Albert William Ketèlbey (9 August, 1875 - 26 November, 1959) was a composer and musician from Aston, Birmingham, England, born to George Ketelbey [sic - no accent], an engraver, and Sarah Aston.

Ketèlbey attended the Trinity College of Music in London, where he beat the runner-up, Gustav Holst, for a musical scholarship. He distinguished himself in numerous fields, especially in composition. His first works were in the classical style and a Quintet for Strings was awarded the Sir Michael Costa prize. He used the pseudonyms Raoul Clifford and Anton Vodorinksi for some of his earlier works. (Some reference books mistakenly give Vodorinski as his true name and Ketèlbey as the pseudonym!) Later, he became famous for composing lightweight, popular music, much of which was used as accompaniments to silent films, and as mood music at tea dances.

His most famous compositions include:

• The Heart's Awakening (1908)
• In a Monastery Garden (1915)
• Phantasy for String Quartet (1915)
• In the Moonlight (1919)
• In a Persian Market (1920)
• Romantic Suite (1922)
• Appy 'Ampstead (1924)
• In a Chinese Temple Garden (1925)
• By the Blue Hawaiian Waters (1927)
• In the Mystic Land of Egypt (1931)
• From a Japanese Screen (1934)
• Italian Twilight (1951)
• Cockney Suite
• Jungle Drums
• Tangled Tunes

He died at his home, Egypt Hill, in Cowes, Isle of Wight.

References

• The Faber Companion to 20th Century Popular Music, Phil Hardy 2001
• Chambers Biographical Dictionary, Edinburgh 1990
• The Times, London 1908, 1915, 1922

External link

• Birmingham City Council page about Ketèlbey
• downloadable and streaming recordings of In a Monastery Garden performed by the Peerless Orchestra and male chorus. From an Edison Phonograph recorded in 1921.