George Lloyd showed his talent as a composer early; he began composing at the age of 9, and began serious study at the age of 14. He was mainly educated at home because of rheumatic fever. He was trained in the dramatic aspects of opera by his father, who would regularly give him scenes from English plays to set to music, and he later studied violin with Albert Sammons and composition with Frank Kitson and Harry Farjeon. He was a student at Trinity College London. His first symphony, written at the age of 19, was premiered in 1933 by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, with the composer conducting. A second symphony had its premiere in 1935 and was soon followed by a third. His first opera, Iernin, was performed in 1934 in Penzance, before being transferred to the Lyceum Theatre, London, where it had an unusually long run. His second opera, The Serf, was staged by Vladimir Rosing at Covent Garden in 1938.

(submitted by William Lloyd (GeorgeLloyd) <society@georgelloyd.com>)

After early successes with opera and three symphonies, he was badly shell-shocked in the Second World War, and retired to Cornwall to a market garden, growing carnations and mushrooms. He composed intermittently, but eventually his health improved, and he started to compose a number of new works, most of which he has conducted himself and recorded on the Albany Records label.

(This is an English composer whose work is wrongly ignored by many music critics. His symphonies are melodic, but nonetheless powerful. His choral writing is inspired, and I recommend his Symphonic Mass, as well as all his symphonies. Those who know his music, adore it.)