Meilers, Wilfrid (Howard)
Meilers, Wilfrid (Howard)
Meilers, Wilfrid (Howard), English musicologist and composer; b. Leamington, Warwickshire, April 26, 1914. He studied at the Univ. of Cambridge (B.A., 1936; M.A., 1939); was a pupil in composition of Wellesz and Rubbra; received his D.Mus. from the Univ. of Birmingham (1960). He was a lecturer in music at Downing Coll., Cambridge (1945–48); after serving as a staff tutor in the extramural dept. at the Univ. of Birmingham (1948–59), he served as Andrew W. Mellon Prof, of Music at the Univ. of Pittsburgh (1960–63); then was prof, of music at the Univ. of York (1964–81). In 1982 he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Writings
Music and Society: England and the European Tradition (London, 1946); Studies in Contemporary Music (London, 1947); François Couperin and the French Classical Tradition (London, 1950; 2nd ed., rev., 1987); Music in the Making (London, 1952); Romanticism and the 20th Century (London, 1957; 2nd ed., rev., 1988); The Sonata Principle (London, 1957; 2nd ed., rev., 1988); Music in a New Found Land: Themes and Developments in the History of American Music (London, 1964; 2nd ed., rev, 1987); Harmonious Meeting: A Study of the Relationship between English Music, Poetry and Theatre, c. 1600–1900 (London, 1965); Caliban Reborn: Renewal in Twentieth-Century Music (N.Y., 1967); Twilight of the Gods: The Music of the Beatles (N.Y, 1973); Bach and the Dance of God (NY., 1980); Beethoven and the Voice of God (London, 1983); A Darker Shade of Pale: A Backdrop to Bob Dylan (London, 1984); Angels of the Night: Popular Female Singers of Our Time (London, 1986); The Masks of Orpheus: Seven Stages in the Story of European Music (Manchester, England, and Wolfeboro, N.H., 1987); Le Jardin Parfume: Homage to Frederic Mompou (1989); Vaughan Williams and the Vision of Albion (London, 1989); Percy Grainger (Oxford, 1992); Francis Poulenc (Oxford, 1994); J. Paynter, ed., Between Old Worlds and New: Occasional Writings on Music (London, 1997).
Works
dramatic: opera :The Tragicall History of Christopher Marlowe (1952); The Shepherd’s Daughter, chamber opera (1953–54); Mary Easter, ballad opera (1957). mono drama:The Ancient Wound (Victoria, British Columbia, July 27, 1970). orch.: Sinfonia ricercata (1947); Alba, in 9 Metamorphoses for Flute and Orch. (1961); Noctambule and Sun Dance for Wind Sym. (1966); Shaman Songs for Jazz Paraphernalia (1980); The Wellspring of Loves, concerto for Violin and String Orch. (1981); The Spring of the Year for Double String Orch. (1985); Hortus Rosarium for 11 Solo Strings (1986). chamber: String Trio (1945); Viola Sonata (1946); Eclogue for Treble Recorder, Violin, Cello, and Harpsichord (1961); Trio for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1963); Ghost Dance for Flute, Viola, and Harpsichord (1972); Aubade for Indra for Clarinet and String Quartet (1981); The Happy Meadow, eclogue for Flute and Guitar (1986); piano pieces. vocal:Voice of the Earth, cantata (1972); choruses; songs.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire