Moeran, Ernest John

Period: Early 20th Century

Born: Monday, December 31, 1894 in Heston, Middlesex, England

Died: Friday, December 1, 1950 in Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland

Nation of Origin: United Kingdom

Major Works:
Ludlow Town - a song cycle (1920)
Trio for Violin, Cello, and Pianoforte in D Major (1925)
String Quartet in A Minor (1921)
Fancies for solo piano (1922)

1. Windmills
2. Elegy
3. Burlesque

Other Information:
Quick Facts

• His father, an Anglican clergyman, was born in Ireland. His mother was born in Norfolk.
• His music shows influences of both Ireland and East Anglia.
• Early music training in piano, violin, and church music.
• Enrolled in Uppingham School at 14. Played in the school string quartet. Composed a sonata for cello.
• Studied at Royal College of Music.
• Fought in the army in World War I. He was injured badly and discharged.
• Went to London in 1920 to learn from John Ireland until 1923.
• Mature works were influenced by the works of Frederick Delius, Peter Warlock, and Jean Sibelius.
• Folk songs are a prominent influence on his works.
• 1924 to 1930 he composed mostly songs, a few solo piano works, and a few folksong arrangements.
• 1930 to 1945 he composed works in a variety of forms and mediums.
• He married Peers Coetmore, a cellist, in 1945.
• Moeran enjoyed country life and his music is inspired by nature and simple folksongs.
• In 1950 Moeran died and fell into the Kenmare river where he was found floating. Despite the appearance of drowning, an investigation showed he was dead before hitting the water.

General Bibliography:
Kennedy, Michael, The Oxford Dictionary of Music, Oxford University Press, 2nd Edition, 1997, ISBN: 0198691629

Sadie, Stanley and Tyrrell, John; Editors, The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Groves Dictionaries, Inc., January 2001, ISBN: 1561592390

Slonimsky, Nicolas and Kuhn, Laura; Editors, Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Gale Group, December 2000, ISBN: 0028655257

Slonimsky, Nicolas, Music Since 1900, Schirmer Books, July 1994, ISBN: 0028724186

Links to essays at other sites:

Twentieth Century Music: An Introduction by Eric Salzman

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Biographical essay at the Naxos site
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The Worldwide Moeran Database

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