Anthony Gilbert (26 July 1934 – 5 July 2023) was a British composer and academic, long associated with the Royal Northern College of Music. He also taught for extended periods as head of composition at the New South Wales State Conservatorium. His works, many of them for larger chamber ensembles, were published by Schott and University of York Music Press. Several of them were written for particular musicians, who performed and recorded them. He wrote a memoir, published in 2021.
Biography Gilbert, who was born in London on 26 July 1934, trained initially as a translator, then studied composition privately with Mátyás Seiber, piano with Denis Holloway at Trinity College, and composition with Alexander Goehr and Anthony Milner at Morley College.Williams, Nicholas. "Gilbert, Anthony", in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (2001) He also studied with Gunther Schuller at Tanglewood.
He worked for the London branch of Schott, beginning as a warehouseman and later chief editor of contemporary music, and head of production. In 1970 he moved north, first as Granada Arts Fellow at Lancaster University, and then to the Royal Northern College of Music, as tutor and later head of the school of composition and contemporary music, where he stayed until retirement in 1999. He worked for extended periods as head of the composition department of the New South Wales State Conservatorium during the 1980s. Amongst his students were Sally Beamish, Tim Benjamin, Martin Butler,Recorder Magazine, Volumes 17–18 (1997), p. 93 Simon Holt, Adam Johnson, Paul Newland, Priti Paintal, Janet Owen Thomas, James Saunders, Jane Antonia Cornish and Ian Vine.
Gilbert was an active committee member of the Society for the Promotion of New Music, the music section of the ICA, the ISCM's British and Sydney sections, and the new music panel of North West Arts. He was a founding member and artistic director of both the New Music Forum, Manchester, and the Akanthos Ensemble at the Royal Northern College of Music. His publishers were Schott Music, for works prior to 1994, and then University of York Music Press. He enjoyed lasting friendships with other composers, including Harrison Birtwistle, Don Banks, Alexander Goehr and David Lumsdaine.
He began writing a memoir in 2014, focusing on the work in the months preceding his 87th birthday; it was published as Kettle of Fish in 2021.Gilbert, Anthony. Kettle of Fish (2021), Composers Edition
Gilbert was married twice, and divorced twice. His first marriage was to Mary Hill, in 1956. Hill and Gilbert had three children.
His second marriage in 1978 was to Alison Cox, who became the first head of composition at the Purcell School for Young Musicians, where she has taught since 1988, and also founded a musical charity, the Commonwealth Resounds.
Gilbert died on 5 July 2023, at age 88. His three children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren survive him.
Music Gilbert was a prolific composer from the early 1960s, writing the majority of his works for instrumental or chamber ensemble.Jarman, Douglas. 2004. 'The Music of Anthony Gilbert', in two parts. Tempo 58, no. 229 (July): 2–17 (); 58, no. 230 (October): 38–49 ().
He wrote about composing:
The Piano Sonata No. 1 (1962) was his first published composition. It was selected for the 1962 ISCM Festival and premiered by Margaret Kitchin at the Cheltenham Festival. Early ensemble pieces include Brighton Piece and Nine or Ten Osannas (both 1967), and works especially written for The Fires of London, such as The Incredible Flute Music (1970) and Spell Respell for basset clarinet and piano (1973). From the 1970s he produced a series of larger orchestral compositions such as the Symphony (1973) and Ghost and Dream Dancing (1974), which he called "in effect, a second symphony", as well as two operas: The Scene-Machine (1970, for the Staatstheater Kassel) and The Chakravaka-Bird (1977, for BBC Radio).Walsh, Stephen. 1972. "Time Off and The Scene Machine". Musical Times 113:137–39 Compositions for smaller orchestra during this period included Crow-Cry (1976, written for the London Sinfonietta), and Towards Asvari for solo piano and chamber orchestra (1978, written for Peter Lawson and the Manchester Camerata).
