Bernard
Barrell 1919-2005
Born on 15 August 1919
in Sudbury, Suffolk, Bernard Barrell
lived, apart from his years of war service,
almost entirely in the county of his
birth. When he was four years old his
family moved to Ipswich, his home for
the next seventy years. On leaving school
he was employed as a clerk at Churchmans,
the cigarette manufacturers, but music
was his real interest, and it was during
this time he began to compose. His own
list of works contains four pieces from
the immediate pre-war years: "Hommage
à Ravel" Suite for Small Orchestra,
Op.1 and "Diversion on an original theme
for Strings", Op.2 date from 1938. The
"Soliloquy" for ’cello (or violin/viola/clarinet)
and piano, Op.3 and the "Sarabande for
Small Orchestra", Op.4 date from the
following year. The "Sarabande" in the
composer’s own arrangement for piano
(Op.4A) was his first published composition
(by Fraser Enock). The alternative scorings
of Op.3 were typical of his intention
to provide music for wide use and remained
a feature of his compositions.
His war service was
spent entirely in Gibraltar and while
still in the army he married Joyce Geddy,
also a composer. Once demobilised, he
studied externally for and obtained
his FTCL and L MusTCL qualifications.
In addition to private teaching he took
up music teaching posts in two Ipswich
schools: Sidegate Lane Primary and Westbourne
Boys' Secondary. He also continued to
compose, slowly at first - only three
compositions date from the late 1940s,
but these were his first exploration
into song and choral writing. In addition
to day-time teaching, Bernard gave evening
courses once a week at Hollesley Bay
borstal, an institution primarily providing
agricultural training for young offenders.
He was also a lecturer for the W.E.A.
(Workers' Education Association).
As a composer he continued
to work quite slowly. The 1950s saw
the completion of a further twelve compositions
that included a Fugue for Strings, Op.11
(for Dr. Martin Shaw’s 79th birthday)
and the "East Anglian Holiday Overture",
Op.14. The 1960s, however, proved more
fruitful with the completion of Op.20
to Op.59. A number of these works reflected
his work in education, and in addition
to pieces including recorders there
is a handful that make use of the diatonic
harmonica (though with alternative instrumentation
also provided). Works for small orchestra
suitable for young players and indeed
for older keen amateur musicians occur
throughout his compositions, but their
purpose was not primarily didactic,
but simply for players to enjoy. His
Symphonic Movement "From the Waveney
Valley", Op.129 was commissioned by
and composed for the Pulham Village
Orchestra in 1993. The orchestra’s conductor,
Margery Baker, wrote for their newsletter,
"His writing was always tailored to
the groups for which he wrote, sufficiently
challenging; highlighting real talent
while ensuring nothing was impossible."
In addition to providing such music,
Bernard was also supportive in other
ways and was President of the Wymondham
Youth Orchestra. He also served as the
East Anglian representative for the
Composers’ Guild.
Compositions in the
1970s and 1980s were plentiful and covered
from Op.60 (Missa Brevis No.3) to Op.121
(a setting of Longfellow’s Carol, "I
heard the bells on Christmas Day", for
unison voices and piano/organ). Sacred
choral music featured throughout his
compositions and in addition to three
Missa Brevis settings there are two
further mass settings (Op.52 and Op.74),
and a Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis,
Op.106 for SATB and organ (for Jeremy
Cullam and the Aldeburgh Church Choir).
Many of the numerous anthems, psalm
settings, chants and hymn tunes, were
composed for particular choirs or occasions.
