The Dark Road

Cecil Forsyth (30 November 1870, in Greenwich – 7 December 1941, New York City) was an English composer and musicologist.

He studied at the University of Edinburgh and at the Royal College of Music (with Charles Villiers Stanford and Hubert Parry), and played viola in various London orchestras. His compositions include works for strings, as well as operas and vocal works. His books about music include Music and Nationalism: A Study of English Opera (1911), Choral Orchestration (1920), A History of Music (1916—with Stanford), and A Digest of Music History (1923).

Philip Frederick Wright James (May 17, 1890 – November 1, 1975) was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. At an early age he began piano, violin and theory lessons, and served as choirboy in several New Jersey churches. From 1904 to 1909 he studied organ with J. Warren Andrews and in 1907 began advanced harmony and counterpoint lessons with Homer Norris. He also studied composition with, as well as organ with Joseph Bonnet and Alexandre Guilmant in Paris.

In World War I James played in and subsequently became bandleader of the American Expeditionary Forces Headquarters Band.

In 1922 he co-founded and became the first conductor of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, and in 1923, began a long teaching career at New York University, serving as head of the music department from 1934-1956.

Though he remained active as a composer until his death in 1975, James' larger-scale compositions were infrequently played after the mid-twentieth century. However several of his early sacred compositions, including "Meditation a Ste. Clotilde" for organ and the anthem "By the Waters of Babylon" remain in the sacred repertoire.

His works are distinctive and important in the history of American music.

Please see the FIRST COMMENT for more info on this unusual work, original composer for string orchestra in 1922.

The score, courtesy of the arranger's son, Phil, and photos of Cecil Forsyth and Philip James are attached below.