Graham Whettam

Graham Whettam (7 September 1927 – 17 August 2007) was an English post-romantic composer.

Biography

Graham Whettam was born in Swindon, Wiltshire. He studied at the St Luke's College, but he never learnt at a Music School and remains largely self-taught in composition. As soon as in his twenties, several of his compositions had already been performed by major orchestras and soloists : the Sinfonietta for Strings in 1951 at Kensington Palace ; the Symphony No. 1 in the early 1950s by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Charles Groves ; the Concertino for oboe and string orchestra at the 1953 Proms performed by famous oboist Léon Goossens ; the Viola Concerto in 1954 at the Cheltentham Festival by violist Harry Danks and conducted by Sir John Barbirolli). Other of his works had been performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and by the London Symphony Orchestra, by conductors Basil Cameron, Meredith Davies, Sir Eugene Goossens, Willem van Otterloo and Sir Malcolm Sargent, and by the oboist Janet Craxton, the clarinettist Jack Brymer and the hornist Dennis Brain.^[1] In 1959 it was the premiere of his first clarinet concerto (performed by Raymond Carpenter and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Charles Groves), the work he considered to be his first mature one.

In 1958 he divorced Rosemary Atkinson (with whom he had married in 1948) and he moved to Coventry, West Midlands, where he married Janet Lawrence in 1959. It was in Coventry that he founded and directed his own publishing company, "Meriden Music". In 1962 he wrote his first "masterpiece", the powerful Sinfonia contra timore (Symphony Against Fear), which has been premiered three years later in 1965 by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Hugo Rignold. His following symphonic works follow each other in rapid succession : Sinfonietta Stravagante (1964) performed by the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Herbert Sourdant ; Sinfonia Concertante (1966) performed by the Northern Sinfonia conducted by Bryden Thomson. Nonetheless Whettam never had as much success as in his youth, such that several of his works have been premiered/published only a long time after their composition (cf. below). Some of his late works (such as the Promethean Symphony and the Symphony No. 5) still wait for a world premiere.

Regarded as "a natural symphonist" by the Sunday Times,^[2] it's no surprise that symphonies form the core of his output. Whettam composed symphonies (nearly a dozen in all) during his whole life, since his mid-twenties in the early 1950s to the very late of his life in the 2000s. They are supplemented by some large-scale concertos and several shorter orchestral (both symphonic and concertante) works. Nonetheless Graham Whettam's vast compositional output also includes numerous chamber and instrumental works (such as four string quartets and three solo violin sonatas) as well as a certain number of vocal and choral works. His music, labelled as "invariably dramatic"^[3] (which is reflected by his titles : Sinfonia Drammatica, Concerto Drammatico, Concerto Ardente, Sinfonia Intrepida...) features skilful construction and a deep sense of poignancy and atmosphere.

Graham Whettam died on 17 August 2007 at Woolaston, Gloucestershire, aged 79.

Works

Symphonies

Several of Graham Whettam's symphonies have never been published ; other ones have been premiered/published many years after their compositions, causing several numbering inversions/omissions. The following list tries to restore chronological order.

Sinfonietta for Strings (premiered in 1951 at Kensington Palace)^[4]
Symphony No. 1 (early 1950s). 28'^[5]
Sinfonia contra timore (Symphony Against Fear) (1962 ; rev. and publ. 1997). 27'^[6]
Sinfonietta (Sinfonia) Stravagante (1964). 20'^[7]
Sinfonia Concertante for small orchestra (1966). 22'^[8]
Sinfonia Intrepida (sometimes listed as "No. 2") (1976). 44'^[9]
Sinfonia Drammatica (sometimes listed as "No. 3") (1978). 29'^[10]
Sinfonia Prometeica (Promethean Symphony) (1999). 40' - a movement can be performed separately as God of Fire : Introduction and Scherzo-Fuocoso
Symphony "No. 5" for small orchestra (2001). 28'
Symphony "No. 6" (listed as "in progress" in a 2001 article ; possibly unfinished at the composer's death in 2007)^[11]

Other Symphonic Works

Introduction and Scherzo-Impetuoso Benvenuto Cellini (1960 ; rev. 1982). 9'^[12]
The Masque of the Red Death, ballet, after Edgar Allan Poe (1968)
Concerto Conciso for string orchestra (1981). 15'
An English Suite for orchestra (1984)^[13]
Symphonic Prelude (1985). 11'
Evocations, symphonic suite in three movements (1995). 17' - slow movement can be performed separately as Idyll
God of Fire, Introduction and Scherzo-Fuocoso (1998). 9' - from the Promethean Symphony
Threnos-Hymnos, for string orchestra (1999). 9' - based on the Hymnos String Quartet (1997) and incorporating an earlier Hymnos for string Orchestra (or for eight cellos) from 1978

