BERKELEY, SIR LENNOX

born May 12, 1903, Boars Hill, near Oxford, Oxfordshire, Eng. died Dec. 26, 1989, London in full Lennox Randall Francis Berkeley British composer whose works are noted for their classical elements. Berkeley was born into a titled family. He received his B.A. (1926) from Merton College, Oxford, and then studied (192732) in Paris under the renowned teacher Nadia Boulanger. While in Paris he met Igor Stravinsky and Franois Poulenc, both of whom influenced his style; Poulenc remained a lifelong friend. Berkeley returned to Britain in 1935, the year of his first major work, the oratorio Jonah. In 1936 he attended a music festival in Spain and there met Benjamin Britten. The two collaborated on an orchestral work, Mont Juic (1937), and maintained a strong professional, as well as personal, association. Berkeley's works are characterized by their rich melodies and his flair for orchestral texture. His more notable works include the Divertimento (1943), a highly polished orchestral piece; Piano Sonata, Opus 20 (1945), which displays his subtle use of harmony; and his vocal music, much of it religious, such as the Stabat Mater (1947), written for Britten's English Opera Group. He wrote pieces for specific performers, such as guitarist Julian Bream and oboist Janet Craxton. He composed several operas, including Nelson (1954) and Ruth (1956). His later works show some influence of atonality, notable examples of this style being Sonatina, Opus 61 (1962), and his Symphony No. 4 (1977). He was professor of composition at the Royal Academy of Music (194668), honorary professor of music at Keele University (from 1976), and from 1977 president of the Cheltenham Festival of Music. He received many honours and was knighted in 1974.