Anthony Payne

Full biography Anthony Payne

Anthony Payne (2 August 1936 - 30 April 2021) was a renowned English composer , music critic, and musicologist. Payne was born in London and studied at Durham University and the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Initially, Payne worked primarily as a music critic, writing for magazines and newspapers such as The Guardian, The Independent, and The Musical Times. However, he later transitioned to becoming a full-time composer. Despite his success as a composer, he continued to write for publications such as The Times Literary Supplement and the BBC Music Magazine.

Payne's music is known for its intricate harmonies and use of counterpoint. He was well-regarded for his expertise in composing in the style of other composers, often completing unfinished works or elaborating on sketches left by other composers. Payne famously completed Elgar's Symphony No. 3, which Elgar had left unfinished at the time of his death, and also composed his own version of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March for the BBC Proms in 2005.

Payne's own compositions include works for solo instruments, orchestral pieces, and chamber music. His Paean for solo piano, composed in 1971, and his String Quartet No. 2, composed in 1983, are among his most well-known works.

Throughout his career, Payne collaborated with various musicians and ensembles, including his wife, Jane Manning, with whom he formed the ensemble Jane's Minstrels. He also worked as a visiting professor at Durham University, and was a fellow of the Royal College of Music.

Payne's contributions to British music were celebrated throughout his life and continue to be remembered following his passing. His "quiet but thoughtful presence in British music always strikes me as a kind of anchorage in sanity , confirming the continuing life of quality music against all odds," said composer and conductor Sir Harrison Birtwistle.