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209:(1950), a sequence of newly composed carols and adaptations from folk songs or Medieval manuscripts retelling the Christmas Story, was premiered as a radio feature produced by Terence Tiller, but had an afterlife as an extended choral work for concert performance. It's one of two extended choral works of hers to have been recorded. The other is
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22:
317:
She continued to live at Rooks Nest House until her death at the age of 81 in 1987. A catalogue of her works by her friend Dr John
Alabaster published in 2018 lists some two dozen of her compositions considered lost. One of them, the
274:(1961), which was described as "a little autobiography, reflecting her own delight in songs since the earliest she remembers from the age of two". The book contains five of her own original settings, including a short song version of
239:, and has been recorded. A Swiss radio broadcast of her 1960 Trio for flute, viola and harp can be heard on YouTube, and a new recording of the Trio by the Korros Ensemble was released in 2021. A six-minute work for string orchestra,
262:
In addition to composing, Poston was an academic, writer and editor. In 1947 she created a five-part lecture series on Peter
Warlock for the BBC. Much later, she defended his reputation in a very personal broadcast talk.
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99:
When she graduated from the RAM in 1925 seven of her songs were published, and in 1928 she published five more. Poston went abroad between 1930 and 1939, where she studied architecture and collected
688:
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Poston joined the BBC and became director of music in the
European Service. During the war she is said to have carried out secretive work as an agent; at the BBC she apparently used
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213:, a 20-minute sequence of sacred and profane poetry settings relating to different times of the day and year. It includes a setting of
146:. She subsequently became one of the youngest composers to be represented on the network at its opening, with her incidental music for
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Plaque designed by Bob
Duvivier at Rooks Nest, the former home which was the inspiration for Howards End in E M Forster's novel.
701:
1068:
969:"Lost composition written for Northampton church by English songwriter found in county's record office after 60-year hunt"
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In total there are over 300 compositions, some still to be discovered. Poston's extensive archives are now housed at the
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Poston composed scores for radio and television productions – over 40 for radio alone – and collaborated with
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that has achieved separate popularity. There are also anthems, mostly dating from the 1950s, such as the four movement
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84:. She won a prize from the RAM for her one movement Violin Sonata, which was subsequently broadcast by the
929:
Poston, Elizabeth. 'Dispelling the
Jackals', BBC broadcast 1964, reprinted in David Cox and John Bishop:
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Trio for flute, viola, harp (1960), Hieronymus
Schaedler, flute, Nicolas Corti, viola, Priska Zaugg, harp
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that was the germ of her famous choral piece, fully realised six years later. There were also three
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records to send coded messages to allies in Europe. During the war she also played the piano at the
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394:(Milton, producer John Cleverdon): 12 programmes, Third Programme, 27 October - 21 December 1947
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had lived as a child. Poston and
Forster subsequently became good friends. After attending
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Poston was born in
Highfield House in Pin Green, which is now the site of Hampson Park in
8:
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186:, now lost) while living in Rooks Nest House, which was the setting for the novel.
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53:
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584:): Three programmes on life in medieval Tuscany, Radio 3, 20 March - 3 April 1978
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and other writers. She wrote the score for the 1970 BBC television production of
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Poston left the BBC briefly in 1945, but returned in 1946 at the invitation of
32:(24 October 1905 – 18 March 1987) was an English composer, pianist and writer.
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Beyond the Apple Tree: The
Published Choral Music of Elizabeth Poston
648:
Beyond the Apple Tree: the
Published Choral Music of Elizabeth Poston
515:
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and was the editor of a number of vocal music anthologies, including
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49:
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100:
21:
52:. In 1914 she moved with her mother, Clementine Poston, to nearby
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Elizabeth Poston: Catalogue of Works with Biographical Context
783:
Elizabeth Poston: Catalogue of Works with Biographical Context
325:
80:
encouraged her talents and where she studied composition with
422:(producer Terence Tiller): Third Programme, 20 February 1952
416:(producer Terence Tiller): Third Programme, 26 December 1950
410:(producer Terence Tiller): Third Programme, 2 September 1950
348:(producer Douglas Cleverdon): Home Service, 16 January 1946
1032:, second movement, Korros Ensemble, March 2022 performance
681:
388:(producer Douglas Cleverdon): Third Programme. 21 May 1947
225:(1956), written for Yardley Grammar School in Birmingham.
