SONG WRITER

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 February 1931, Page 9

SONG WRITER

PLAYED PIANO TILL HE DIED Peter Warlock, the celebrated composer and song writer and the biographer of Delius, was found dead on a couch in a gas-filled room in his basement flat at Tite Street, Chelsea, London, recently. Shortly after seven o’clock in- the morning neighbours noticed a strong smell of gas, and when they tried to summon Mr. Warlock they found the door bolted and the windows shut. The police had to smash the door panels before they could force an entry. Mr. Warlock’s body was found lying on a couch in a small conservatory, which he used as a study, adjoining the room in which was his piano. Music manuscripts and correspondence were scattered around the room, and on a table beside the couch were writing materials. Ono of the papers appeared to be his will, in his own writing.

The gas officials had difficulty at first in locating where the gas was escaping. Taps in the room were found turned off, and the escape was discovered at a gas-point which had recently been disconnected from a radiator when electricity was installed. The cap of the gas-point had been wrenched off.

“We heard the piano being played early this morning,” a neighbour told a Press representative, “and the playing continued until about seven o’clock when it stopped. About half an hour later we. noticed gas, and found it was coming from My. Warlock’s flat. Mr. Warlock, who spent most of his time indoors writing, had occupied the flat four months. He seldom went out, but frequently had visitors. Mrs Warlock arrived home shortly before the flat was broken into. She was carrying an attache case, and told us that she had been to a dance. Mr. Warlock was fully dressed except for his shoes, and the appearance of the rooms suggested that he had not slept during the night. The cat had been let out.” The police took charge of several letters. “Peter Warlock” was the name adopted for his public work by Mr. Philip Heseltine. He was born in October. 1894. and was educated at Eton. He was best known as a writer of songs, which attained considerable popularity by their graceful style. He occupied himself chiefly with the editing and arranging of Elizabethan music.

As a. writer on musical subjects, he had an excellent literary style, and keen critical insight. His best work in this direction was his study of Delius, his intimate friend.