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Draft:James Lyon (British composer)

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Not to be confused with James Lyon (composer)

Dr James Lyon (1872-1949) was a British composer, teacher and organist. He should not be confused with the American composer, James Lyon (composer) (1735-1794). He was born in Salford and died in Brisbane, Australia, but was based in the Midlands for much of his life. However, he did live in Liverpool for a time, later moving to Wallasey.

Personal life

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James Lyon was born in Salford, Cheshire, England on 25 Oct 1872 son of James Lyon (1839-99, Agriculturist) and Elizabeth Dickinson (1846-80). He was educated at Ormskirk Grammar School and Queen's College, Oxford, (as a non-resident), where he was awarded the degree of B.Mus. in 1904 and D.Mus. in 1905.[1] He married Ethel Dudley (1876-?) and they had a daughter. After his wife died, he married Bertha Power of Wallasey. He died in Brisbane, Australia, whilst on an examining tour.[2][3]

Professional life

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James Lyon was said to be largely self taught in music in his early years.[4] He was a prolific, neo-Romantic, opera composer.[5] Works include: 7 operas, 4 orchestral suites, string quartets, a piano trio and a considerable output of choral, organ, piano works, many of which were pubished, but none appear to be in the repertory today. In 1907 he wrote a wind band march 'Procession' for the Liverpool 700th Anniversary Pageant.[6] In 1943 he conducted a concert of his own works in Australia.[7] He was also an expert in Manx folk song.[8] Additionally, he was an organist and teacher.[9] He was working in Liverpool during the early part of the twentieth century but also taught at the Birmingham and Midland Institute for many years and subsequently was an Examiner for Trinity College, London. Later he moved to Wallasey and was organist at St. Hilary's Church, Wallasey, the Parish Church.

Private life

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During his time in Merseyside, he served on the Committee of the Rodewald Concert Society.

Compositions

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Compositions Include:-

Operas

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  • The Palace of Cards, Op. 56
  • Stormwrack, Op. 64
  • Fiametta, Op. 77
  • La Serena, Op.79
  • 3 Melomimes, Ops. 70, 74 & 79

Orchestral

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  • A Symphony
  • 4 Suites, Ops. 14, 27, 32 & 42

Chamber music

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  • Fantasy Quartet, Op. 46
  • Piano Trio, Op. 35
  • Works for violin & piano

Organ

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  • Fantasia in E minor, Op. 21
  • Postlude Op. 22 (Awarded Henry Cart Pize, 1904)
  • Sonata in C minor, Op. 41
  • Sonata in E minor, Op.50
  • Suite No. 1, Op. 63
  • Numerous other works

Piano

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  • Numerous piano works, particularly educational music

Songs

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  • Joe Bowman
  • Four Songs for the Chinese

Book

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A Practical Gude to the Modern Orchestra, Macmillan & Co, 1912

Sources

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Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians 1954, v 8 (Grove)

A Dictionary of Modern Music and Musicians, Ed Eaglesfield-Hull, Dent 1924 (Dent)

A Dictionary of Composers for Organ, Henderson, John

Biographical Dictionary of the Organ, Henshaw, W. B.

IMLT https://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Lyon,_James

Classical Music on the Web

British Library

Rodewald Concert Society archives

Ancestry UK

References

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  1. ^ Dent p 307
  2. ^ Liverpool Daily Post, 15 September 1949
  3. ^ Brisbane Telegraph, 26 August 1949, p 6
  4. ^ Dent p 307
  5. ^ P, Scowcroft, Classical Music on the Web
  6. ^ Two Centuries of Music in Liverpool, Taylor, Stainton de B., Rockliff Bros, Liverpool, 1976, p 87
  7. ^ ABC Weekl Vol 5 No 31, 31 July 1943
  8. ^ Manx Notes 21 (2004)
  9. ^ Biographical Dictionary of the Organ
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