Jeremy Thurlow

Jeremy Thurlow is an English composer. He studied music under the direction of Tim Brown and composition with Alexander Goehr at Clare College, Cambridge, before spending a year at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama studying composition and music-theatre with Peter Wiegold, and then taking a PhD at King's College, London.

His compositions include music for orchestra, choir, solo voice, and chamber ensembles and have been performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Matthew Schellhorn, the Fitzwilliam String Quartet, the Aronowitz Ensemble, Rolf Hind, Sequitur, Endymion, Peter Sheppard Skaerved and the BBC Singers, among others.^[1] In 2007 he won the George Butterworth Award for Composition with his video-opera A Sudden Cartography of Song, composed in collaboration with writer Alistair Appleton.^[2]

His book Henri Dutilleux: la musique des rêves/the music of dreams^[3] is an in-depth study of one of the major figures of twentieth-century French music, and he has also published articles on French post-war music including a study of Messiaen's birdsong style in the Cambridge University Press volume Messiaen Studies.^[4] He has appeared regularly on BBC Radio 3, writing and broadcasting programmes about Fauré, Messiaen, Stravinsky and Schoenberg, and has also contributed to the revised New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2000).^[5][6]

He is a Fellow of Robinson College, University of Cambridge, where he teaches and lectures in music and composition.^[7]

On top of Thurlow's work in musicology and composition he has many other interests. He is an avid plant collector and conservator, being part of the family firm Thurlow Plants.^[8]

Work list (selection)

• Flos Florum (1991), for double choir (SATB x2) and solo flute.
• Fearfully and wonderfully made (1995). Psalm setting for choir (women's and men's voices, in 3 groups) and organ pedals.
• Of Noblest Cities (2000), an Epiphany Carol for choir and organ (SSATBB).
• Ancient Stone at Twilight (2003) for soprano and string quartet.
• This is the garden (2004), for choir (SATB) and four horns.
• The Will of the Tones (2004), for piano solo.
• Strange Light (2004), for choir (SATB), organ and solo horn; words by R.S. Thomas.
• Search Engines (2002–06), for orchestra.
• Piano Concerto (2000, rev. 2006), for piano and chamber orchestra.
• The She-Wolf (2004), a fable for soprano, cello and piano.
• Music for Strings and Hammers (2006–07), for four pianos, honky-tonk and celesta.
• A sudden cartography of song (2007), video-opera for four solo voices (SATB), narrator, video and live electronics; words and video by Alistair Appleton.
• Exultation is the going (2007), for unaccompanied choir (SSAATTBB); words by Emily Dickinson.
• The Pedlar of Swaffham (2007), a fable for soprano and five instruments.
• Nesting (2008), for wind quintet.
• Unbidden Visions (2008), for tenor, horn and piano.^[9]
• String Quartet (2008) (3 movements).
• Breath (2008), for ensemble.
• Wheels within wheels (2008), for cello and piano.
• That Second Realm (2009), dance-piece for six instruments (fl, ob, str qtet) and eight dancers.
• Fantazia (2009), for string quartet (Homage to Purcell).
• Orion (2009), for horn, violin and piano.
• Butterfly (2009), for solo piano.
• Properties of Light (2009), dance-piece for instrumental septet (cl, hn, tpt, marimba, vn, vla, cello), vocal quartet (SATB) and six dancers.
• Slow Tide (2009), for two pianos and percussion.
• When Joseph was a-walking (2009), carol for choir (SSATBB).
• Bread and meat and fish and wine (2010), carol for choir (SATB) and organ.
• Lob sei Gott (2010), for organ. Chorale prelude written for the Orgelbüchlein Project.
• Ladder of the Escaping Eye (2011), for solo recorder.
• Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (the Caius Service) (2011), for choir and organ.
• Ouija (2012), for solo violin and electronics.
• Slow Tide II (2012), for piano, electric piano and electronics.
• Plus avant que l'étoile (2012), for flute and piano (after Yves Bonnefoy).
• I got me flowers (2012), Easter anthem for unaccompanied choir (SATB), words by George Herbert.
• Magnificat (2012), for girls' voices, organ and electronics (the St Catharine's Service).
• Soft-born measureless light (2012), for piano solo.
• Piano Trio no. 1 (2013).
• Virelai Dame, vostre doulze viaire (2013), for flute and piano (after G. de Machaut).
• Steeples Eclipse (Piano Trio no. 2) (2013).
• Gazelle (2013), for solo harp.
• Self-ablaze (2014), for violin and piano.

References

External links

• Jeremy Thurlow's page
• Thurlow's page at CRASSH
• Faculty of Music – Staff Profile Jeremy Thurlow