32:(22 February 1884 – 23 November 1961) was an English composer and pianist. Bowen's musical career spanned more than fifty years during which time he wrote over 160 works. As well as being a pianist and composer, Bowen was a talented conductor, organist, violist and horn player. Despite achieving considerable success during his lifetime, many of the composer's works remained unpublished and unperformed until after his death in 1961. Bowen's compositional style is widely considered ‘
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455:, to whom Bowen had dedicated his Twenty-Four Preludes, Op. 102. The increase in publications and performances of Bowen's works during the late twentieth century was also largely due to the work done by the York Bowen Society. The revival of interest in Bowen's music during the 1980s was also influenced by the publication of Monica Watson's book
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and was forced to return to the UK. Bowen returned to composing and performing after the war and continued to work as a teacher, examiner, lecturer and adjudicator. He taught at the Tobias
Matthay Piano School for over forty years and remained a professor at the Royal Academy of Music until his death
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distillers Bowen and McKechnie. The youngest of three sons, Bowen began piano and harmony lessons with his mother at an early age. His talent was recognised almost immediately and he soon began his musical education at the North
Metropolitan College of Music. He subsequently went on to study at the
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Following his death in 1961, many of Bowen's compositions remained unpublished. As a result of this, performances of Bowen's works diminished and much of his music remained unperformed in the decades after his death. During this time one of Bowen's most enthusiastic advocates was the composer and
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Bowen's compositional output is made up almost entirely of instrumental works. Although he wrote for numerous different instrumental combinations, the piano features prominently in many of his works. Despite this, Bowen's varied instrumental proficiencies are evident in his technical and musical
409:, who had written several books about various aspects of fore-arm rotation and piano touch. Each of Bowen's studies deals with a different aspect of piano technique discussed in Matthay's books. Inspired by Matthay's innovative approaches, Bowen later produced two books on piano technique:
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Despite the advancements made by the York Bowen
Society, many of the composer's works remain unpublished. Although many of Bowen's solo instrumental works contribute significantly to modern performance repertoire, his orchestral and chamber works are rarely performed.
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and in 1908 Tertis premiered Bowen's Viola
Concerto in C minor, Op. 25. Bowen also aided Tertis in his campaign to increase the popularity of the viola as a solo instrument. Bowen made numerous other contributions to the viola repertoire, including the
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protested that Bowen had 'never taken the position he deserves'. In 1960 the record label Lyrita asked Bowen to record performances of some of his own works, including 10 of the 24 Preludes and the newly composed
Partita, Op. 156.
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During his lifetime Bowen also published editions of works by other composers. These included a three volume edition of Mozart's piano works published between 1931 and 1932. In addition, Bowen produced editions of many of
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The varying standards of difficulty of his compositions make Bowen's instrumental music accessible to a wide range of musicians. This is particularly true of Bowen's piano works which span from study pieces such as
378:, Bowen's music is very much defined by its distinctive textures and harmonies. Although his active career spanned more than fifty years, Bowen's compositional style altered very little and he continued to employ a
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performed Bowen's Violin
Concerto in E minor, Op. 33, at the Proms in 1920 and the first performances of Sonata for Horn and Piano, Op. 101, and Concerto for Horn, Strings and Timpani, Op. 150, were given by
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As an instrumentalist, Bowen considered the tone quality of the viola to be superior to the violin, and composed numerous works for viola. Bowen frequently performed as a pianist alongside the viola player
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hailed Bowen as 'the finest of
English composers'. This opinion was shared by many of Bowen's contemporaries and is reflected in the support he received from many eminent musicians and academics.
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Bowen premiered many of his own works including all four of his piano concertos. He produced his first three piano concertos between 1904 and 1908, performing the Piano
Concerto No. 1 in E
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York Bowen
Sonatas – Sonata for Flute and Piano, Op. 120, Sonata for Oboe and Piano, Op. 85, Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 109, Sonata for Horn and Piano, Op. 101 – Endymion.
