Ernest Farrar

about

Ernest Bristow Farrar (7 July 1885–18 September 1918) was an English composer, pianist and organist. Ernest Farrar was born in Lewisham, London. The son of a clergyman, he was educated at Leeds Grammar School where he began organ studies and in May 1905 won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music. There he studied with Sir Charles Villiers Stanford and Sir Walter Parratt. He also took up several posts as organist in Dresden, South Shields and Christ Church, High Harrogate. His career was cut short by the outbreak of World War I as he enlisted in the Grenadier Guards in 1915 and joined the regiment in August 1916. He was commissioned as Second Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion Devonshire Regiment on February 27, 1918. Farrar was killed on the Western front at the Battle of Epehy Ronssoy near Le Cateau in the Somme valley south, west of Cambrai in 1918. His grave lies just outside the churchyard wall in Ronssoy Communal Cemetery Extension, in a corner under some trees. A Requiem was said at Micklefield on September 29th, the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels. Despite his short life, Farrar wrote a large body of music for orchestra, voices and organ. His works include The Blessed Damozel, the Celtic Suite and his song cycle, Vagabond Songs. However, apart from a few songs his works are now rarely performed. Today, Farrar is perhaps best known as the teacher of Gerald Finzi. Farrar's tragic death affected the young Finzi deeply, and from the very beginning, most of his music was el

top songs

albums

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No Exceptions No Exemptions: Great War Songs

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Orchestral Works (Chandos 9586)

Orchestral Works

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The Hounds of Spring - English Dances and Preludes 1905 - 1935

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Ernest Farrar Orchestral Works

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The Essential Hyperion

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A Shropshire Lad: English Songs Orchestrated by Roderick Williams

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War's Embers

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Philharmonia Orchestra, dir. Alasdair Mitchell

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War's Embers - II

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Mélodies: Prescience, conscience (Les musiciens et la Grande Guerre, Vol. 4)

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Ernest_Farrar

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