# Albert William Ketèlbey



## Sid James

Ketelbey was the most popular British light classical composer of his day.

Born in Birmingham, England in 1875, Ketelbey studied at the Trinity College of Music in London, where he learnt to master several instruments and developed an interest in orchestration. Later, he was appointed director of London's Vaudeville Theatre and began writing music for silent films. He also worked as an editor in some well-known publishing houses, but by the late 1920's, he was described in the press as Britain's most popular living composer, and so was able to pursue composition full time. He died in 1959 at his home in Egypt Hill, in Cowes. In his final years he did alot of writing and also pursued his favourite hobby, playing billiards.

Ketelbey's pieces show his ability to render pictures of places and they often employ soloists, chorus and various percussion instruments very effectively. Some of his works are examples of the orientalism that was in vogue in all branches of the arts during the first quarter of the C20th. Some of his more exotic pieces include _In a Chinese garden_, _In a Persian market _and _In the Mytic Land of Egypt_. Other pieces sound more British, such as _Bells across the meadows_, _Bank Holiday 'Appy 'Ampstead _and _With honour crowned_. _In a monastery garden _employs not only a chorus singing Latin text but also a machine that makes bird sounds.

This music betrays a sense of a willingness to experiment with different sounds, but also a sense of fantasy and nostalgia. They are not profound pieces, but in a way, extend some of the innovations which Debussy made, in making the focus of a piece of music in conveying a sense of place. In many ways, he can be called 'the poor man's Debussy.'


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## shsherm

I played "In A Persian Market" in my high school band in Chicago a long time ago. I remember that the band members had to sing " Bacshis, Bacshis Allah" when we played this piece.


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## Sid James

shsherm said:


> I played "In A Persian Market" in my high school band in Chicago a long time ago. I remember that the band members had to sing " Bacshis, Bacshis Allah" when we played this piece.


Yes, in that piece you mention, as well as _In a Chinese Temple Garden_, Ketelbey put directions in the score for the musicians to say words in that language, to create an atmosphere of being in these places. I think it was very novel, and I have heard this done in Chinese American Huang Ruo's more recent chamber music, where the musicians are directed to recite a Chinese poem in between playing.


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## Lang

It is also said that Ketelby was an influence on Messiaen.


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## Artemis

I too greatly enjoy Ketelbey. Some of his music is rather strange and curious but all the pieces are all mainly short and very enjoyable. My favourite piece is _In a Persian Marke_t which comes in handy if you want to tease possibly older friends and relatives asking them if they can recognise it, as it one of those pieces once heard never forgotten except by name.


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## science

Here's a good CD, which seems to be one of only two very popular recordings of this guy's music:


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