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and his Twelve
Studies, Op. 46, are also intended to address different elements of piano technique. Bowen dedicated the studies to his piano teacher at the Royal Academy of Music,
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Aside from his performances with Lionel Tertis, one of Bowen's most successful collaborations was the piano duo that he formed with fellow professor at the Royal Academy of Music,
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During his early career Bowen achieved considerable success as both a composer and concert pianist. After hearing the premiere of Bowen's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E
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performed the Suite in D minor for Violin and Piano, Op. 28, and many other renowned violinists of the time later gave performances of the work, including
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Despite Bowen's success during the years before the First World War, by the time he wrote his Piano Concerto No. 4 in A minor, Op. 88, in 1929, his
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compositional style was considered outdated in relation to the modern techniques of his contemporaries. In his autobiography published in 1938,
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Many of Bowen's piano works are aimed at improving piano technique. One of his most notable works, Twenty-Four Preludes, Op. 102, is set in
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Bowen achieved considerable success during his lifetime both as a concert pianist and composer. He performed regularly at both the
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Concerto for Viola and Orchestra in C minor, Op.25 – Doris Lederer/Paul Polivnick, Czech Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra (2005)
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Bowen's compositions each display a unique 'blend of Romanticism and strong individuality'. Although his influences include
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Concerto for Horn, Strings and Timpani, Op. 150 – David Pyatt (Horn), London Philharmonic Orchestra (Nicholas Braithwaite)
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Medal. In 1907 Bowen was awarded a fellowship to the Royal Academy of Music and two years later was appointed professor.
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Twenty-Four Preludes, Op. 102, Ballade No. 2, Op. 87, Sonata No. 5 in F minor, Op. 72, Berceuse, Op. 83,
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Many of Bowen's instrumental works were dedicated to and premiered by renowned musicians. In 1910
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398:, Op. 99. to the extreme technical virtuosity of works such as Sonata No. 5 in F minor, Op. 72.
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745:"An analytical study of York Bowen's Twenty-Four Preludes in all Major and Minor Keys, Op. 102"
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Symphonies No. 1 and 2. BBC Philharmonic, conducted by Andrew Davis. Chandos CHAN 10670 (2011)
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Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 31 – Royal Northern College of Music SO (Douglas Bostock)
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488:, Phantasy in F Major. Izabel Markova (viola), Alla Belova (piano). Claves CD3073 (2024)
72:. While studying at the Royal Academy of Music, Bowen won numerous awards including the
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respectively. Bowen also composed works for many of his other contemporaries including
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Beecham, Gwilym (1984). "Music of York Bowen (1884–1961): A Preliminary Catalogue".
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145:(1919) and Chappell's Orchestral Suite Prize and the Hawkes and Co. Prize for
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459:(Thames, London, 1984) as well as numerous recordings made of Bowen's works.
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In 1898, at the age of fourteen, Bowen gained an Erard scholarship to the
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36:’ and his works are often characterized by their rich harmonic language.
840:"York Bowen, Viola Concerto (1907) The Centenary of a Minor Masterpiece"
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and the Piano Concerto No. 4 in A minor, Op. 88, under the direction of
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In 1912 Bowen married Sylvia Dalton, a singer and the daughter of a
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York Bowen Works for Piano Vol 2 – Sonata No. 5, Nocturne, Op. 78,
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As well as premiering many of his own works, including his four
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for four violas and two sonatas for viola and piano. Alongside
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Bowen was awarded several prizes for composition including the
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by Jonathan Woolf and John France, musicweb-international.com
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Cello Sonata, Op. 64 – Jo Cole (Cello), John Talbot (piano)
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vicar. Their son Philip was born a year later. During the
64:. He studied there until 1905, learning composition with
722:"Review: Bowen: String Quartets Nos 2 & 3, Phantasy"
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understanding of individual instrumental capabilities.
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Concerto for Viola and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 25 –
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York Bowen Works for Piano Vol 1 – Sonata No. 6 in B
603:, Op. 39 – Berceuse, Op. 83. Cristina Ortiz (piano)
302:Concerto for Three Pianos and Orchestra in F major
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822:Gray-Fisk, Clinton, "Pen Portrait: York Bowen",
202:directed the Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 31.
623:minor, Op. 160, Twenty-Four Preludes, Op. 102,
48:, London, to a father who was the owner of the
779:Composers at the Piano – Bowen and Reizenstein
683:Watson, Monica (2001). "Bowen, (Edwin) York".
