words by D Donaldson 1897
In Yonder Vale words by G Tanner
It was a lover and his lass (Duet) words by W Shakespeare 1892 pub. by Boosey
Je n'ose pas words by J M Levy pub. by Boosey
Love and Friendship two part song words by Emily Bronte 1931
Love's a Thing of Tears and Laughter four part song words by A Simpson
Love's Gift words by Victor Hugo 1903
Love's quest words by A Simpson
Lullaby for an infant Child unison song words by Sir Walter Scott
Maire, my Girl words by J K Casey 1896 pub. by Boosey
May-Day words by R H U Bloor 1896 pub. by Boosey
The Mermaid's Home two part song words by E H Gomes
Mister Nobody unison song
A Mother's song words by G Tanner
My beloved words by L Creswicke 1897 pub. by Boosey
My Day-dreams words by A Simpson 1901 pub. by Boosey
My love is like a fountain true words by S Baring Gould 1899 pub. by Boosey
My Pot-Pouri words by L Johnston 1928
Mynheer Vandunck words by G Colman the Younger 1895
Night and Rest words by Goethe translated by Longfellow 1894 pub. by Boosey
Nocturn four part song words by D Donaldson 1904
Our Lady's Children words by D Donaldson 1922
Over the Hills two part song words by E Oxenford 1921
The Piper unison song words by S O'Sullivan
Queen Buttercup two part song words by D Donaldson 1913
Qu'apelle pub by Boosey
The Restless River two part song words by E Oxenford
St Agnes' Eve words by Tennyson 1905
Serenade two part song words by G Darly 1918
Sing Aloud ye joyful People (Carol)
Sing a song of gladness pub. by Boosey
Sleep four part song words by Beaumont and Fletcher 1909
A Song of love and death words by Tennyson
Song on May morning two part song words by Milton 1924
The Building of the City pub. by Joseph Williams & Co.
The Butterfly and the Rose words by Heine 1914
The Childrens Madrigal words by A C Jeffreys pub. by Boosey
The Letter words by Tennyson 1902
The Perfect Note four part song words by A Simpson 1912
The Shepherd's Roundelay duet words by G Peele 1896 pub. by Boosey
The Shepherd's wife's song words by R Greene 1897 pub. by Boosey
The Shower two part song words by D Gilman 1921
The Spring of the year words by E Teschemacher 1906
Three Carols pub. by Boosey
Sighing Winds two part song words by E Oxenford 1924
Silent Birds two part song words by E Oxenford 1923
A Suswap Love Song pub. by Boosey
The Little Dream men words by D Dickinson 1913
The Splendour Falls words by Tennyson 1903 pub. by Boosey
The Trysting Tree words by D Donaldson 1908 pub. by Novello
The Voices four part song words by J Russell 1914
Three of us 1907
To Pyrrha words by RH U Bloor 1901 pub. by Boosey
To the Nightingale unison song words by G Tanner
Two songs: 1. Love's Quest 2. The Perfect Note
What is it calls ? words by C Bayliff 1898
What is love? words by R H U Bloor 1900 pub. by Boosey
When Bonny brown Skylarks words by G Hadath 1903 pub. by Boosey
When Daylight dies words by T Moore 1922
When in Disgrace - madrigal words by Shakespeare
When lovers meet words by P G Ross 1922
When my Lady sings words by D Donaldson 1908 pub. by Novello
When the Wind Blows words by B Cornwall 1901 pub. by Boosey
Wherever the spot pub. by Boosey
Where Love is King 1900
Who Goes? 1915
A windy day unison song words by A Bronte 1930
The World Flag, a song of peace words by J Russell
A Song of love and Death for mezzo and piano with clarinet obbligato
My Daydreams (page missing)
