Peter Warlock

Peter Warlock creative pseudonym for Philip Heseltine * Early interest in music at school further stimulated by meeting Frederick Delius in France in 1910 * Became lifelong champion of Delius's music and produced many piano arrangements * Other musical influences included Roger Quilter and Bernard van Dieren * Conscientious objector during war years, when he enjoyed a brief friendship with DH Lawrence * In 1918 returned to London and studied early music and English poetry * Full flowering of creativity in 1920s when most of his 200 songs were composed * Psychological split between light and dark personae of Heseltine and Warlock grew increasingly apparent * Died from gas poisoning in 1930, with an open verdict recorded * Music shows craftsmanship and versatility, ranging from pastoral love songs to raucous drinking ditties * Work as writer and editor included new performing versions of Elizabethan and Jacobean music, and authoritative study of Delius (1923)

Works by Peter Warlock include:
Benedicamus Domino (1918) for mixed choir
Sociable Songs (1924-28) for baritone and male chorus
The Countryman (1926) for voice and piano, or unison chorus and keyboard
Bethlehem Down (1927) for mixed choir, or voice and organ