# Vale, Ossian Ellis



## Guest002 (Feb 19, 2020)

I didn't see this get a mention anywhere else on the forum, but as he was Benjamin Britten's favourite harpist, I was sad to *read of the recent death of Osian Ellis*.



Can't be many of them left now. Someone make sure Janet Baker is looking after herself, please!

(And I'm sorry an extra 'S' made it into the title of this thread, which I cannot now remove. Osian. Osian. Darn.)


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I feel bad saying this but I actually thought Osian Ellis died years ago. I first heard him playing on some of Britten's folksong arrangements and the late cycle _A Birthday Hansel_. I'm not a massive fan of the harp so maybe it's a reflection on Ellis's standing that he was the only harpist whose name springs immediately to mind. I wonder if William Mathias's Harp Concerto was written by one Welshman specifically for another?


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Well spotted with the Osian EG! Like you I thought he was long gone and I too associate him with Britten.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

^
^

I might have to track down a discography - I'm sure I have a couple of other recordings on which OE played but I can't remember them!


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## Guest002 (Feb 19, 2020)

elgars ghost said:


> I feel bad saying this but I actually thought Osian Ellis died years ago. I first heard him playing on some of Britten's folksong arrangements and the late cycle _A Birthday Hansel_. I'm not a massive fan of the harp so maybe it's a reflection on Ellis's standing that he was the only harpist whose name springs immediately to mind. I wonder if William Mathias's Harp Concerto was written by one Welshman specifically for another?


From the Gramophone article I linked to in the original post:

_In 1970 the Llandaff Festival commissioned William Mathias to compose a Harp Concerto for Ellis and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and this was recorded in 1973, again with the LSO and Atherton._


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

^
^

Thank you, AB - I would have been surprised had there been no connection. Sorry - I've just noticed part of your first post was in blue, indicating a link.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Nice tribute from Gramophone.


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## Guest002 (Feb 19, 2020)

elgars ghost said:


> ^
> ^
> 
> Thank you, AB - I would have been surprised had there been no connection. Sorry - I've just noticed part of your first post was in blue, indicating a link.


I know: you have to have good eyes on these forums sometimes. Maybe I'll get into the habit of bolding links in future or something 

*Edited to add:* Well, I've gone back and edited the original post. Hopefully, it's a bit clearer now. Thank you for the pointer that these things aren't always as obvious as we'd like them to be!


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Apparently Ellis was the dedicatee of the Harp Concerto. It makes sense. He (Ellis) would have been at his peak (42) when it was composed for him in 1970. I must look for a recording.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I'm only aware of this one...


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Roll of Honour


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