Howard Skempton

Short bio Howard Skempton

Birthday: 1947 in Chester, England

Active: 1990s - 2010s

Genre: Classical,Avant-Garde

Period: Contemporary

Full biography Howard Skempton

Howard Skempton is a prominent British composer born in Chester in 1947. He is known for his distinctive and engaging style, which often features simple melodies, pared-down textures, and traditional harmonies. Skempton has worked extensively as a composer, accordionist, and music publisher, and has written music for a wide range of ensembles and performers.

Skempton's oeuvre ranges from orchestral works to pieces for solo performers, and includes vocal and chamber music as well. His work has been regularly performed throughout the UK and world-wide, and he has received numerous commissions and awards for his contributions to contemporary music.

Skempton's music is marked by a careful attention to detail, a deep sense of melody, and a love of simplicity. He often draws inspiration from English folk music and other traditional sources, and his work is often characterized by a sense of warmth and intimacy.

Skempton is also an accomplished writer, and has written extensively on music and composition. His work has appeared in various journals and publications, and he has published a number of books and essays on the subject.

Overall, Howard Skempton is an important and highly regarded figure in contemporary music, known for his engaging and distinctive style and his thoughtful and introspective approach to composition.

Compositions featuring Howard Skempton

#	Name	Duration	Genre	Year
1	Christmas Bells, for organ	2:13 min	Keyboard	2021
2	Preludes & Fugues (24) for piano	22:39 min	Keyboard	2019
3	Piano Concerto, version for piano & string quartet	16:11 min	Concerto	2018
4	The Moon Is Flashing, for tenor, clarinet, violin, cello & piano	19:16 min	Vocal Music	2018
5	Man and Bat, for baritone, string quartet, double bass & piano	25:38 min	Vocal Music	2017
6	Songs (6) for guitar	3:40 min	Chamber Music	2015
7	The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, for baritone & chamber ensemble	32:15 min	Vocal Music	2015
8	Notti Stellate a Vagil, for piano	17:51 min	Keyboard	2008
9	Locus iste, motet for chorus	1:58 min	Choral	2007
10	Missa brevis, for chorus	6:58 min	Choral	2007
11	And There Was War in Heaven, for chorus	4:34 min	Choral	2005
12	Music, for chorus	2:35 min	Choral	2004
13	Snape Interval, for chorus	1:23 min	Choral	2004
14	Three Songs For Jennie, for voice & harp	4:07 min	Vocal Music	2004
15	Emerson Songs, for 2 voices	7:39 min	Vocal Music	2003
16	Eternity's Sunrise, for flute, clarinet, harp & string quartet	9:17 min	Chamber Music	2003
17	Magnificat & Nunc dimittis, for chorus & organ ("Edinburgh Service")	6:19 min	Choral	2003
18	Resister, for piano	1:24 min	Keyboard	2002
19	Ave Virgo sanctissima, for chorus	2:45 min	Choral	2001
20	Four by the Clock, for chorus	1:37 min	Choral	2001
21	Lamentations, for voice & theorbo	11:41 min	Vocal Music	2001
22	Liebeslied, for piano	1:03 min	Keyboard	2001
23	Ostende nobis Domine, for chorus	2:51 min	Choral	2001
24	Opportunity, for chorus	3:01 min	Choral	2000
25	The Song of Songs, for men's chorus	4:42 min	Choral	2000
26	Adam lay y-bounden, advent carol for chorus	1:21 min	Choral	1999
27	He wishes for the Cloths of Heaven, for chorus	3:59 min	Choral	1999