A composer’s note for
1985 in his list of works recorded that
owing to Joyce Barrell’s illness he
only undertook copying and revisions
("re-texting" of Masses Op.35 and Op.74)
and below the entry for Op.121 (Longfellow’s
Carol) he noted "Joyce Barrell died
6th December 1989." This
quite naturally affected Bernard and
only two short compositions were completed
in 1990. A further composer’s note for
the year referred to the addition of
two further movements to his Op.64 pieces
for trumpet and piano and mentioned
"copying of J.B.’s final work ‘Nightmare’
for Soprano voice, clarinet and piano
performed by ‘Tapestry’ in June 1990
at Woodbridge and B.M.I.C." Through
the Pulham Village Orchestra Bernard
and Joyce had renewed contact with an
old friend and leader of the second
violins, Margaret Miller. In addition
to being a violinist Margaret was an
organist and in 1991 Bernard composed
three Hymn-tune Voluntaries, Op.127
for her, based on the three hymn-tunes
of his Op.78. In 1993 Bernard and Margaret
were married and moved to Ditchingham
and from there to Southwold.
Though fewer works
were completed in the 1990s these included
a second string quartet (Op.132) cast
in a single movement and, perhaps Bernard’s
most unusually scored piece, "An Aberdeen
Suite" for carillon Op.131, composed
for Ronald Leith and the St Nicholas
Carillon, Aberdeen. His last work, "Sarabande
& Fughetta" for Piano Op.137 was
composed for the 250th anniversary of
J.S. Bach’s death in 2000.
Finally, Bernard and
Margaret moved to Bungay, but unfortunately
Bernard was only able to enjoy a short
time in their new home, as his failing
health eventually required round the
clock care, and he moved into a care
home that was fortunately close by.
The East Anglian landscape
is often represented in his music and
reflected in some of the titles: "East
Anglian Holiday Overture", Overture
"Suffolk Celebration" and "A Norfolk
Sketchbook" and "A Suffolk Notebook"
each containing seven piano pieces.
"Dunwich" Op.92 sets a poem by Victor
Allen for choir and orchestra. Bernard
was without doubt a miniaturist and
few of his works are longer than ten
minutes in duration. However, there
are a number of more substantial pieces,
among which are the Quintet for Brass
Op.109, String Quartet No.1, Op.42 and
the Symphony for Strings Op.62. This
last mentioned, though there is no hint
in the title, is especially evocative
of the East Anglian landscape. Although
played in one continuous movement, it
is in three linked sections, quick-slow-quick.
In his own programme note Bernard wrote
"…much of the work reflects the atmosphere
of the lonely, mysterious marshes, wide
open skies, wind-swept heathlands, sea
mists, and the sense of space and light
of the East Anglian coast." It is perhaps
his finest work, and in a letter to
the present writer sent in March 2003
Bernard wrote of the Symphony, "…it
is where my heart is."
Another passion was
railways, especially the long since
closed lines of East Anglia and their
steam locomotives. Not only did he write
an article on the Southwold Railway,
but also celebrated its centenary in
1979 with his "Southwold Railway Centenary
Pieces" Op.88 for piano. This was an
enthusiasm that remained with him to
the end of his life and a number of
steam locomotive photographs were among
those that surrounded him in his room
in the care home in Bungay.
Shortly before Christmas
2004 Bernard suffered a severe stroke
from which he was not to recover: he
died on Sunday 2nd January 2005.
It was only during
the last twelve years of his life that
I became acquainted with Bernard. He
wrote to me soon after I became editor
of The Recorder Magazine in 1993,
a typically enthusiastic and encouraging
letter. We continued to exchange correspondence
up until the time he moved into the
care home, and managed to remain in
touch after that. He was a man of tremendous
conviviality, a great conversationalist
with a generosity of spirit, especially
towards his fellow composers and musicians.
His nature was too retiring for him
to have been a performer himself, but
he was a great supporter and encourager
of those who were - a gentleman in the
very truest sense of the word. He will
be greatly missed by all who came into
contact with him and his music. Sincerest
sympathies are extended to Margaret.
Andrew Mayes
list
of works
For a complete list of Bernard Barrell’s
works please contact Andrew Mayes,
52, Woking Road, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle,
Cheshire, SK8 6NU.
Telephone: 0161 485 6477 E-mail:
andrewmayes1@outlook.com
