NORMAN O’NEILL

Norman Houston O’Neill (1875–1934) was born in Kensington, London, England, son of Irish painter George Bernard O’Neill. He studied in London with Arthur Somervell and at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt. He taught harmony and composition at the Royal Academy of Music, was conductor at the Haymarket Theatre, and was treasurer of the Royal Philharmonic Society. He died of blood poisoning after being struck by a carrier tricycle on Oxford Street, London, on his way to Broadcasting House for a recording session. His compositions include a significant amount of music for the theatre as well as symphonic suites, chamber works, instrumental music, piano works, choral works, and songs; and, in 1910, he was the first British composer to conduct his own orchestral music on record.

All are mixed chorus; some contain divisi.