Ernest Austin

Although little-remembered today (he does not even have an entry in the comprehensive New Grove dictionary),[1] Austin's orchestral music enjoyed some success in its own time, including performances at the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts and on BBC Radio during the 1920s.

4), his brother Frederic Austin singing some songs along with Miss Grainger-Kerr[7] (also a proponent of Cyril Scott's vocal works);[8] a Piano Trio was also performed in November 1909.

[9] Austin was described as being "well known as an apostle of modernism"[n 1] in a review of his Songs From The Highway, also published in 1909: "In his case the tendency manifests itself in the form of indefinite tonality and rhythm.

[11] Another concert devoted to his own piano works and songs was given at St. James's Hall, London in November 1910; the solo pianist was Ernest Lees, the singers were Cecily Gleeson-White, Miss Grainger-Kerr, William Higley (who sang the title role in The Flying Dutchman at the Proms in 1905) and Frederic Austin, accompanied by Harold Brooke[12] (professional pianist and editor at Novello & Co. who worked with Elgar on the publication of his Piano Quintet).

They were played (along with his Vicar of Bray variations) on BBC Radio on 15 November 1929; the broadcast was followed by a concert of music from The Beggar's Opera by his brother Frederic, who also conducted.

There is a text which explains what is happening at each stage of the music which can be read by a narrator, and in the 12th movement, there are optional parts for choir (SSATTB), bells, and a solo violin.