Concertante works

Concerto Scherzoso for harmonica and orchestra, op. 9^[14] (1951). 9'^[15] - written for Larry Adler
Concertino for oboe and string orchestra, op. 12 (performed at the 1953 Proms by Léon Goossens)^[16]). 9'
Fantasy for harmonica and orchestra (1953) - written for Tommy Reilly
Viola Concerto, op. 16 (premiered in 1954^[17] at the Cheltentham Festival performed by Harry Danks and conducted by John Barbirolli)^[18]
Clarinet Concerto No. 1, for clarinet and symphony orchestra (1959 ; rev. 2001). 23'^[19]
Variations on an Original Theme for oboe and strings (1961). 11'^[20]
Concerto for harmonica and orchestra No. 2, op. 34 (1961) - written for Tommy Reilly^[21]
Clarinet Concerto No. 2, for clarinet and string orchestra (1982). 24'
Idyll, for flute, horn, harp and strings (1983). 7' - slow movement of the symphonic suite Evocations
Concerto Ardente for horn and strings (1992). 23'
Les Roseaux au Vent, Triple Concerto (Introduction, Theme and 10 Variations) for two oboes, English horn (or bassoon) and strings (1993). 17'
Ballade Hébraïque for violin (or viola, or cello) and orchestra (1994 ; premiered in 2000). 13' - orig. for violin (or viola, or cello) and piano (1981)
Concerto Drammatico for cello and orchestra (1998 ; revised and expanded version of an earlier Cello Concerto from 1962). 33'^[22]

Vocal and Choral Works

Three Romantic Songs for medium/high voice and piano (1956 ; rev. 1998). 8'
Two Casimir Songs for medium/high voice and piano (1958 ; rev. 1998). 6'
Missa Brevis for S.A.T.B. choir and organ (1963). 11'
The Chef who Wanted to Rule the World for choir and chamber orchestra (1969)
Celebration for choir, brass, percussion and organ (1975)
On the Beach at Night (after Walt Whitman), for mixed voices a cappella (1979). 9'
Consecration for large choir, brass, timpani, percussion and organ (1982). 9'
A Mass for Canterbury for S.A.T.B. choir a cappella with optional organ interlude (1986). 22'
Three Shakespearian Elegies for S.A.T.B. choir a cappella (1994). 9'30
Four Yeats Songs (from The Rose) for medium/high voice and piano (2002). 12'

Chamber music

Prelude, Allegro and Postlude for Flute, Oboe and Piano (1955). 7'
Fantasy for Ten Wind Instruments (1960 ; rev. and expanded in 1979). 7'
String Quartet No. 1 (1960–67). 24'
Duo Declamando for Horn and Piano (1972). 10'
Oboe Quartet No. 2 The Bagpiper (1973). 18'
A Little Suite for Brass Quintet (2 Trumpets, Horn, Trombone and Tuba) (1974). 6'
Trio for Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon (1975). 14'
Horn Trio, for Horn, Violin and Piano (1976). 18'
Quintetto Concertato for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn (1979). 15'
Concerto for Ten Wind Instruments (1979). 16'
String Quartet No. 3 (1980). 30'
Serenade for Viola (or Alto Flute, or English Horn, or Clarinet) and Guitar (1981). 12'
Ballade Hébraïque for violin (or viola, or cello) and piano (1981). 12' - also version for violin (or viola, or cello) and orchestra (1994)
Idyll, for Horn and Organ (1983). 7' - transcription of the homonymous work for flute, horn, harp and strings
Quartet for Four Horns (1986). 18'
Canticles for Horn Quartet and Organ (1987). 10'
Sonata for Clarinet and Piano (1988). 14'
Concerto for Brass Quintet (2 Trumpets, Horn, Trombone and Tuba) (1993). 16'
Romanza [No. 1] for viola solo (1993)
Hymnos String Quartet (1997). 28' - revised version of the earlier String Quartet No. 2
Romanza No. 2 for viola solo (2000)
String Quartet No. 4 (1997 ; premiered in 2001). 25'
Sextet for Wing Quintet and Piano (2001). 24'

Works for solo instruments

Fantasy for piano four hands (1956 ; rev. 2005). 6'^[23]
Sonata for solo Violin No. 1 (1957 ; rev. 1986). 12'
Partita for solo Organ (1962). 18'
Prelude, Scherzo and Elegy for solo Piano (1964). 11'^[24]
Triptych for solo Organ (1966). 14'
Prelude and Scherzo-Impetuoso for solo Piano (1967). 10'^[25]
Night Music, Sonata for solo Piano (1968). 25'^[26]
Sonata for solo Violin No. 2 (1972). 21'
Improvisations for solo Clarinet (1979). 12'
Suite for Timpani : Five Pieces for Four Drums (1982). 18'^[27]
Lento and Fugue for solo Marimba (1985). 10' - transcription of the last two movements of the Sonata for solo Violin No. 2 (1972)
Adagietto for solo Organ (1986). 4'
Sonata for solo Violin No. 3 (1989). 28'
Partita for solo Guitar (1990). 27'
Sonata for solo Cello (1990). 22'
Romanza (No. 1) for solo Violin (1993). 7'
Chaconne for solo Violin (1996). 10'
Sonata for solo Marimba (1998). 24'
Romanza No. 2 for solo Violin (2000). 6'
Ballade Hébraïque, version for piano four hands (2005). 11' - orig. for violin (or viola, or cello) and piano (1981)^[28]

Recordings

Sinfonia Intrepida. Redcliffe Recordings RR016, 2001^[29]
Concerto Drammatico for cello and orchestra ; Sinfonia contra timore. Redcliffe Recordings RR017, 2001^[30]
Piano Music : Night Music (Sonata) ; Prelude, Scherzo and Elegy ; Prelude and Scherzo-Impetuoso ; Ballade Hebraique for piano 4 hands ; Fantasy for piano 4 hands. Divine Art CD, 2006^[31]
String Quartets No. 1 & No. 4 ; Oboe Quartet No. 2. Carducci Classics CSQ5847, 2008^[32]
Concerto Scherzoso for harmonica and orchestra ; Concertino for oboe and string orchestra. Sinetone AMR CD, 2012^[33]

References

Sources

Graham Whettam's page on Meriden Music