Draft:Anthony Campbell Allen

Anthony Campbell Allen, also A.C. Allen (May 6, 1925 – March 26, 1995) was a British-Swiss composer. He wrote cantatas, songs, piano works, ballet music, chamber music, organ works, an opera, concert pieces, choral works and also works for alphorn. Of his compositions, the most notable are: Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra, Op. 52, Piano Sonata No. 1, op. 28, Trio Flute/Cello/Piano, op. 73 and Sonata for Solo Violin, op. 77..

Life
Anthony Allen was born in Weybridge, England, on May 6, 1925, and grew up in England. He studied literature, music and drama, first at the Bedales School in Petersfield, then at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He completed private studies with Bertie Scott. From 1955 he worked as a teacher of voice and singing at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, from 1959 he was a teacher at Bristol University.

He married Margaret Rowlands (1921–2004) 1950 in Islington. They had two daughters and a son. After separating from his family in England, he moved to Switzerland and lived in Zurich from 1969; in 1970 they divorced.

In Switzerland, he earned his living as an English teacher. Allen, whose musical role models included Richard Wagner, took part in the Bayreuth Youth Festival (1962/63 as leader/conductor) and was a long-standing member of the 'Schweizerische Richard Wagner-Gesellschaft'. His compositional oeuvre covers a wide spectrum: an opera, ballet music, solo concertos, orchestral works, piano works, chamber music, songs and choral works. He also wrote some poems. His mostly elegiac and late-romantic compositions found their echo in a small but enthusiastic circle, which came together in Zurich to form the "Schweizerische Campbell Allen-Gesellschaft"

Anthony Allen had to undergo heart surgery around mid-March 1995. He broke off the follow-up treatment and died on March 26, 1995 in Zurich. He is buried in an urn wall in the Sihlfeld Cemetery in Zurich. Allen's entire compositional work was given to the Zurich Central Library.

Works (selection)
• The Seven Songs of Jill Furse, Op. 3 (songs, for singing voice and piano)

• Love & Death, Op. 4 (song cycle; five songs, for baritone and piano)

• Queen Margaret, Op. 5 (opera)

• Hallwil Cantata, Op. 6 (cantata; for four-part choir, piano and flute)

• Schneeglöggli lüt!, Op. 9 (children's songs, cycle, for singing voice and piano)

• The Death of Oenone, Op. 10 (ballet)

• A Little Night Piece for a Small Orchestra (Night Piece), Op. 20

• Piano Trio, Op. 21 (for violin, violoncello and piano)

• Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 28

• Three Little Waltzes, Op. 29 (for piano)

• Concert (Piano Concerto), Op. 30 (for piano and orchestra)

• March, Op. 31 (for wind band)

• Mondseele, Op. 33 (song cycle, for tenor, piano and string quartet)

• Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra, Op. 35 (Violoncello Concerto)

• Alphorn Concerto No. 1, Op. 36 (for alphorn and string orchestra)

• Thirteen Pieces for Organ, Op. 39

• Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra, Op. 52

• Violin Sonata No. 2, The Abegg, Op. 53 (for violin and piano)

• Sonata for Irish Flute and Irish Harp, Op. 56 (Sonata, for flute and harp)

• Mass, Op. 61 (for mixed choir, a cappella)

• Elegia, Op. 63 (for mixed choir, a cappella)

• Sonata for Alphorn and Piano, Op. 67

• Sonata for Solo Violin, Op. 77

• Sonata for Organ, Op. 107

Discography
Hallwil-Kantate/Love And Death. (Album, Vinyl), Liverpool Record, Switzerland 1976.

Further literature
Anthony Campbell Allen. In: International Who's Who of Intellectuals. 8th edition. International Biographical Centre, Cambridge 1989, ISBN 0-948875-30-5, p. 13 (Text Archive - Internet Archive - reading sample).