William Henry Reed's String Quartet No. 5 won second prize in a 1914 competition sponsored by Walter Willson Cobbett, a wealthy industrialist and chamber music enthusiast.
Compositional Technique
William Henry Reed's music is noted for its lyrical voice, willingness to use coloristic harmony, and remarkable grasp of timbres and sonorities in quartet writing.
Composer Biography
Edward Elgar entrusted the sketches of his incomplete Third Symphony to William Henry Reed, which later enabled its reconstruction.
Recording & Production
The Cirrus String Quartet prepared the performance material for this recording from original manuscripts of Reed's Quartet No. 4 and Légende held at the Royal College of Music library.
Composer Biography
William Henry Reed was awarded the M.V.O. by George V in 1928, a rare recognition for an orchestral player.
Composer Biography
William Henry Reed had a close friendship and collaboration with Edward Elgar, advising him on his violin concerto and playing in the premieres of Elgar's chamber works.
Composer Biography
William Henry Reed, the composer, was the leader of the London Symphony Orchestra for 23 years and later its chairman until his death.