85:
322:, first performed in 1959, was rediscovered in 2018.
1044:Elizabeth Poston, composer: her life at Rooks Nest
890:Alibaster, John. "The remarkable Miss Poston", in
813:, Naxos CD 8.574576. MusicWeb International review
538:, producer Terence Tiller): Radio 3, 20 June 1971
518:, producer Terence Tiller): Radio 3, 9 March 1969
243:, received its first broadcast in February 1976.
235:(1957) is a significant example of her music for
119:When she returned to England at the beginning of
103:. She was also a respected performer, premiering
1109:People educated at Queen Margaret's School, York
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554:(E.M.Forster): BBC One Television, 15 April 1973
266:She wrote articles and programme notes for the
840:The Rose Tree - Music in Memory of Basil Deane
617:"Stevenage composer's private papers archived"
472:(Jean Morris): Third Programme, 2 January 1962
326:Selected music for BBC Radio and Television
1008:Composer Profile: British Music Collection
724:British Music Collection: Composer Profile
1055:. University of Wisconsin-Madison (1996)
905:Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies
286:(two volumes, 1965 and 1971), and (with
248:Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies
39:
35:
20:
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528:): BBC One Television, 26 December 1970
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1023:: Guildford Cathedral Choir, director
931:Peter Warlock, a Centenary Celebration
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292:The Penguin Book of American Folksongs
257:
114:
109:Concertino for harpsichord and strings
865:Convivium Records CR65, reviewed at
682:Michael Hurd; Jamie Bartlett (2001).
614:
508:(Tennyson): Radio 3, 2 February 1968)
362:): Third Programme, 30 September 1946
1129:20th-century British women composers
1124:20th-century English women musicians
1104:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Music
811:Elizabeth Poston: Carols and Anthems
776:
774:
772:
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446:): Third Programme, 27 February 1954
382:): Third Programme, 13 December 1946
372:): Third Programme, 26 November 1946
284:The Penguin Book of Christmas Carols
16:English composer, pianist and writer
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668:
466:): Third Programme, 22 January 1956
404:): Third Programme, 24 October 1949
386:The Life and Death of Dr John Donne
342:): Home Service, 20 September 1944)
230:Concertino da camera on a Theme of
13:
1036:
765:Issue 1200, 29 September 1946, p 8
241:Blackberry Fold: Requiem for a Dog
180:(broadcast on 26 December 1970 as
14:
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1074:British women classical composers
1030:Trio for flute, clarinet and harp
982:
769:
615:Dunne, Martin (21 October 2013).
482:): Network Three, 9 February 1966
205:(1960), remain widely performed.
142:to advise on the creation of the
1089:20th-century classical composers
492:): Home Service, 10 October 1966
310:Poston was the president of the
131:lunchtime concerts organised by
998:Free scores by Elizabeth Poston
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828:. MusicWeb International review
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456:): Home Service, 6 January 1955
436:): Third Programme, 17 May 1953
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1114:20th-century English composers
919:, issue 1233, 1 June 1947, p 4
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157:
1:
736:Tinker, Tailor, Composer, Spy
598:
564:): Radio 4, 16 September 1973
332:A Parsonage in the Hesperides
268:Arts Council of Great Britain
62:Queen Margaret's School, York
1002:Choral Public Domain Library
842:, Prima Facie PFCD005 (2013)
664:issue 249, 8 July 1928, p 16
548:): Radio 4, 14 November 1971
72:(RAM) in London, where both
7:
1069:English classical composers
1015:Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
945:All things are quite silent
588:Liberty Comes to Krahwinkel
568:The Girl Who Lost Her Glove
502:): Radio 3, 27 October 1967
276:Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
196:Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
10:
1150:
752:No 1731, May 1987, p 287-8
738:, BBC Radio 4, 9 May, 2006
594:): Radio 3, 28 August 1983
444:Algernon Charles Swinburne
312:Society of Women Musicians
294:(1964) – as well as (with
64:and studying with pianist
943:Lapwood, Anna. Notes to
645:Bartlett, Jamie Claire.
