Joyce Howard Barrell

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Joyce Howard Barrell
Born
Joyce Howard Gedye

(1917-11-26)26 November 1917
Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
Died6 December 1989(1989-12-06) (aged 72)
Ipswich, England
EducationUniversity of Leicester
Occupation(s)Composer, teacher, accompanist
Years active1939–1985
Notable workChildren's music, chamber music
SpouseBernard Barrell

Joyce Howard Barrell (née Gedye; 26 November 1917 – 6 December 1989) was an English composer. She studied with Benjamin Burrows and Harold Craxton for piano and Grace Burrows for violin, and then worked as composer, as a guitar teacher and as a piano accompanist. She married composer Bernard Clements Barrell in 1945. She composed about ninety works, specialising in works for children and chamber music.

Life

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Barrell was born Joyce Howard Gedye, on Bouverie Avenue in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England in 1917.[1] Her father was a bank manager for Lloyds Bank, and the family moved around to Bridgwater, Somerset in 1920, then Exeter in 1926 and lastly settled in Leicester.[1] Barrell was educated at Leicester University, studying with Benjamin Burrows and Harold Craxton for piano and Grace Burrows for violin.[2] After completing her studies, Barrell worked as composer and as a guitar teacher and piano accompanist until 1985. She married composer Bernard Clements Barrell in 1945, and they lived in Suffolk.[2] From 1939 until her death she composed about ninety works.[3][4] Barrell also worked to promote music, singing and music teaching throughout East Anglia with her husband.[2][1] The couple were friends with Imogen Holst, Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears.[1]

Barrell died in Ipswich, England on 6 December 1989.[5][6] Her music was published by Anglian, MSM, Occumuse, and Schauer and May, among others. Her archives are held at Britten Pears Arts Archive.[7]

Selected works

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Barrell composed mainly chamber music and music for children, but also include works for string quartet, and for soprano, clarinet and piano.[2] Selected works include:

  • Dialogues for flute and viola da gamba
  • Three Fours for viola and piano, Op.45 (1986)
  • The Hacheston Quintet for 2 violins, viola, cello and piano, Op.67a (1988)
  • What am I?, 6 Songs for children's chorus and piano, Op.68
  • Serenade for saxophones, Op.92
  • Nightmare for soprano, clarinet and piano, Op.93; words by Stephen Coates

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Evans, Barbara (3 October 2021). "Joyce Howard Barrell". Her Salisbury Story. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Fitzpatrick, Marie (1994). Sadie, Julie Anne; Samuel, Rhian (eds.). The New Grove Dictionary of Women Composers (1st ed.). MacMillan. p. 39. ISBN 0-333-515986.
  3. ^ "Bernard and Joyce Barrell papers". Archived from the original on 19 February 2006. Retrieved 21 December 2010.
  4. ^ Dees, Pamela Youngdahl (2004). A Guide to Piano Music by Women Composers: Women born after 1900.
  5. ^ "CCM :: Barrell, Joyce Barrell". Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Joyce Barrell | British Music Collection". britishmusiccollection.org.uk. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  7. ^ "Music manuscripts of composer Joyce Barrell - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 April 2025.