COMPOSER'S DEATH

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 127, 25 November 1935, Page 9

COMPOSER'S DEATH

SIR FREDERIC COWEN

Sir Frederic Hymen Cowen, the veteran composer and conductor, died at his home at Maida Vale, recently aged 83,- says the "Daily Mail." Lady Cowen was with him. He had been in failing health for several years. A friend said: "Sir Frederic was playing bridge, and seemed to be in his usual good spirits. He was taken ill during the early hours of the morning, and died during the afternoon." With the death of Sir Frederic there passes away one of the few remaining links with what might be termed the pre-Elgarian phase of English music. He was born at Kingston, Jamaica, January 29, 1852, and was brought to England at the age of four. His vocation was soon manifest. At six : he published a waltz, and at eight he composed an operetta, "Garibaldi, or the Rival Patriots." He then became a pupil of Sir John Goss and Sir Julius Benedict, and afterwards went to Leipzig, where' he studied under Moscheles, Reinecke, Richter, and Hauptmann. At fourteen he had a string quartet performed at the Conservatoire. SUCCEEDED SULLIVAX. He. succeeded Sullivan as conductor of the (now Royal) Philharmonic Society, and Halle as conductor of the orchestra bearing that now historic name. His compositions include four operas which failed to establish themselves in the repertory; six symphonies, among wlilch one is styled "Scandinavian" j and another "Welsh"; many oratorios and cantatas, and some chamber music. But to the general public he is best known by his compositions in a lighter vein, such as "The Language of Flowers"—dainty, graceful tunes, of assured popularity—and his songs, which number about 300. \ j Among them are some which are household words wherever English is spoken and sung. One need only mention "The Better Land" and "The Promise of Life.". I At eighty-two years of age he pro-' duced an .orchestral work entitled "The Luck of Eden hall," based on Longfellow's poem, and conducted the first performance for the 8.8.C.

In little more than eighteen months British musk has lost by death Sir Edward Elgar, Gustav Hoist, Frederick Delius, Sir George Henschel. and Sir Alexander Mackenzie.