Topic by ctdeupree

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Topic: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

Alec Rowley (1892-1958) was a pianist, organist, educator and broadcaster in Britain through the mid-20th century.  One of my projects over the last couple of years has been exploring his music, and I have posted some of these efforts on YouTube.

Here is his First Rhapsody (of Erin), published in 1920.

First Rhapsody (of Erin), op. 43

Here is a short English Country Dance piece, Polly Perkins.

Polly Perkins, English Country Dance

He also wrote five nocturnes -- here is the first one, subtitled 'A Shepherd did roam the hills'.

Nocturne No. 1

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

A couple more.  Here is a Moto Perpetuo, a quick little perpetual motion piece.

Moto Perpetuo.

And Rowley’s first piano sonata:

Sonata No. 1

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

My brother Red is a very gifted retired software engineer.  This spring, while he was recuperating from a fall, he wrote a visualization program which we used for the video for Rowley's Tonality Studies, originally published in 1937.  I shipped him the individual pieces as MusicXML and Midi files, which he used for the generation of the videos.  The piece uses the NY Steinway Classical preset.

About the Tonality Studies, Rowley wrote, "There are numerous studies for the cultivation of finger facility.  The following exercises differ from the usual scheme in that their primary object is to cultivate the aural sense; they have, consequently, been systematically arranged to cover all current idioms from modal to atonal."  The video description contains a table of contents for the eight etudes as well as notes on the individual videos.

Tonality Studies, op. 44, by Alec Rowley,

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

Here is Rowley's Second Nocturne for piano, published in 1932.

Nocturne No. 2, "Clouds Across The Moon."

Reply by DEZ

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

Nice easy-listening pieces. I particularly like the dance and clouds across the moon. Thanks for sharing.

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

Another Rowley composition, from 1927, Moonlight Jig.

Moonlight Jig by Alec Rowley

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

It's been a while since I worked on a new piece by Alec Rowley.  Here is his Third Nocturne, illustrated with some pictures of our trellis of tombstone roses this spring.  Nocturne No. 3 by Alec Rowley.

Last edited by ctdeupree (30-05-2023 02:54)

Reply by budo

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

loved the nocturne! great playing and beautiful images.

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

Another impressionist set by Alec Rowley, here is Two Twilight Pieces, originally published in 1932.

Two Twilight Pieces by Alec Rowley

Reply by Pianoteqenthusiast

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

ctdeupree wrote:

Another impressionist set by Alec Rowley, here is Two Twilight Pieces, originally published in 1932.

Two Twilight Pieces by Alec Rowley


Hello ctdeupree,

I like these pieces. The first one is really surprising, enigmatic and extraordinary, in a good way. The second one is, to me, almost hypnotic. very inventive. And the pictures goes well with the music.

Alec Rowley was also an organist, an organist at several London churches, a fine organist, having gained his FRCO by the time he was 16.
Rowley's setting sticks pretty much to the modal harmonies, devoid of his usual chromaticism, and the writing is quite mystical in the overall effect.

I have found the scores/Sheets to 7 organ pieces but,   unfortunately,  they are not public domain in my counrty, he died 1958, so I can not use them in the forum (Rules Modartt: ……..not to share copyright protected files unless you are the copyright holder yourself or have the direct permission from the copyright holder to do so)

Well, I have access to about 100 scores of different composer,s organ music, public domain, so it's enough for my lifetime

Thanks for sharing these Alec Rowley pieces, they are a bit special.
Keep going!

Best wishes,

Stig

Last edited by Pianoteqenthusiast (08-11-2023 11:39)

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

Pianoteqenthusiast wrote:

I like these pieces. The first one is really surprising, enigmatic and extraordinary, in a good way. The second one is, to me, almost hypnotic. very inventive. And the pictures goes well with the music.

Alec Rowley was also an organist, an organist at several London churches, a fine organist, having gained his FRCO by the time he was 16.
Rowley's setting sticks pretty much to the modal harmonies, devoid of his usual chromaticism, and the writing is quite mystical in the overall effect.

I have found the scores/Sheets to 7 organ pieces but,   unfortunately,  they are not public domain in my counrty, he died 1958, so I can not use them in the forum (Rules Modartt: ……..not to share copyright protected files unless you are the copyright holder yourself or have the direct permission from the copyright holder to do so)

Well, I have access to about 100 scores of different composer,s organ music, public domain, so it's enough for my lifetime

Thanks, glad you are enjoying them.  Rowley definitely had more fame in his time as an organist than as a pianist (although he had a long-running BBC show featuring piano duets).  IMSLP has 45 Rowley compositions for organ, only 29 for piano.  I have found other Rowley scores at Piano Rare Scores, and I see that the same outfit has Organ Rare Scores (no Rowley there, however).  I have no experience with the organ, so I'm waiting to win one of the big prizes in the annual competition to spring for Organteq.

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Re: Alec Rowley, mid-20th century British composer

two more beautiful performances!  looking forward to more

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