- R. O. Morris
Reginald Owen Morris (
3 March 1886 –14 December 1948 ), almost universally cited in sources and referred to even by his friends by his initials, as 'R.O. Morris', was a British composer whose compositions have been overshadowed by his formidable reputation as a teacher.He was born in
York . He was educated atHarrow School ,New College, Oxford and theRoyal College of Music (RCM) inLondon , where he subsequently became professor ofcounterpoint and composition. On the outbreak of World War I he enlisted in theDuke of Cornwall's Light Infantry , along with his friendsGeorge Butterworth andGeoffrey Toye . He became famous as an exceptional teacher of counterpoint, and wrote several texts including "Introduction to Counterpoint", "Contrapuntal Technique in the Sixteenth Century" (Oxford, 1922), "Foundations of Practical Harmony and Counterpoint", and "The Structure of Music" (Oxford, 1935). In 1926 he taught at theCurtis Institute inPhiladelphia . In February 1915 he married Emmie Fisher, thus becoming brother-in-law to Vaughan Williams, who had married her sister Adeline.Students of Morris included composers
Gerald Finzi ,Sir Michael Tippett ,Constant Lambert ,Robin Milford ,Anthony Milner ,Edmund Rubbra ,Bernard Stevens andJean Coulthard . As a composer he wrote symphonies and other works for full or string orchestra, for string quartet, solo voice, chamber orchestra with winds, as well as voices.He died in London.
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