279:for string quartet and bass clarinet in 1932.
968:Musicians from the London Borough of Haringey
95:but during service in France he contracted
863:International Music Score Library Project
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550:Piano Concertos Nos 3 (Fantasia) and 4 –
297:to give the first British performance of
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16:English composer and pianist (1884–1961)
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665:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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806:York Bowen: Symphonies Nos 1 & 2
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273:Carnegie Collection of British Music
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319:He was the first pianist to record
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473:List of compositions by York Bowen
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485:British Music for Viola and Piano
415:The Simplicity of Piano Technique
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100:in 1961. Among his students were
55:Blackheath Conservatoire of Music
983:English male classical composers
928:20th-century classical composers
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662:Hardy, Lisa. "Bowen, Edwin", in
599:Twenty-Four Preludes, Op. 102 –
411:Pedalling the Modern Piano Forte
198:in F major, Op. 16, and in 1912
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833:York Bowen: A Centenary Tribute
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457:York Bowen: A Centenary Tribute
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325:Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major
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577:, Op. 39, Toccata, Op. 155 –
575:Suite Mignonne: Moto Perpetuo
316:concert at the Queen's Hall.
312:for Orchestra and Piano at a
543:(1956). Camarilia Ensemble,
523:Fragments from Hans Andersen
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923:English classical composers
564:Piano Sonatas (complete) –
217:. The celebrated violinist
174:major, Op. 11, at the
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605:Grand Piano Records GP 637
554:(piano), BBC Scottish SO (
512:(Viola), BBC Scottish SO (
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453:Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji
314:Royal Philharmonic Society
859:Free scores by York Bowen
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973:Pupils of Tobias Matthay
403:all major and minor keys
963:British piano educators
842:, accessed 29 June 2014
691:Oxford University Press
627:, Op. 86 – Joop Celis.
431:major, Op. 11 in 1903,
382:key system with use of
354:between 1948 and 1950.
835:(London, Thames, 1984)
545:Dutton Epoch CDLX 7398
396:Twelve Easy Impromptus
76:Prize in 1902 and the
62:Royal Academy of Music
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25:Edwin York Bowen, 1935
978:Composers from London
853:"York Bowen home page
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793:"York Bowen Society"
310:Sinfonia Concertante
242:, Pauline Juler and
91:Bowen played in the
933:Composers for piano
781:, Lyrita Ream.2105"
478:Selected recordings
433:Camille Saint-Saëns
413:(London, 1936) and
358:Compositional style
188:The Lament of Tasso
57:with Alfred Izard.
686:Grove Music Online
644:Chandos CHAN 10410
629:Chandos CHAN 10277
196:Symphonic Fantasia
44:Bowen was born in
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855:, by Glen Ballard
825:The Musical Times
810:, Chandos Records
743:Chia-Ling Hsieh:
708:978-1-56159-263-0
527:Hyperion CDA68303
240:Beatrice Harrison
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918:1961 deaths
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114:Ivor Newton
46:Crouch Hill
907:Categories
727:Gramophone
651:References
444:Henry Wood
370:, Chopin,
261:Arnold Bax
180:Henry Wood
147:Intermezzo
141:Prize for
885:Biography
777:"Review:
568:(piano),
541:Debutante
537:Burlesque
421:Reception
384:chromatic
336:nocturnes
321:Beethoven
143:March RAF
122:Betty Roe
97:pneumonia
40:Biography
620:♭
592:Classico
583:Hyperion
581:(Piano)
570:Hyperion
560:Hyperion
518:Hyperion
451:pianist
440:romantic
428:♭
380:diatonic
352:scherzos
348:ballades
340:preludes
333:Chopin's
299:Mozart's
275:, and a
171:♭
161:and the
149:(1920).
85:Somerset
34:Romantic
871:Portals
865:(IMSLP)
861:at the
636:Ripples
625:Reverie
368:Medtner
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668:(2004)
646:(2007)
631:(2005)
614:(2004)
607:(2014)
547:(2022)
529:(2021)
499:Lyrita
344:valses
178:under
50:whisky
372:Grieg
176:Proms
703:ISBN
539:and
374:and
350:and
263:and
226:and
128:and
695:doi
493:BMS
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