28	Reflections, for piano	12:40 min	Keyboard	1999
29	La gora di mulino, for piano quartet	1:39 min	Chamber Music	1998
30	Upon my lap sovereign sits, for voice	2:21 min	Vocal Music	1998
31	Arpeggio for piano	1:12 min	Keyboard	1997
32	Bolt from the Blue, for piano	1:13 min	Keyboard	1997
33	Leamington Spa, for piano	2:18 min	Keyboard	1997
34	Monogram, for piano	1:47 min	Keyboard	1997
35	Memorial Prelude, for piano	1:24 min	Keyboard	1996
36	O Life!, for voice & organ	4:29 min	Vocal Music	1996
37	Poems (2) of Edward Thomas, for chorus	3:02 min	Choral	1996
38	Starlight, for piano	1:27 min	Keyboard	1996
39	The Flight of Song, for chorus	9:04 min	Choral	1996
40	Cantilena for piano	2:14 min	Keyboard	1995
41	Decision Time, for piano	1:19 min	Keyboard	1995
42	Lyric Study, for piano	0:50 min	Keyboard	1995
43	Nocturnes, for piano	6:57 min	Keyboard	1995
44	To Bethlehem did they go, for chorus	2:29 min	Choral	1995
45	We who with songs, for chorus & organ	3:20 min	Choral	1995
46	Horham, for piano	0:43 min	Keyboard	1994
47	Nature's Fire, for organ	5:26 min	Keyboard	1994
48	In Tandem, for ensemble	3:21 min	Chamber Music	1992
49	Music, when soft voices die, for chorus	1:27 min	Choral	1992
50	The Snare, for chorus	2:05 min	Choral	1992
51	After Image, for piano	1:36 min	Keyboard	1990
52	Rose-Berries, for chorus	1:27 min	Choral	1990
53	Five Poems of Mary Webb, for chorus	8:20 min	Choral	1989
54	How slow the wind, for soprano, 2 clarinets, viola, cello & double bass	2:27 min	Vocal Music	1989
55	Images, for piano	29:45 min	Keyboard	1989
56	O Saviour of the World, for chorus	1:47 min	Choral	1986
57	The Mold Riots, for piano	4:36 min	Keyboard	1986
58	Eirenicon 4, for piano	1:33 min	Keyboard	1985
59	Pigs could fly, for chorus	1:18 min	Choral	1983
60	Recessional, for any instrument (commonly for accordion or keyboard)	3:14 min	Keyboard	1983
61	Alice is one, for chorus	1:07 min	Choral	1982
62	Song at the Year's Turning, for chorus	3:11 min	Choral	1980
63	Intermezzo for piano	1:37 min	Keyboard	1973
64	Quavers, for piano	2:49 min	Keyboard	1972
65	Piano Piece 1969	1:34 min	Keyboard	1969
66	A Roma, for piano	1:52 min	Keyboard	-
67	Address to Edinburgh, for chorus	2:33 min	Choral	-
68	African Melody, for cello	0:12 min	Chamber Music	-
69	Agreement, for percussion	2:01 min	Chamber Music	-
70	Air Melody, for unspecified instruments	1:36 min	Chamber Music	-
71	Air, for piano	1:09 min	Keyboard	-
72	Bach Variation, for 4 guitars	4:12 min	Chamber Music	-
73	Bagatelle for flute	1:08 min	Chamber Music	-
74	Beati quorum via, for double chorus	2:27 min	Choral	-
75	Beguine for guitar	1:59 min	Chamber Music	-
76	Ben Somewhen, for flute, clarinet, harp, violin, viola, 2 cellos & double bass	12:16 min	Chamber Music	-
77	Bends, for cello	1:06 min	Chamber Music	-
78	Call, for clarinet & piano	2:34 min	Chamber Music	-
79	Campanella 3, for piano	1:05 min	Keyboard	-
80	Campanella, for piano	1:37 min	Keyboard	-
81	Chamber Concerto, for 15 players	5:49 min	Concerto	-
82	Chorale, for piano	1:21 min	Keyboard	-
83	Clarinet Quintet	8:48 min	Chamber Music	-
84	Drum Canon 2	1:30 min	Chamber Music	-
85	Eirenicons 1-4	6:05 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
86	Even tenor	3:41 min	Miscellaneous (Classical)	-
87	Figures (6), for solo cello	6:09 min	Chamber Music	-
88	Fire, for soprano voice & clarinet	2:55 min	Vocal Music	-
