James Lyon (British composer)

Dr James Lyon (1872-1949) was a British composer, teacher and organist. He should not be confused with the American composer, James Lyon (composer) (1735-1794). He was born in Salford and died in Brisbane, Australia, but was based in the Midlands for much of his life. However, he did live in Liverpool for a time, later moving to Wallasey.
==Personal life==
James Lyon was born in Salford, Cheshire, England on 25 Oct 1872 son of James Lyon (1839-99, Agriculturist) and Elizabeth Dickinson (1846-80). He was educated at Ormskirk Grammar School and Queen's College, Oxford, (as a non-resident), where he was awarded the degree of B.Mus. in 1904 and D.Mus. in 1905.Dent p 307, James Lyon He married Ethel Dudley (1876-?) and they had a daughter. After his wife died, he married Bertha Power of Wallasey. He died in Brisbane, Australia, whilst on an examining tour.Liverpool Daily Post, 15 September 1949 p 5, Musician dies on tourBrisbane Telegraph, 26 August 1949, p 6, Death Notices
==Professional life==
James Lyon was said to be largely self taught in music in his early years.Dent p 307, James Lyon He was a prolific, neo-Romantic, opera composer.P, Scowcroft, Classical Music on the Web, James Lyon 1872-1949 Works include: 7 operas, 4 orchestral suites, string quartets, a piano trio and a considerable output of choral, organ, piano works, many of which were pubished, but none appear to be in the repertory today. In 1907 he wrote a wind band march 'Procession' for the Liverpool 700th Anniversary Pageant.Two Centuries of Music in Liverpool, Taylor, Stainton de B., Rockliff Bros, Liverpool, 1976, p 87 In 1943 he conducted a concert of his own works in Australia.ABC Weekl Vol 5 No 31, 31 July 1943 p 11, Dr Lyon conducts own compositions He was also an expert in Manx folk song.Manx Notes 21 (2004), "I hope to bring out a volume of Manx Tunes", James Lyon (1872-1949) Additionally, he was an organist and teacher.Biographical Dictionary of the Organ, Dr James Lyon He was working in Liverpool during the early part of the twentieth century but also taught at the Birmingham and Midland Institute for many years and subsequently was an Examiner for Trinity College, London. Later he moved to Wallasey and was organist at St. Hilary's Church, Wallasey, the Parish Church.Biographical Dictionary of the Organ, Dr James LyonBiographical Dictionary of the Organ, Details of St. Hlary's (Wallasey Parish Church), Wallasey, England
==Private life==
During his time in Merseyside, he served on the Committee of the Rodewald Concert Society.
==Compositions==
Compositions Include:-
===Operas===
*The Palace of Cards, Op. 56
*Stormwrack, Op. 64
* Fiametta, Op. 77
*La Serena, Op.79
*3 Melomimes, Ops. 70, 74 & 79
===Orchestral===
*A Symphony
*4 Suites, Ops. 14, 27, 32 & 42
===Chamber music===
*Fantasy Quartet, Op. 46
*Piano Trio, Op. 35
*Works for violin & piano
===Organ===
*Fantasia in E minor, Op. 21
*Postlude Op. 22 (Awarded Henry Cart Prize, 1904)
*Sonata in C minor, Op. 41
*Sonata in E minor, Op.50
*Suite No. 1, Op. 63
*Numerous other works
===Piano===
*Numerous piano works, particularly educational music
===Songs===
*Joe Bowman
* Four Songs for the Chinese
==Book==
A Practical Gude to the Modern Orchestra, Macmillan & Co, 1912
==Sources==
Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians 1954, v 8 (Grove)
A Dictionary of Modern Music and Musicians, Ed Eaglesfield-Hull, Dent 1924 (Dent)
A Dictionary of Composers for Organ, Henderson, John 
Biographical Dictionary of the Organ, Henshaw, W. B. 
IMLT https://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Lyon,_James
Classical Music on the Web
British Library, Catalogue, James Lyon 1872-1947
Liverpool Record Office, Rodewald Concert Society archives, Catalogue, Ref 780 RCS
Ancestry UK
Category:1872 births
Category:1949 deaths
Category:British composers
Category:British people
Category:Teachers