BARKUS, Albert – Canzona (concert piece, 1979) – FOUR CELLOS AND PIANO

Other Identification:
Albert Barkus (1900-1992) was one of those very fine musicians, steeped in the ‘English romantic tradition’, who might well have been famous with a touch of luck, or if he had received the right acquaintances in his day and age. As it was, he worked in a bank by day, but always with such music in his veins that he was actually much more professional than most professionals were. I knew him personally during the last fifteen years of his life, and he certainly was a very positive influence.

Mr. Barkus was a very fine organist – as a youngster he examined successfully for the F.R.C.O. title, and became the Reading Town Hall official organist during almost forty years, performing at the important mayoral functions. He was also organist at the Reading Trinity United Reformed church (sadly, a building no longer existing).

Albert Barkus had a most thorough grounding in composition, fugue and orchestration, also occasionally writing original works throughout his life. Several organ pieces were published after the Second World War. Most of his work followed the ‘Elgarian’ line. His favoured organ composers were Mendelssohn, Vierne, Widor and Boellmann.