R. O. Morris (1886-1948)

Reginald Owen Morris was always referred to by his initials R.O., even by his friends. Remembered primarily as a teacher, particularly of counterpoint at the RCM, he was also a composer whose reluctance to promote his own music has led to his works rarely being performed since his death in 1948.

The list of names he taught is impressive; Gerald Finzi, Sir Michael Tippett, Howard Ferguson, Constant Lambert, Robin Milford, Ruth Gipps, and many others, most whom write effusively of his ability as a teacher. 

Recalling R.O. Morris in an interview for BBC Radio 3 in 1978, Ferguson recalls him as:

...extremely quiet and withdrawn, a man of few words, and those said with something of an effort. The most exciting thing he ever said to me (he had a rather bored, tired voice) was one day after I showed him something, after I'd been with him for some years 'Yes Howard, I like that' and this was such a terrific moment I felt the heavens had opened! He had an extremely clear mind, one felt he was singularly unprejudiced. He seemed to allow his pupils to develop in whatever way they wanted to, and yet he retained a quite firm grasp on their formal side.

The Sinfonia in C (1928) was originally entitled "A Little Symphony" but R.O subsequently changed it to its present title. The dedication is to Arthur Bliss.

SAMPLE: Sinfonia in C - 1st mov - Allegro

In February 1915 Morris married Emmie Fisher, thus becoming brother-in-law to Vaughan Williams, who had married her sister Adeline. Morris died very suddenly in December 1948, having been examining at the Royal College of Music the day before with no sign of anything wrong.

The Suite for small orchestra was most likely written at about the same time as the Sinfonia. It's very much in the same english folk song/Renaissance idiom.

SAMPLE: Suite for small orchestra - 1st mov - Rondino

The Concertino is likewise scored for a small chamber orchestra. It's a beautiful slow movement.

SAMPLE: Concertino - 2nd mov - Poco lento con affecto

Morris's later works became more focussed on contrapuntal technique and are certainly less melodious. The Canzoni Ricercati (1931) shows signs of this shift. Gerald Finzi regarded the Canzoni Ricercati as Morris's "one genuine masterpiece” and described it as a "grave and lovely" work.

SAMPLE: Canzoni Ricercati - 3rd mov - Allegretto

After the age of fifty R.O. seemed to have completely abandoned composition, possibly at the time his wife fell ill. The Symphony in D was one of his final compositions and compared to these samples it seems to be much more astringent.