When I am old my dearest words by Christina Rossetti
Ye little birds that sit and sing words by T Heywood 1893
'The Girl in the Garden' five little songs for high voice: words by J Vogel
1. Spring's awakening
2. The first Hyacinthe
3. The Nestling bird
4. The First red leaf
5. Hope's renewal
'The Village': a cycle of two part songs for ladies voices. words by E Pertwee
1. Morning Song
2. Milking song pub. by Chappell
3. School Song
4. The Haymakers
5. Boating Song
6. Evensong
Five songs from Thackery: 1921
1. The Garret
2. The Age of Wisdom
3. The King on the Towr
4. Sorrows of Werther
5. The Mahogany Tree
A bound book of ten songs
1. Ave Maria, Hail Virgin Holy words by M C Gillington 1906 pub. by Joseph Williams & co.
2. Diaphenia words by H Constable 1908 pub. by Stainer & Bell
3. Good Morrow words by T Heywood
4. Hail! Holy Child! 1909
5. Invocation at Daybreak 1907 pub. by Boosey
6. Milking Song words by E Pertwee
7. Mule Music 1912 pub. by Joseph Williams & Co
8. Stars of a Summer Night words by Longfellow 1905 pub. by Boosey
9. To Blossoms unison song words by Heine
10. When All the World Was Sleeping words by Chrystabel pub. by Boosey
A Bound Book of Part Songs
1. Duet : The Skylark 1908 pub. by Stainer & Bell[/size]
2. Duet : Moonlight words by Heine 1909 pub. by Stainer & Bell
3. Duet : Autumn words by D Donaldson 1909 pub. by Stainer & Bell
4. Hymn to Diana four part song words by B Johnson 1908 pub. by Laudy & Co.
5. There be None of Beauty's Daughters four part song words by Byron 1908
6. The Words of Alfred
7. There sits a Bird on Yonder Tree four part song words by T Ingolsby 1905 pub. by Novello
8. Green Fields of England four part song words by A H Clough 1908
Cantatas
'An Ode to St.Cecilia's Day' for soprano, bass, chorus and orchestra 1914
'Ode to a Nightingale' - baritone, chorus and orchestra words by John Keats 1897 pub. by Boosey
'The Pied Pieper of Hamlin' for tenor, bass, chorus and orchestra words by R Browning 1893 pub. by Novello
'The Fair Maids of February' 1895 pub. by Joseph Williams Ltd
I have lifted up mine eyes anthem for choir
Operetta
'The Enchanted Island' 1900
'The Gardeners' 1906 pub. by Boosey
John O'Dreams lyrics by A Ross 1911 pub. by Boosey
Do we know how many of these compositions have survived, and where the surviving manuscripts are?
Most of the chamber music is at Conway Hall.
The piano quartet I think I remember skimming back in college (not for performance, but out of interest - I'd read about Walthew and decided to inter-loan something of his...) Worldcat has some 200, I think, entries for Walthew, though many may be solely at St. Pancras. Well, not all- the clarinet trio in C minor is at a library in Australia. (I speak of survival of published copies, not manuscripts. And I think IMSLP has a work or two of his- yes ,"The Gleaner's Slumber Song.")
British Library has the score and parts to the Intermezzo Aladdin's Cave for small orch. pub. 1940. (presumably from "Aladdin") , and likewise the Minuet & Intermezzo for strings... (and a lot of chamber works and songs) -so there's that much- and some things that might be parts and not just vocal scores to his vocal works, their cataloguing sometimes seems to leave something to be desired on this end.
Richard Henry Walthew in 1928 -
(http://images.npg.org.uk/264_325/2/9/mw173629.jpg)
Some manuscripts, including the Piano Concerto (fp. at Queen's Hall on 3rd May 1894, with the composer as soloist), are with his grandson, John Walthew (a clarinettist).
:)
On 2 March 2014 at Conway Hall, London there will be a performance given by L'Anima di Musica of Walthew's Piano Quartet in G minor and his Piano Trio in G major, also included in the concert will be Five Negro Melodies by Coleridge-Taylor and Vaughan- Williams, Romance and Pastorale.
I hope people will make an effort to attend as this will encourage more rare and unsung works to be performed. It is difficult to persuade musicians to learn and perform rare works if there is to be only one performance. I would like to record this concert but there are no funds.
The grandson had a computer-synthesized performance of the piano concerto on the net several years ago and I see it is here:
http://www.classicalarchives.com/midi/composer/3536.html (http://www.classicalarchives.com/midi/composer/3536.html)
QuoteOn 2 March 2014 at Conway Hall, London there will be a performance given by L'Anima di Musica of Walthew's Piano Quartet in G minor and his Piano Trio in G major, also included in the concert will be Five Negro Melodies by Coleridge-Taylor and Vaughan- Williams, Romance and Pastorale.
Well done, Giles! I have put it in my diary.
I hope the concert went off with great eclat! Although I have heard only a few songs and one chamber work by Walthew, what I have heard makes me long to hear more. For some reason he is mixed up in my memory with Albert Mallinson, probably because I had works by them adjacent on the same tape back in the 1970s.