During the following decade smaller scale works were his primary focus. Moonfaring for cello and percussion (1983) has also been performed with dancers. There are a trilogy of humorous pieces based on the imaginary Chinese bestiary of Jorge Luis Borges: Quartet of Beasts (1984). Beastly Jingles (1985) and Six of the Bestiary (1985). Other works from this time include Dream Carousels for wind ensemble (Gilbert's most-performed work, written for RNCM conductor Timothy Reynish) and the orchestral song-cycle Certain Lights Reflecting. Both were inspired by writings of the Tasmanian poet Sarah Day. Igórochki, a recorder concerto written for John Turner, was completed in 1992 and there was a lyrical violin concerto, On Beholding a Rainbow (1997), recorded in 2005 with soloist Anthony Marwood.
Although not noted for his interest in traditional forms, Gilbert composed four piano sonatas (the most recent in 2022) and a cycle of five string quartets spanning the years 1972 to 2009. The third quartet has been recorded by the Nossek String Quartet (1999), the Madawaska Quartet (2009) and the Bingham Quartet (2014), and the fourth by the Tavec Quartet (2009).'Recordings', anthonygilbert.net There is also a string trio, Humdance (2007) and a string quintet, Haven of Mysteries, premiered by the Carducci String Quartet with cellist Guy Johnston at the Wigmore Hall on 14 June 2015. He wrote an extended essay on the British String Quartet since 1935.'The British Quartet': in The Twentieth-century String Quartet, ed. Douglas Jarman, Arc (2002) Chapter V, p. 93
Works Gilbert's compositions include:
Piano Elegy, 1961 Piano Sonata No. 1, 1962 Piano Sonata No. 2 (piano 4-hands), 1966 Little Piano Pieces, 8', 1972 O alter Duft (withdrawn), 1984 Funtoons: children's pieces (MS), 8', 1985 Peal III (MS), 2', 1984 Piano Sonata No. 3 autour des palombes, 15', 2001 People Pieces (for beginners and on), 15', 2005 Papillon Postcards (3 miniatures for solo piano), 2', 2005 Passing Bells, 3', 2006 Do Well: 8 short pieces, 15', 2009 Some Say: 11 short pieces for solo piano, 11', 2009 Chimes in Time, 3', 2010 Propel, 7', 2010 Monsoon Toccata, 4', 2013 Piano Sonata No. 4, 2022
Instrumental Strophics for violin & piano, 1961 Duo for violin and viola, 1963 The Incredible Flute Music for flute and piano (Peal I), 1968 Spell Respell for electric basset clarinet and piano, 1968 Treatment of Silence for violin and tape, 1969 Crow Undersongs for solo viola, 11', 1981 Sunrising for oboe and piano (commissioned and published by Forsyth Bros. Ltd., Manchester), 3', 1981 Two Birds by Kuring-Gai for horn and piano (commissioned and published by Forsyth), 6', 1982 Moonfaring for cello and percussion, 19'-30', 1983 Dawnfaring for viola and piano 15', 1984 Peal IV for organ (MS), 2', 1984 O alter Duft for piano duet (withdrawn), 1990 Paluma for sopranino recorder and piano (arranged from movement IV of Igórochki) (MS), 4', 1993 Trying to make John SLOW DOWN AFTER 50 for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 1993 Ziggurat for bass clarinet and marimba, 21', 1994 Stars for treble recorder and guitar (rev. 2004), 13', 1995 Flame Robin for sopranino recorder solo (Forsyth), 1', 1995 Miss Carroll her Lullabye for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 1995 Chant-au-clair for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 1995 Midwales Lightwhistle Automatic for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 1996 Réflexions, Rose nord for bass clarinet and vibraphone, 5', 1996 Osanna for Lady O for cello and piano (rewritten 2007), 8', 1997 Ondine – chant au clair de lune for soprano and recorder (Aloysius Bertrand) (MS), 6', 1998 Os for oboe and vibraphone (revised 2002), 16', 1999 Margareeting for tenor or descant recorder and piano (MS), 2', 2000 Sinfin for vibraphone