Vernon Handley, a conductor who championed British composers and made many premiere recordings of neglected music, died at his home in Monmouthshire, Wales. He was 77.
Vernon Handley, the specialist in British music, in about 2000. Mr. Handleys death was confirmed by his son Patrick, who said his fathers health had been declining in recent years.
Mr. Handley is best known to American audiences through his catalog of more than 150 discs, which include premiere recordings of more than 80 works by British composers, including the symphonies of Granville Bantock and Robert Simpson for the Hyperion label. His disc of complete symphonies of Arnold Bax for Chandos Records won several industry awards.
His prolific output also featured the complete symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams, Charles Villiers Stanford, Malcolm Arnold and many works by Edward Elgar. His recording of Elgars violin concerto in 1985 with Nigel Kennedy helped cement that young violinists career.
Mr. Handley once told the writer Lewis Foreman that he thought being a British-music specialist had harmed his career. I only do this music, and a lot of it, because I believe that a native conductor ought to, he said. There are British composers who are close to my heart. But he did not want to be identified solely with British music. I am a conductor, not just a British music conductor, he told Mr. Foreman.
His better-known repertory as a conductor included Beethoven violin concertos and Schubert symphonies.
Vernon Handley, the specialist in British music, in about 2000. Mr. Handleys death was confirmed by his son Patrick, who said his fathers health had been declining in recent years.
Mr. Handley is best known to American audiences through his catalog of more than 150 discs, which include premiere recordings of more than 80 works by British composers, including the symphonies of Granville Bantock and Robert Simpson for the Hyperion label. His disc of complete symphonies of Arnold Bax for Chandos Records won several industry awards.
His prolific output also featured the complete symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams, Charles Villiers Stanford, Malcolm Arnold and many works by Edward Elgar. His recording of Elgars violin concerto in 1985 with Nigel Kennedy helped cement that young violinists career.
Mr. Handley once told the writer Lewis Foreman that he thought being a British-music specialist had harmed his career. I only do this music, and a lot of it, because I believe that a native conductor ought to, he said. There are British composers who are close to my heart. But he did not want to be identified solely with British music. I am a conductor, not just a British music conductor, he told Mr. Foreman.
His better-known repertory as a conductor included Beethoven violin concertos and Schubert symphonies.
