The Anglelus, Op. 23, No. 5

Harry Farjeon was born on 6 May 1878 in Hohokus, New Jersey. His parents returned to Britain when he was a baby, and he lived in Hampstead in London for the rest of his life. His younger sister, Eleanor, with whom he shared a rich imaginary life, wrote children's books and poetry, including the hymn, Morning Has Broken.

He studied music privately with Landon Ronald and John Storer, then in 1895 he entered the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied composition with Battison Haynes and Frederick Corder, and piano with Septimus Webbe. There he was a contemporary of Arnold Bax, York Bowen, Adam Carse, Eric Coates and Benjamin Dale.

He left the Royal Academy of Music in 1900, but in 1901 he returned to teach composition. Two years later, at the age of 25, he became the Academy's youngest ever professor, having become the family wage-earner after the death of his father. He also taught at the Blackheath Conservatoire.

Harry Farjeon composed music throughout most of his life. His compositions are mostly for piano, but he also wrote songs, sonatas, concertos and a mass setting. He died in Hampstead on 29 December 1948.

Purcell James Mansfield (1889-1968), the transcriber of these works, was the son of the organist, Dr. Orlando Mansfield. He was an accomplished organist and pianist by an early age, and had a long and distinguished career as organist, composer, adjudicator and coductor. He held a number of important posts, including the position at Park Parish Church in Glasgow, which was considered to be one of the most desirable posts in Great Britain at the time.

"Three Pieces" was published by Augener Ltd. and consist of three "unrelated" pieces: "Folk Song", "The Angelus" and "Spring Song."

Complete notes are given in the First Comment.

Attached below are three photos of Farjeon (including a "never published" one, that I recently found on Ebay!), one of Purcell Mansfield, and one of Park Church, Glasgow, where he was organist.