Joyce Howard 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

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

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

  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.
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