7th January – William Hurlstone

William Hurlstone was a young genius who had a wonderful start to his musical career, only to have his life cut short at the tender age of 30, thanks to bronchial asthma. He came from a poor family, but was spotted at a local performance in his home town by the then Director of the Royal College of Music, Sir George Grove. Grove encouraged William’s father to steer him towards music more seriously, and in 1894 he was granted a scholarship to study at the RCM, where he studied both piano and composition.

On finishing his education, financial circumstances meant that his time was taken up with more lucrative activities such as conducting and teaching, but composition remained his passion. He composed a great deal of chamber music and also a handful of larger scale orchestral works.  Although not widely known, his compositions received favourable critiques in such publications as the Musical Times and elsewhere.

Here are three of Hurlstones’ “Four Characteristic Pieces for Clarinet and Piano”

Listen to more tracks by Hurlstone – click the box!