It is heartening to see musicians take the time (and time, we all know, is MONEY) and expend the energy to learn and perform works by such unsung artists of yore.
Best,
Steve
Further performances of Walthew's chamber music are planned for later in the year both in Kent and Somerset. I have no further details yet. His first piano concerto is with a record company but a substantial donation towards recording would help to bring it to the front of the queue. Unfortunatly 'Fiametta' and the more substantial second piano concerto cannot be traced. The first concerto is about twenty five minutes long and is quite 'tuneful'.
That all sounds wonderful, Giles. I am trying to recall details of a chamber work (of a variety once known as "salon music") RW composed in 1900. It was said to have been performed at the Crystal Palace. There was an old recording of a few of the short movements from around the 1920s or 1930s and then in the 1980s, I believe, it was recorded on LP in an arrangement for clarinet and piano. I want to say the title was "Mosaic" but that could be completely wrong. Really delightful stuff. If I chivvy out more details I will post here.
I would love to hear the 1st pf concerto. Let's hope an angel appears with the requisite cash to make it happen...
cheers, Steve
Here's a recording of the clarinet version of MOSAIC by Walthew:
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/17675/Richard-Henry-Walthew-A-Mosaic-in-Ten-Pieces
I believe the old recording (circa 1920s?) was an arrangement for violin and piano.
It really is charming, delightful music... I highly recommend it.
Best, Shimmer
You seem to have missed the song 'Mule Music' - it was an important work.
He must have been a gentleman with a lively sense of humor. The songs from Thackery (sic), include WMT's cool distillation of the Sorrows of Young Werther:
Sorrows of Werther
William Makepeace Thackeray (1811–63)
WERTHER had a love for Charlotte
Such as words could never utter;
Would you know how first he met her?
She was cutting bread and butter.
Charlotte was a married lady,
And a moral man was Werther,
And for all the wealth of Indies
Would do nothing for to hurt her.
So he sigh'd and pin'd and ogled,
And his passion boil'd and bubbled,
Till he blew his silly brains out,
And no more was by it troubled.
Charlotte, having seen his body
Borne before her on a shutter,
Like a well-conducted person,
Went on cutting bread and butter.
Best, David
As mentioned in the original post, his closest friend was the cartoonist William Heath Robinson. so I assume they shared some of Heath Robinson's humour. HR is worth a 'Google'
Oops - I'm afraid the mistake was mine. My apologies. 'Mule Music' is listed in Ten Songs. I assume the postings above were a response to mine, and must say that despite its title, 'Mule Music' is as far as it's possible to get from a comic song. Also, despite the original cover, it's a long way from a sentimental ballad. It depicts the life of an abused animal, that eventually finds peace in death. The poem (I can't remember who it's by) illustrates the life of the mule in largely musical terms "Key A minor, measure common, one and two and three and four", and Walthew follows these indications exactly. It should be played crochet = 60 so that the constant quavers illustrate the poem: "Every hoofbeat, half a second", but in the performances I have heard it has been played far too fast. Then at the end the song modulates into a luminous A major. It's well worth hearing.
I have also had the privilege of playing secundo in the 'Introduction, Air and Jig for Piano Duet'. That, too, is a wonderful piece, with a typical Walthew melodic slow movement, and a frenetic last movement. It is such a shame that this music is not played. It was nice, however, to listen to the recent recording of the Prelude and Fugue for two clarinets and bassoon.
Hi. I'm new to the forum. I performed the walthew wind quartet in Heptonstall church last year, with a repeat performance in Ripley, Derbyshire in July this year. As a bassoonist, I found it quite a pleasure to play. I am also a cellist and am keen to see his cello sonata. Any ideas where I might find it?
Regards, Deena
Deena, a very warm welcome to Unsung Composers! I am sure one of our expert members will be able to help with your query...
I see it listed among his works I think..., but not in Worldcat.org (which lists a sonata by Cervetto for cello arranged by Walthew, but none I find offhand composed by him.) There are two viola sonatas by him (one in D, and a serenade-sonata for violin or viola and piano in F minor) which perhaps might exist in cello transcriptions? (The viola sonata in D page @ IMSLP, on inspection, is not PD, so will be deleted in a couple of days unless it is made PD-CA by complete removal of the viola part from all materials (replacement by piano part- not score- only.))