The death has been reported of composer John McCabe CBE, aged 75, following a long illness.

Gifted

Born in Huyton near Liverpool in 1939, he was a prodigiously gifted composer and pianist; writing no less than 13 symphonies before the age of 11, whilst later, recording a series of definitive Haydn piano sonatas.

He studied at the Royal Manchester College of Music, and in Munich, with German composer Harald Genzmer.

He later became a successful professional pianist and composer, writing over 200 works in many different genres, and was director of the London College of Music between 1983 and 1990.

His first internationally recognised work was the song cycle ‘Notturni ed alba’, for soprano and orchestra, whilst later works were championed by the likes of Andre Previn and Bernard Haitink.

Successful

One of his most successful compositions was the ballet ‘Edward II’, premiered by the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and winning the 1998 Barclays Theatre Award.

He also received widespread critical acclaim for ‘Haydn Variations’, written in 1983 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth, as well as seven other symphonies and numerous concertos.

McCabe's most recent work, ‘Christ's Nativity’, was commissioned by the Halle Choir and premiered in Manchester in December 2014.

Acclaim

His relationship with the brass band movement was complex: ‘Images’ (1978) created a great deal of misplaced furore when it was used as the set work for the Regional Championships in 1983, although two years later, ‘Cloudcatcher Fells’ received overwhelming acclaim when used as the set work for the 1985 National Finals — since regarded by many as one of the ‘classic’ test pieces of the post war period.

Mixed

However, appreciation of ‘Salamander’ (1994) — used as the set work for the European Championship in London in 1997, and ‘Maunsell Forts’ — used for the British Open Championship in 2002, was mixed — the latter (which included remarks made directly to him at the contest itself) causing a great degree of upset to a composer of great integrity, compassion and generosity.

He did not write another test piece for the brass band movement, although his ‘Desert’ works, ‘Northern Lights’ and brass ensemble compositions such as ‘Hawk in Winter Light’ gained further widespread critical acclaim.

‘Cloudcatcher Fells’ received overwhelming acclaim when used as the set work for the 1985 National Finals — since regarded by many as one of the ‘classic’ test pieces of the post war period4BR

CBE

McCabe was appointed CBE by the Queen in 1985 for his services to British music. In 2004 he was honoured by the Incorporated Society of Musicians with their Distinguished Musician Award and given an honorary doctorate in music by Liverpool University in 2006.

He was also presented with an Ivor Novello Award for classical music and with the Iles Medal by the Worshipful Company of Musicians in 2014.

He continued to work until his death, despite a long battle with brain cancer.