19 Facts About Edgar Bainton

Edgar Leslie Bainton was a British-born, latterly Australian-resident composer.

Edgar Bainton is remembered today mainly for his liturgical anthem And I saw a new heaven, a popular work in the repertoire of Anglican church music, but during recent years Bainton's other musical works, neglected for decades, have been increasingly available in commercial recordings.

Edgar Bainton later moved with his family to Coventry and he showed early signs of musical ability playing the piano; he was nine years old when he made his first public appearance as solo pianist.

Edgar Bainton was awarded a music scholarship to King Henry VIII Grammar School in Coventry in 1891, and in 1896 he won an open scholarship to the Royal College of Music to study theory with Walford Davies.

Edgar Bainton kept a notebook listing nearly all his compositions, the first entry being his first known surviving work, Prelude and Fugue in B minor for piano, written in 1898.

In 1901 Edgar Bainton became piano professor at the Newcastle upon Tyne Conservatory of Music.

Edgar Bainton became involved in the local musical scene, composing, playing and conducting and in 1905, he married a former student, Ethel Eales, with whom he had two daughters.

Alfred Wall was on the staff there, and Edgar Bainton became friendly with William Gillies Whittaker.

Edgar Bainton would take long country walks, frequently accompanied by Wilfred Gibson, who introduced Edgar Bainton into the literary circle surrounding Gordon Bottomley.

Edgar Bainton set many of Bottomley's poems and wrote an opera to one of his lyric dramas.

Edgar Bainton introduced his local area to previously unknown works by Gustav Holst, Ralph Vaughan Williams and Arnold Bax, among others.

Edgar Bainton developed friendships with poet Elliott Dodds and cathedral organist William Ellis.

Edgar Bainton was put in charge of all the music at the camp and became acquainted with Ernest MacMillan, Edward Clark and Arthur Benjamin, among other later successful musicians.

Edgar Bainton maintained many of these friendships throughout his career.

Edgar Bainton's life returned to normal and he returned to Newcastle to resume work at the Conservatory.

Edgar Bainton conducted the choral and orchestral classes at the Conservatorium, and founded the Sydney Opera School.

An additional night's performance was given due to demand, and on this latter occasion a bust of Edgar Bainton was unveiled in the foyer.

Australia then had a mandatory retirement age of 65, but Edgar Bainton continued to conduct, and gave lecture tours in Canada.

Edgar Bainton's wife had predeceased him by only a few months.