Sam Hartley Braithwaite was born in Egremont, Cumberland. He trained at the Royal Academy of Music, studying piano, organ and clarinet, as well as composition with Frederick Corder
An exact contemporary there was Arnold Bax. They became close friends and Bax dedicated his piano piece Apple Blossom Time (1915) to Braithwaite.
While still in his twenties he began teaching piano at the RAM, where his pupils included Eric Coates, only three years his junior. He was musical director of the Passmore Edwards Settlement (Mary Ward Centre) in London from 1910 to 1913, succeeding Holst.
Braithwaite lived most of his life in Bournemouth and many of his works were performed there, often conducted by him. Later in life he shifted his activities towards etching, painting and printmaking.
As an artist Braithwaite made etchings of landscapes in Dorset and Lancashire/Cumbria.
Two of his musical works - the characteristically pictorial Snow Picture for orchestra (1924) and the Elegy for orchestra (1927) - won Carnegie Trust awards and were published as part of the Carnegie Collection of British Music.
Elegy - 1926
A short work but one full of orchestral colour; maybe Braithwaite's ability as an artist also pervaded his orchestral pallete. Harp used as a fleck of bright colour and a single cymbal, tremelando in this dark, moody landscape.
SAMPLE: Elegy for orchestra - opening
A calmer central section with woodwind solos leads to a turbulent few bars and eventually the music dies away to nothing. The final bars end with ppp bass drum and double bass.
SAMPLE: Elegy for orchestra - ending
As an artist Braithwaite made etchings of landscapes in Dorset and Lancashire. He exhibited with the New Forest Group formed in 1923 and was a member of the Lake Artists Society in the 1940s. Some of his paintings, such as Foxtrot and Pavan (both exhibited at the Arlington Gallery, Old Bond Street, London in 1927) were more abstract with musical themes. He died in Arnside, Westmorland, aged 64.
