Clarke, Hamilton (1840-1912)

James Hamilton Siree Clarke, better known as Hamilton Clarke, was an English conductor, composer and organist. Although Clarke was a prolific composer, he is best remembered as an associate of Arthur Sullivan, for whom he arranged music and compiled overtures for some of the Savoy Operas, including Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado.

Clarke began as an organist, pianist and theatre conductor, becoming a musical director for Gilbert and Sullivan, among others. While conducting at London theatres, he also composed a tremendous volume of church music, organ solos, songs, operettas and orchestral works. Beginning in the late 1870s, he composed incidental music as musical director for many of Henry Irving's spectacular productions at the Lyceum Theatre. He also composed music for many of the German Reed Entertainments and conducted at many other London theatres in the 1870s and 1880s. Clarke published a Manual of Orchestration and music criticism, as well as some fiction. In 1889, he took charge of the Victorian National Orchestra in Australia, returning to England in 1892 and soon becoming conductor of the Carl Rosa Opera Company for several years.

 

www.gsarchive.net/whowaswho/C/ClarkeHamilton.htm

The Romanza for horn and orchestra was composed on 5 March 1876 and was written for horn player William Handley. The horn part is written for hand horn, even though it was not written until 1876. In Clarke's Manual on Orchestration, he is very clear in his disapproval of the valve horn! As well as editing the orchestral version John Humphries has made two other versions available so as to maximise opportunities to get this work known and performed.


Hamilton Clarke

Compositions in catalogue

Catalogue no.

Price £
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Composer/arranger
 
 
Orchestra series    
 
Romanza for corno solo and orchestra
edb 0502007
60.00
 

Hamilton Clarke

(ed Humphries)
Romanza for corno solo and strings
edb 0502008
45.00
 

Hamilton Clarke

(ed Humphries)
 
 
 

Chamber Music series
 
 
Horn and piano
 
 
Romanza for corno solo & piano
edb 0702029
15.00
 

Hamilton Clarke

(ed Humphries)
   
 
 

Quintets
 
 

Romanza for corno solo & string quartet (doiuble bass ad lib.)
edb 0705014
20.00
 

Hamilton Clarke

(ed Humphries)