Herbert Murrill

Set of Country Dances

Orchestration:
nStrings (Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass)

Born in London, Herbert (Henry John) Murrill was an organist, choral conductor, broadcasting executive and composer. He studied from 1925 to 1928 at the Royal Academy of Music with York Bowen, Stanley Marchant, and Alan Bush. From 1928 to 1931 he was an organ scholar at Worcester College Oxford, where he took courses with Ernest Walker and Sir Hugh Allen. He occupied various posts as organist and choral director, and was Professor of Composition at the Royal Academy of Music from 1933 until his death in 1952. In 1936 he joined the staff of the BBC, where he was programme organiser in 1942. After working in the British intelligence service from 1942-1946, he returned in 1948 to the BBC as assistant head, reaching the post of Head of Music in 1950.

Here is a set of eight country dances arranged for string orchestra from traditional tunes.
1. Mayden Lane; 2. Hunsdon House; 3. Staines Morris; 4. Three Meet; 5. Parson's Farewell; 6. Barrack Hill; 7. The Queen's Delight; 8. Gramachree is a Sup of Good Drink.
These dances are included on a new CD in the Dutton Epoch catalogue (CDLX 7246) performed by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia conducted by Gavin Sutherland.
Duration 9 minutes
A PACK comprises one full score and strings 4/4/3/4/2