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Today's Featured Composer:

George Lloyd (1913-1998)

| music by this composer |

The resurgence of interest in George Lloyd's music must give us faith that such talent will ultimately prevail against sometimes unhappy circumstances. Lloyd is Cornish and showed precocious gifts at an early age - he had completed his first symphony by the age of nineteen. During the 1930's he completed two operas, one of which - `The Serf' - was produced at Covent Garden, England in 1938. He was set for a glittering career as a composer.

The Second World War intervened and he was invalided out of the Navy in a shell-shocked state, and having written very little serious music since 1937 he went to Switzerland to recuperate, looked after by his wife Nancy.Painfully he began writing again - symphonies Nos. 4 and 5 - and then returned to England. he needed to earn a living and he set up a mushroom farm in Dorset. But slowly he began to compose again and drafted more symphonies in short score.By this time he was virtually unknown - despite being considered the equal of Walton, Britten and other bright young stars of English music some 30 years earlier.

Lloyd decided to embark on a series of recordings of his symphonies, and slowly, popular acclaim has enabled him to regain his position. During the last few years all his symphonies have been issued and he has been able to turn his attention to other musical groups.`The Forest of Arden', his only major wind band work to date was written in 1987 as a result of a commission by the Solihull Youth Wind Band.George Lloyd's brass band music includes 4 major works, `Suite: Royal Parks'; `Diversions on a Bass Theme'; `English Heritage' and King's Messenger. Each of these has been used at major competitive events and been recognised as important additions to brass band literature.

He died on 13 July 1998.