solo (also arranged for vibraphone duo), 8', 2000 Worldwhorls for bass clarinet solo, 8', 2000 Photos found at Hukvaldy, August 1928 for oboe solo, 5', 2000 Farings for sopranino recorder and piano (Forsyth), 15', 2000 Kauri for solo Tuba, 11', 2002 Tulip Tree Dances for solo bass and treble recorders, 15', 2003 Rose luisante for solo freebass accordion, 9', 2003 Litany for clarinet and piano (Associated Board Spectrum series), 2', 2004 Catercorny, four pieces for clarinet and piano (contains Litany above), 6', 2004 Swallowtail for solo vibraphone, 2', 2004 Halifenu Vine Dance for organ and pre-recorded organ, 9', 2005 U-Go for Arirang for variable instruments, 4', 2005 A Piece of Cake for treble recorder and piano (MS), 80", 2006 Jugalbandi Blues for bass clarinet solo, 60", 2006 Echo for solo trumpet (Cincuentas 5), 4', 2007 Twirlpool for flute and viola, 3', 2008 Gioco dei Pari for violin & viola (reworking of Duo of 1962), 10', 2008 Tulip Dance, for solo flute (arranged from Tulip Tree, 2003), 5', 2008 Twinned Set, seven short pieces for solo bassoon (and Set 2 for bass clarinet), 18', 2008 Converse, for bass clarinet and tenor saxophone, 9', 2010 Inseparable, for alto flute or oboe and string trio, 7', 2010 Recitative, for solo trombone, 8', 2010 Running Free, for tenor saxophone solo, 6', 2010 Above all that, for recorder and piano, 3', 2011 Early to Bloom, for tenor recorder and harpsichord, 3', 2011 Rapprochement for piano and cello, 8', 2011 Songline, for double bass and piano, 3', 2011 Behind all this, for descant recorder and harpsichord, 3', 2012 Dançando con Flores, for solo guitar, 5', 2012 DancE-a-Triple-Round, for recorder and cello, 2', 2012 Outflow, for solo double bass, 3', 2012 Pilbara Park, for solo guitar, 10', 2012 Skipping side to side, for solo banjo, 5', 2012 Behind all this, for recorder and piano, 3', 2012 Haunted, for solo bass guitar, 5', 2013 The Flame has Ceased (in memory John McCabe), 2016 Verse for solo double bass (written for David Hayes), 2019 Duologue – small sonata for viola & piano, 8'45", 2020 Tulip Dance 5 – ‘Spring Dance’ music for bass recorder and tuned percussion, intended for ballet-type dance, 4'44", 2021 A Breath for Life brief song for John Turner's 80th birthday, 2023
Chamber music Serenade for 6 instruments, 1963 Brighton Piece for 8 players, 1967 Nine or Ten Osannas for 5 players, 1967 O'Grady Music for clarinet, cello and toy instruments, 24', 1971 String Quartet No. 1 (also available in arrangement with piano), 22', 1972 Canticle I (Rock-Song) for wind instruments, 9', 1973 Canticle I (Rock-Song) version 2 for woodwind, horns, harp & piano, 9', 1979 Calls around Chungmori for chamber ensemble and participating audience, 15', 1979 Vasanta with Dancing for chamber ensemble (dancer optional), 17', 1981 Bendigo Match for wind band (MS), 3', 1981 Concert Fanfare for Strathfieldsaye for 5 brass and 2 percussion (MS), 1', 1981 Little Fantasy on Gold-digger Melodies for flute and string quartet (MS), 4', 1981 Little Dance of Barrenjoey for flute, clarinet, viola and cello (MS), 2', 1981 Quartet of Beasts for 3 wind instruments and piano, 13', 1984 Six of the Bestiary for saxophone quartet, 12', 1985 Fanfarings for 6 and 8 brass instruments (MS), 1', 1986 String Quartet No. 2 (revised 2003), 19', 1987 String Quartet No. 3 super hoqueto 'David''', 7', 1987 Tree of Singing Names for chamber orchestra, 15', 1989 Fanfaring V for brass (MS), 1', 1992 Moon comes up, Pearl Beach (June '79) for alto flute, vibraphone and cello (version 2, MS lost), 1', 1995 Dancing to the Tune for 4–8 oboes, 2–4 cors anglais, 1–2 heckelphones (MS), 4', 1996 Sinfin 2 for 4 vibraphones, 8', 2000 Unrise for ten wind instruments, 16', 2001 Four Seasons for Josca's for young players (variable ensemble), 3', 2001 String Quartet No. 4, 23', 2002