Peter Warlock

British Composer and Music Critic

Peter Warlock was the pseudonym of Philip Arnold Heseltine (1894–1930), an English composer and music critic. Despite his relatively short life, Warlock made a significant impact on the British musical scene, particularly known for his songs and carols. His compositional style often drew upon Elizabethan and Jacobean music traditions, which he combined with a modern sensibility. One of his most famous works is the song cycle "The Curlew," which showcases his distinctive approach to vocal music and his sensitivity to poetic texts. Warlock was also known for his interest in early music and edited works by composers such as John Dowland and Giles Farnaby, contributing to the early 20th-century revival of interest in this repertoire. His life was marked by colorful and sometimes controversial personal circumstances, and he was a close friend of other composers such as Frederick Delius. Warlock's contribution to English music remains appreciated for its unique blend of historical awareness and contemporary expressiveness.