Research
Philip Lancaster is a leading authority on the musical and literary works of British composer-poet Ivor Gurney. He has made an extensive study of the archive, and has prepared editions for publication, performance, recording and broadcast of work from the whole gamut of Gurney’s output. Significantly, Philip:
• produced the revelatory first catalogue of Gurney’s musical works, for the first time showing the true extent of Gurney’s musical output;
• is co-editor of a major variorum edition of Gurney’s Complete Poetical Works, edited with Tim Kendall and published by Oxford University Press — an edition that will bring some 1,000 poems to publication for the first time;
• is co-editor, with Ian Venables, of the Gurney Trust Song Edition, bringing to publication new, previously unpublished songs, and corrected and revised editions of those published previously;
• is writing a major study of Gurney’s work: a book, The Gathering Mind of Ivor Gurney.
Amongst Philip’s musical editions are:
• Gurney’s three extant orchestral works, co-edited with Ian Venables, the War Elegy, Gloucestershire Rhapsody, and Coronation March, two of them now available on CD;
• two choral works, Since I Believe (now recorded several times) and The Trumpet, orchestrated by Philip, recorded for Naxos;
• the two song cycles with string quartet and piano, Ludlow & Teme and The Western Playland, both published by Stainer & Bell;
• numerous songs, and some chamber works.
