Harty, (Sir) (Herbert) Hamilton

views updated May 21 2018

Harty, (Sir) (Herbert) Hamilton (b Hillsborough, Co. Down, 1879; d Brighton, 1941). Irish composer, conductor, organist, and pianist. Church org. at age 12, later holding posts in Belfast and Dublin. Settled in London 1900 where he quickly won attention as composer and as brilliant pf. accompanist. Gradually his conducting took priority. Cond. opera at CG and LSO concerts. Appointed permanent cond. Hallé Orch. 1920, holding post until 1933 and re-establishing orch. as one of finest in Eur. Cond. f. Eng. p. of Mahler's 9th Sym., Manchester 1930, and of Shostakovich's 1st Sym., Manchester 1932, also f. public p. of Lambert's Rio Grande, Manchester 1929. Cond. f.p. of Walton's 1st sym. (London 1934 without finale, London 1935 complete). Cond. LSO and other orchs. from 1933. Comps. incl. pf. quintet; Irish Symphony; vn. conc.; pf. conc.; Ode to a Nightingale for sop. and orch.; sym.-poems With the Wild Geese and The Children of Lir; cantata The Mystic Trumpeter, ch., orch.; also modern orchestrations of Handel's Water Music and Fireworks Music. Knighted 1925.