574:): Radio 4, 4 March 1975
272:The Children's Song Book
694:Oxford University Press
1084:British women pianists
867:MusicWeb International
855:. Radio DRS broadcast.
578:For God and for Profit
532:The Batchelors Banquet
506:The Idylls of the King
94:Victor Hely-Hutchinson
78:Ralph Vaughan Williams
70:Royal Academy of Music
45:
26:
1119:People from Stevenage
973:Northampton Chronicle
947:, Signum CD642 (2019)
542:Sweet England's Pride
202:The Boar's Head Carol
88:on 9 July 1928, with
43:
36:Early life and career
24:
480:Hugh Ross Williamson
470:Sonata Form of Words
460:Diarmuid and Grainne
426:Emperor and Galilean
300:The Cambridge Hymnal
1049:Bartlett, James C:
826:An English Day Book
684:"Poston, Elizabeth"
627:on 20 November 2016
558:The Last Temptation
258:Writing and editing
211:An English Day Book
144:BBC Third Programme
115:Wartime and the BBC
68:, she attended the
892:Hertfordshire Life
689:Grove Music Online
552:A Room with a View
476:St Teresa of Avila
46:
27:
1042:Ashby, Margaret.
988:Alabastor, John:
824:Signum Classics:
780:Alabaster, John,
703:978-1-56159-263-0
562:Nikos Kazantzakis
398:The Death of Adam
366:The Spear of Gold
340:Douglas Cleverdon
237:chamber ensembles
215:Sweet Suffolk Owl
183:Play of the Month
140:Douglas Cleverdon
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623:. Archived from
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572:Penelope Shuttle
346:The Elizabethans
129:National Gallery
54:Rooks Nest House
30:Elizabeth Poston
25:Elizabeth Poston
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512:After Ten Years
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282:collections –
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92:as soloist and
82:Julius Harrison
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66:Harold Samuel
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58:E. M. Forster
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629:. Retrieved
625:the original
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414:The Nativity
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306:Later career
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168:Dylan Thomas
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121:World War II
118:
105:Walter Leigh
98:
47:
29:
28:
18:
1134:BBC Radio 3
1099:1987 deaths
1094:1905 births
917:Radio Times
763:Radio Times
662:Radio Times
526:E.M.Forster
522:Howards End
500:Machiavelli
432:, producer
380:David Jones
360:Henry Lawes
356:John Milton
338:, producer
314:1955–1961.
199:(1967) and
177:Howards End
164:C. S. Lewis
158:Composition
148:John Milton
1063:Categories
1025:Barry Rose
879:BBC Genome
796:BBC Genome
748:Obituary,
599:References
582:Iris Origo
496:Mandragola
440:Chastelard
400:(producer
288:Alan Lomax
125:gramophone
621:The Comet
516:C.S.Lewis
133:Myra Hess
111:in 1934.
101:folksongs
50:Stevenage
490:Tennyson
302:(1970).
252:Hertford
1021:YouTube
1000:in the
786:(2018).
280:Penguin
96:piano.
1046:(2005)
994:(2018)
933:(1964)
709:20 May
700:
631:4 June
486:Harold
408:Lilith
191:carols
56:where
450:Sheba
352:Comus
152:Comus
711:2006
698:ISBN
633:2015
228:The
189:Her
76:and
1019:on
250:in
217:by
150:'s
107:’s
86:BBC
1065::
971:,
802:^
771:^
696:.
686:.
670:^
619:.
607:^
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