HENRY JAMES LANE WILSON was born in Gloucester in 1871 and died in London on the 8th of January 1915. This man of many talents, composer, organist, pianist, and baritone singer, studied composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London. He was active as an accompanist to the famous singers Dame Emma Albani and Mini Hauk whom he partnered on their recital tours. Although he was a prolific writer of songs, including the cycles, Dorothy’s Wedding Day and Flora’s Holiday, he is best remembered for his skilful, and elegant arrangements of many old Engish melodies. Victor Hely-Hutchinson admired his compositions to such an extent that he arranged many of them as orchestral pieces, and piano solos.
The most interesting of the collections by far, are the twenty-one Old English Melodies which he not only edited, but supplied new piano parts. They were published by BOOSEY & HAWKES in 1899.
The outstanding, and possibly the most beautiful song is My Lovely Celia.This is an arrangement of George Monro’s Celia the Fair, in which Wilson uses only two of Monro’s three verses with a slight alteration of the words. Its popularity was world-wide. Many famous singers such as Aksel Schiotz and Elisabeth Schumann included it in their recital programmes.
Until now, less than a third of the songs which constitute the collection, have been recorded. This is the first complete recording.
C Philip Rodden.