Born:
January 2, 1905
Birthplace:
London, England
Died:
January 8, 1998 in London
Also Known As:
Sir Michael Kemp Tippett was a conductor, music director and one of the leading British composers of the 20th century.
Type of Compositions:
He wrote
oratorios,
operas, symphonies, string quartets and other instrumental works.
Influence:
From 1923 to 1928, Tippett studied composition at London's Royal College of Music. Then from 1930 to 1932, he studied privately with R.O. Morris. Afterwards, he was appointed as music director of Morley College in South London, a post he will hold from 1940 to 1951. From 1969 to 1974, Tippett was director of the Bath Music Festival. His early works were influenced by music of the Baroque and Renaissance period including works by
Bach.
Notable Works:
His notable works include "A Child of Our Time," "The Midsummer Marriage," "King Priam," "The Knot Garden," "The Ice Break," "Piano Concerto," "The Vision of St. Augustine" and "The Mask of Time." Tippett wrote the libretto for many of his works.
Interesting Facts:
Tippett organized the South London Orchestra of Unemployed Musicians during the 1930s. He was knighted in 1966. Aside from being a composer, conductor and music director, he was also a speaker for BBC radio and television shows. During his later years, Tippett was known as the "Grand Old Man" of British music.
Related Video:
Listen to "
Deep River" from Michael Tippett's "A Child of Our Time" performed by the Orpheus Choir of Bangkok and the Siam Philharmonic courtesy of YouTube.
