Born in Greenock, Scotland, March 22, 1868
Died in London, August 2, 1916
*Pronounced “HAY-mish mac-KUNN”
- Hamish (born James) MacCunn was born into a musical family–his father was an amateur cellist (as well as a shipowner professionally), and his mother was a pianist. MacCunn grew up receiving a thorough musical education, and at age 15, he won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music. His composition professors included Hubert Parry and Charles Villiers Stanford.
- While in college, MacCunn changed his name from “James” to the Gaelic version, “Hamish.”
- As a composer, MacCunn’s first public success was the premiere of The Land of the Mountain and the Flood at the Crystal Palace in 1887.
- The bulk of MacCunn’s compositional output was written for voice, including cantatas, operas, and works for choir. The subject matter for much of his work was heavily influenced by his native Scotland.
- *The charcoal drawing of MacCunn seen above was drawn by artist John Pettie in 1886. Pettie became the composer’s father-in-law just a couple of years later after MacCunn married Pettie’s daughter, Alison.1
