Bruce Blunt Explained

George Henry Bruce Blunt, otherwise known as Bruce Blunt (1 July 1899[1] – 8 July 1957[2])[3] was an English poet, journalist and wine merchant best known for his collaborations with the composer Peter Warlock.[4] In Frederick Delius and Peter Warlock: a friendship revealed he is described as a "bon viveur, poet, journalist, and writer on wine, gardening, and the turf."[5] His poetry is included in the 1932 anthology Modern Poets edited by J. C. Squire.

For Warlock he wrote a number of short song texts including the carol "Bethlehem Down" (1927) and the songs "The Fox", "The Frostbound Wood" (1929), "The First Mercy" and "The Cricketers of Hambledon" (1928).[6] It has been commented that Warlock's settings of Blunt are amongst his finest.[5] His poem "The Long Barrow" was also set by Bernard van Dieren in 1931.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Surrey baptism records, via Ancestry.co.uk
  2. National Probate Calendar 1858-1966, via Ancestry.co.uk
  3. http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp72875/bruce-blunt National Portrait Gallery
  4. Web site: Peter Warlock Society . 25 November 2010 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215651/http://www.peterwarlock.org/lifeworks.htm . dead .
  5. Barry Smith, Frederick Delius and Peter Warlock: a friendship revealed (Oxford University Press, 2000) p.369
  6. Kenneth Chalmers, Notes to British Music Collection: Peter Warlock p.4
  7. http://www.bardic-music.com/vanDieren.htm bardic-music.com