A Prayer

Harry Farjeon was born on 6 May 1878 in Hohokus, New Jersey. His parents returned to Britain when he was a baby, and he lived in Hampstead in London for the rest of his life. His younger sister, Eleanor, with whom he shared a rich imaginary life, wrote children's books and poetry, including the hymn, Morning Has Broken.

He studied music privately with Landon Ronald and John Storer, then in 1895 he entered the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied composition with Battison Haynes and Frederick Corder (as did Alec Rowley), and piano with Septimus Webbe. There he was a contemporary of Arnold Bax, York Bowen, Adam Carse, Eric Coates and Benjamin Dale.

He left the Royal Academy of Music in 1900, but in 1901 he returned to teach composition. Two years later, at the age of 25, he became the Academy's youngest ever professor, having become the family wage-earner after the death of his father. He also taught at the Blackheath Conservatoire.

Harry Farjeon composed music throughout most of his life. His compositions are mostly for piano, but he also wrote songs, sonatas, concertos and a mass setting. He died in Hampstead on 29 December 1948.

Farjeon was what I call "out there." He had different ideas about music (life?) and expressed them in very individualistic ways.

"A Prayer" was published by Augener Ltd. in 1917. This upload has been normalized, but there are some very soft spots. There are also some VERY LONG spots of COMPLETE silence, so, don't skip!

Of all the "unique pieces" that I've been doing, this one surely is one of the MOST unique! However, be careful NOT to stop listening after the first section, or you might miss why!

FULL musical and performance notes are given in the FIRST COMMENT.

The score is attached below, as well as two photos of Harry Farjeon.

I dedicate this performance to our member, "voxcoelestis," who shares my interest in the forgotten works written by forgotten composers...

THANK YOU, Mike! I hope you like this! :-)