FINZI, Gerald – All Classical Research

Born in London, July 14, 1901
Died in Oxford, Sept 27, 1956

Finzi was an introspective composer, an agnostic and a pacifist, whose attitude toward life was shaped by the deaths of his father, brothers and music teacher in the First World War when he was a child.
Finzi found inspiration in nature. Although he taught for a time at the RAM, he and his wife Joyce, an artist, eventually chose to settle in the countryside where they cared for their orchard of apple trees and created their art in privacy.
Finzi founded and directed a small orchestra, the Newbury String Players, and through their concerts promoted the work of young composers. His orchestra also performed 18^th century English music, one of Finzi’s research specialities. He also prepared scholarly published editions of these older works.
Finzi is known for his art songs, as well as choral works and orchestral works.¹