89	First Prelude, for piano	1:32 min	Keyboard	-
90	Five Miniatures, for guitar	6:29 min	Chamber Music	-
91	Garland for Oboe and String Trio	2:32 min	Chamber Music	-
92	Gemini Dances for percussion	5:35 min	Chamber Music	-
93	Gipsy's Wife's Song, for voice, flute, oboe & piano	6:33 min	Vocal Music	-
94	Highland Song, for recorder, clarinet & viola	2:58 min	Chamber Music	-
95	How Fair and Pleasant, for chorus	2:10 min	Choral	-
96	How Fair Is Thy Love, for chorus	1:58 min	Choral	-
97	Images, for piano	2:54 min	Keyboard	-
98	Intermezzo for horn & viola	2:41 min	Chamber Music	-
99	Into this world, this day did come, for chorus	2:50 min	Choral	-
100	Invention, for piano	0:33 min	Keyboard	-
101	June '77, for piano	1:43 min	Keyboard	-
102	Kettle's Yard Canon, for fltue and A clarinet	1:36 min	Chamber Music	-
103	Lament	3:19 min	Chamber Music	-
104	Le Pont Mirabeau ("Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine"), for voice & piano	1:36 min	Vocal Music	-
105	Lento, for orchestra	12:20 min	Orchestral	-
106	Lullaby for clarinet, cello & piano	3:21 min	Chamber Music	-
107	More sweet than my refrain, for chorus	3:25 min	Choral	-
108	Moto Perpetuo, for viola	2:37 min	Chamber Music	-
109	My Beloved Is Gone Down, for chorus	1:22 min	Choral	-
110	O Sapientia, for chorus (from collective Seven Advent Antiphons)	1:23 min	Choral	-
111	Of Late, for piano	0:42 min	Keyboard	-
112	Only the Sound Remains, for viola & chamber orchestra	31:07 min	Concerto	-
113	Passing fancy, for piano	0:51 min	Keyboard	-
114	Pieces (3) for oboe	3:43 min	Chamber Music	-
115	Postlude, for piano	1:45 min	Keyboard	-
116	Prelude for horn	1:19 min	Chamber Music	-
117	Preludes (5), for guitar	5:47 min	Chamber Music	-
118	Quavers 3, for piano	1:55 min	Keyboard	-
119	Quavers 5, for piano	1:25 min	Keyboard	-
120	Rejoice, Rejoice, for chorus & organ	2:04 min	Choral	-
121	Reminiscence, for guitar	1:17 min	Chamber Music	-
122	Rise up, my love, for choir	8:32 min	Choral	-
123	Roundels of the Year, for choir	7:22 min	Choral	-
124	Rumba, for piano	1:16 min	Keyboard	-
125	Saltaire Melody, for piano	1:06 min	Keyboard	-
126	senza licenza, for piano	2:19 min	Keyboard	-
127	Shiftwork	4:41 min	Chamber Music	-
128	Silence on Ullswater, for voice & harp	0:53 min	Vocal Music	-
129	Slip-stream, for percussion ensemble	4:28 min	Chamber Music	-
130	Small Change, for accordion	1:53 min	Chamber Music	-
131	Stroking the Keys, for piano	1:08 min	Keyboard	-
132	Suite from Delicate, for 2 cellos & percussion	18:13 min	Chamber Music	-
133	Surface Tension 2, for flute, cello & piano	7:56 min	Chamber Music	-
134	Surface Tension, for flute, cello & piano	6:43 min	Chamber Music	-
135	Swedish Caprice, for piano	1:10 min	Keyboard	-
136	Sweet Chariot, for piano	1:16 min	Keyboard	-
137	The Bridge of Fire, for choir	7:10 min	Choral	-
138	The Durham Strike, for piano	5:32 min	Keyboard	-
139	The Keel Row II	1:08 min	Chamber Music	-
140	The Voice of the Spirits, for choir	7:37 min	Choral	-
141	Toccata, for piano	1:46 min	Keyboard	-
142	Trace, for piano	0:57 min	Keyboard	-
143	Tree Sequence for voice & percussion	6:42 min	Vocal Music	-
144	una barcarola eccentrica, for piano	0:44 min	Keyboard	-
145	Under the Elder, for accordion	1:28 min	Chamber Music	-
146	Well, Well, Cornelius, for piano	3:13 min	Keyboard	-
147	Whispers, for piano	3:49 min	Keyboard	-

