Ian Venables
Ian Venables (born 1955) is a British composer of songs and chamber music.
Biography
Ian Venables was born in Liverpool in 1955 and was educated at Liverpool Collegiate Grammar School. He studied music with Professor Richard Arnell at Trinity College of Music, London and later with Andrew Downes, John Mayer and John Joubert in Birmingham. His compositions encompass many genres, and in particular he has added significantly to the canon of English art song. Described as ‘…one of the finest song composers of his generation…’, he has written over 50 works in this genre, which includes six song-cycles, - Venetian Songs - Love’s Voice Op.22 (1995); Invite to Eternity Op.31 (1997) for tenor and string quartet; Songs of Eternity and Sorrow Op.36 (2004) for tenor, string quartet and piano; On the Wings of Love Op.38 (2006) for tenor, clarinet and piano; The Pine Boughs Past Music Op.39 (2010) for baritone and piano and Remember This Op.40 (2010) - Cantata for soprano, tenor, string quartet, and piano. Other songs for solo voice and piano include, Two Songs Op.28 (1997) and Six Songs Op.33 (1999-2003) as well as ‘A Dramatic Scena’ for counter-tenor and piano - At the Court of the poisoned Rose Op. 20 (1994). His songs have been performed by national and internationally acclaimed artists that include: Andrew Kennedy, Roderick Williams, Patricia Rozario, Ian Partridge, Howard Wong, Nathan Vale, Peter Wilman and Nicholas Mulroy. His many chamber works include a Piano Quintet Op.27 (1995) - described by Roderic Dunnett in the Independent as ‘…lending a new late 20th Century dimension to the English pastoral…’ and a String Quartet Op.32 (1998), as well as smaller pieces for solo instruments and piano. He has also written works for choir - Awake, awake, the world is young Op.34 - organ - Rhapsody Op.25 (1996), brass and solo piano. He is an acknowledged expert on the 19th century poet and literary critic John Addington Symonds, and apart from having set five of his poems for voice and piano, he has contributed a significant essay to the book John Addington Symonds - Culture and the Demon Desire (Macmillan Press Ltd, 2000). He is President of The Arthur Bliss Society, as well as being the Chairman of the Ivor Gurney Society. His continuing work on the music of Gurney has led to orchestrations of two of his songs (2003) - counterparts to the two that were orchestrated by Herbert Howells - and newly edited versions of Gurney’s War Elegy (1919) and A Gloucestershire Rhapsody (1921), with Philip Lancaster. His works have been recorded on the Signum, Somm, Regent and Naxos labels.
His music is published by Novello and Co.
Works list
- Orchestral
- Three Romantic Impressions for orchestra, Op. 17
- Chamber music
- Elegy for cello (or viola) and piano, Op. 2 (1980)
- Meditation for clarinet and piano, Op. 7
- Three Pieces for violin and piano, Op. 11 (1986)
- Three Diversions for brass quintet, Op. 13 (1992)
- Sonatina for oboe and piano, Op. 14 (1995)
- The Three Bridges Suite for brass decet (jazz ensemble), Op. 18 (1994)
- Triptych for sixteen brass and two percussion, Op. 21 (1993)
- Sonata for flute and piano, Op. 23 (1989)
- Soliloquy for viola and piano, Op. 26 (1994)
- Quintet for piano and string quartet, Op. 27 (1989–1996)
- Poem for cello and piano, Op. 29 (1997)
- String Quartet, Op. 32 (1997–1998)
- The Moon Sails Out for cello and piano, Op. 42 (2010)
- Organ
- Rhapsody for organ, Op. 25 (1996)
- Piano
- Sonata "In Memoriam D.S.C.H" for piano, Op. 1 (1975, revised 1980)
- Prelude for piano, Op. 3 (1981)
- The Stourhead Follies, 4 Romantic Impressions for piano, Op. 4 (1985)
- Three Short Pieces for piano, Op. 5 (1986)
- The Rose and the Nightingale, A Children's Ballet for piano, Op. 8 (1996)
- Janis, Portrait for piano, Op. 9 (2000)
- Three Short Pieces for piano (arranged for orchestra), Op. 12; withdrawn
- Caprice for piano, Op. 35 (2001)
- Choral
- O Sing Aloud to God, Anthem for mixed chorus and organ, Op. 19 (1993)
- Awake! Awake, the World Is Young, Anthem for chorus, mezzo-soprano, 3 trumpets (or 4 trumpets, horn, 3 trombones, tuba), percussion and organ, Op. 34 (1999); words by Tennyson/Flecker
- Remember This, Cantata for soprano, tenor, string quartet, piano and optional percussion, Op. 40 (2008–2011); words by Andrew Motion
- Vocal
- Midnight Lamentation for voice and piano, Op. 6 (1974); words by Harold Monro
- A Kiss for voice and piano or string quartet, Op. 15 (1992); words by Thomas Hardy
- Easter Song for voice and piano, Op. 16 (1992); words by Edgar Billingham
- Pain for voice and piano, Op. 19 (1991); words by Ivor Gurney
- At the Court of the Poisoned Rose for voice and piano, Op. 20 (1994); words by Marion Angus
- Love's Voice, Song Cycle for tenor and piano, Op. 22 (1995); words by John Addington Symonds
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- Fortunate Isles
- The Passing Stranger
- Invitation to the Gondola (also for baritone and piano)
- Love's Voice
- At Malvern for voice and piano, Op. 24 (1998); words by John Addington Symonds
- Flying Crooked and At Midnight for voice and piano or string quartet, Op. 28 (1997–1998); words by Robert Graves and Edna St. Vincent Millay
- Acton Burnell for tenor, viola and piano, Op. 30 (1997); words by Rennie Parker
- Invite to Eternity, Song Cycle for tenor and string quartet, Op. 31 (1997); words by John Clare
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- Born upon an Angel's Breast
- An Invite to Eternity
- Evening Bells
- I Am
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- The Way Through
- It Rains
- Vitae summa brevis
- November Piano
- Break, Break, Break
- The Hippo (also for voice and string quartet)
- Songs of Eternity and Sorrow, Song Cycle for tenor, string quartet and piano, Op. 36 (2003); words by A. E. Housman
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- Easter Hymn
- When Green Buds Hang
- Oh, Who Is That Young Sinner
- Because I Liked You Better
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- Love Lives Beyond
- Friendship
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- Ionian Song
- The Moon Sails Out
- Sonnets of Love, No XI
- Animula Vagula, Blandula
- Reluctance
- When You Are Old
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- The Wind
- Soft Rain
- My Heart Makes Songs on Lonely Roads
- In Memoriam – Ivor Gurney
- Songs for baritone and piano, Op. 41
Ivor Gurney
Ian Venables is chairman of the Ivor Gurney Society and is currently working to achieve the publication of some previously unpublished works by Gurney. (Source- see below)
External links/ Sources
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Venables, Ian |
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1955 |
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