Arthur Eaglefield Hull
Encyclopedia
Arthur Eaglefield Hull was an English music critic, writer, composer and organist
.
Hull was initially a music student of Tobias Matthay
and graduated with a Doctorate of Music
(Mus. Doc.) from Oxford University. He lived in Huddersfield
in Yorkshire
, and became an editor of several music publications including "The Monthly Musical Record", Dent's "International Library of Books on Music", "Library of Music and musicians" (a series of books on composers), "The Music Lover's library" (short books on classical music subjects) and others. He also taught the piano and organ privately with Frederic Lord
being one of his notable pupils.
Hull wrote a biography of Alexander Scriabin
(1872–1915), and coined the term "mystic chord" to describe the harmonic and melodic device which the Russian composer used in some of his later works. He also wrote a living biography of another mystically inclined composer, Cyril Scott
(1879–1970), of whom he had a high regard, calling him "at the least, the equal of those (composers) of any other country". Hull translated and edited biographies of Mussorgsky
, Handel
, Beethoven and others. He also wrote books and articles on subjects such as musical harmony and organ technique (see bibliography), was a composer and arranger, and produced editions of music scores (such as the "Organ Sonatas" of Alexandre Guilmant
). He was the general editor for the reference work, "A Dictionary of Modern Music and Musicians" (Dent, 1924), which covered the period from 1880 onwards.
In 1927, his book Music: Classical, Romantic and Modern was published but material in it was found to be borrowed from other writers. Whether this was delibarate plagiarism
or failure to cite references is not known, but the resultant criticism left Hull very emotionally upset. He committed suicide the following year, in 1928, by throwing himself under a train at Huddersfield station.
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
.
Hull was initially a music student of Tobias Matthay
Tobias Matthay
Tobias Augustus Matthay was an English pianist, teacher, and composer.-Biography:Matthaw as born in London in 1858 to parents who had come from northern Germany and were naturalised British subjects...
and graduated with a Doctorate of Music
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...
(Mus. Doc.) from Oxford University. He lived in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
in Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, and became an editor of several music publications including "The Monthly Musical Record", Dent's "International Library of Books on Music", "Library of Music and musicians" (a series of books on composers), "The Music Lover's library" (short books on classical music subjects) and others. He also taught the piano and organ privately with Frederic Lord
Frederic Lord
Frederic Lord was an English choral conductor, organist, composer, and music educator. He studied piano with Ladislas Gorski in Montreux, Switzerland and the organ with Arthur Eaglefield Hull in England. A child prodigy, he started giving organ recitals at the age of 10 and began working as a...
being one of his notable pupils.
Hull wrote a biography of Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Scriabin
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin was a Russian composer and pianist who initially developed a lyrical and idiosyncratic tonal language inspired by the music of Frédéric Chopin. Quite independent of the innovations of Arnold Schoenberg, Scriabin developed an increasingly atonal musical system,...
(1872–1915), and coined the term "mystic chord" to describe the harmonic and melodic device which the Russian composer used in some of his later works. He also wrote a living biography of another mystically inclined composer, Cyril Scott
Cyril Scott
Cyril Meir Scott was an English composer, writer, and poet.-Biography:Scott was born in Oxton, England to a shipper and scholar of Greek and Hebrew, and Mary Scott , an amateur pianist. He showed a talent for music from an early age and was sent to the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, Germany to...
(1879–1970), of whom he had a high regard, calling him "at the least, the equal of those (composers) of any other country". Hull translated and edited biographies of Mussorgsky
Mussorgsky
Mussorgsky can refer to:*The Mussorgsky family of Russian nobility;*Modest Mussorgsky, a Russian composer belonging to that family.*Mussorgsky , a 1950 Soviet film about the composer...
, Handel
HANDEL
HANDEL was the code-name for the UK's National Attack Warning System in the Cold War. It consisted of a small console consisting of two microphones, lights and gauges. The reason behind this was to provide a back-up if anything failed....
, Beethoven and others. He also wrote books and articles on subjects such as musical harmony and organ technique (see bibliography), was a composer and arranger, and produced editions of music scores (such as the "Organ Sonatas" of Alexandre Guilmant
Alexandre Guilmant
Félix-Alexandre Guilmant was a French organist and composer.- Short biography :Guilmant was born in Boulogne-sur-Mer...
). He was the general editor for the reference work, "A Dictionary of Modern Music and Musicians" (Dent, 1924), which covered the period from 1880 onwards.
In 1927, his book Music: Classical, Romantic and Modern was published but material in it was found to be borrowed from other writers. Whether this was delibarate plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
or failure to cite references is not known, but the resultant criticism left Hull very emotionally upset. He committed suicide the following year, in 1928, by throwing himself under a train at Huddersfield station.
External links
- Music scores by A. E. Hull (Petrucci Music LibraryInternational Music Score Library ProjectThe International Music Score Library Project , also known as the Petrucci Music Library after publisher Ottaviano Petrucci, is a project for the creation of a virtual library of public domain music scores, based on the wiki principle...
) - Compositions and arrangements for the organ by A. E. Hull (University of RochesterUniversity of RochesterThe University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
)