Albums featuring Howard Skempton

#	Name album	Year	Music label
1	The Man Hurdy-Gurdy & Me(CD, Album)	2020	Metier
2	Howard Skempton, William Howard (2) – William Howard Plays Howard Skempton(CD, Album)	2020	Orchid Classics
3	Skempton, Roderick Williams (3), James Gilchrist, Tim Horton (2), Ensemble 360 – Man And Bat • Piano Concerto • The Moon Is Flashing • Eternity’s Sunrise(CD, Album)	2019	First Hand Records
4	Bryars, Skempton, Pärt - Adelaide Symphony Orchestra – Adelaide Town Hall(CD, Album)	2016	GB Records (2)
5	The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - Only the Sound Remains(CD, Album)	2016	NMC (3)
6	Howard Skempton - Kingston Bell Ringers – Five Rings Triples(File, FLAC, Single)	2012	NMC (3)
7	Howard Skempton, Richard Emsley, Michael Finnissy, Laurence Crane - Steffen Schleiermacher – British!(CD, Album)	2011	MDG
8	Howard Skempton - Daniel Becker (5), EXAUDI, James Weeks (2) – Bolt From The Blue - Music For Piano & Voices(CD, Album)	2010	Mode
9	Howard Skempton / The Exon Singers / Matthew Owens (2) – The Cloths Of Heaven(CD, Album)	2008	Delphian
10	Howard Skempton - BCMG, EXAUDI, James Weeks (2) – Ben Somewhen - Choral And Chamber Music(CD, )	2007	NMC (3)
11	Michael Finnissy Plays Weir, Finnissy, Newman And Skempton – Michael Finnissy(CD, Repress)	2005	NMC (3)
12	Okeanos (2) - Philip Grange, Lynne Plowman, Howard Skempton, Judith Bingham - Jinny Shaw, Lucy Wakeford – Horizons: New Music For Oboe And Harp(CD, Album)	2002	ASC Records
13	Howard Skempton - Sarah Leonard, Howard Skempton, HCD Productions – Surface Tension(CD, )	1998	Mode
14	Home And Abroad(CD, Album)	1997	Content (3)
15	Howard Skempton, Dominic Muldowney, Barry Guy – Ancora!(CD, Album, Compilation)	1996	NMC (3)
16	Well, Well, Cornelius	1996	Sony Classical
17	Lento	1991	NMC (3)
18	Hans-Joachim Hespos / Howard Skempton / Dieter Schnebel / Christian Wolff / Michael Rumpf / Kurt Schwitters – Air Maul - An Arnold Schönberg, 5860 Canyon-Cove, Hollywood, CA(2×LP, Compilation)	1988	Murawski-Zimmermann Verlag
19	Peter Hill (2) - Nigel Osborne, Howard Skempton, Douglas Young (5) – Piano Sonata \| Piano Pieces \| Dreamlandscapes(LP, Album)	1986	Merlin Records (3)

Videos featuring Howard Skempton

Howard Skempton - Lento (Official Video)

Howard Skempton Saltaire Melody

Howard Skempton Well, Well, Cornelius - John Tilbury (1996)

Photography by Jose A. Beorlegui (2012)

http://www.josebeorlegui.com/

Howard Skempton - Well, Well, Cornelius

Well, Well, Cornelius

Track 1

Sony Classical ‎– SK 66482

Howard Skempton — Lament (1972) for organ

Howard Skempton (b. 1947) — Lament (1972) for organ

Carson Cooman, organ

English composer, pianist, and accordionist Howard Skempton (b. 1947) has been active since the 1960s, beginning his work in experimental music through his association with the Sc