Percy Hilder Miles (12 July 1878 – 18 April 1922) was an English composer, violinist and academic. For most of his career he was Professor of Harmony at the Royal Academy of Music. Among his students was the composer Rebecca Clarke, and among Miles' associates was Lionel Tertis.
He was a prolific composer of 160 or so works, most of them unpublished.
Early life
Miles was born in Crayford, Kent, to parents George Miles (a building contractor) and Fanny Hood, of Bexleyheath, Kent on 12 July 1878. It was a musical family: his mother played the piano, his uncle Willie the violin, and his three younger brothers were all string players. His brother William Maurice Miles (1883-1958) was a cellist and also a composer.Philip Hall. Notes to Percy Hilder Miles: Chamber Music, Vol.1, MPR111 (2021) Percy himself learned the violin. His earliest compositions date from when he was eight years-old, and at the age of 13, he performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto at St. James' Hall, Piccadilly, with the Principal of the Royal Academy of Music, Alexander MacKenzie, conducting. Percy became a student at the Royal Academy of Music from June 1893. His teachers there included Francis William Davenport (for harmony), Walter Battison Haynes (for composition) and violinist Hans Wessely., 8 April 1899 Issue, page 371.
Studies and awards In 1895 Miles suggested to Lionel Tertis (then also a violin pupil of Wessely at the RAM) the idea of switching to the viola, in order for them to form a string quartet. His name appeared several times in The Musical Times in the late 1890s connected with performances of his own compositions and for those of other contemporaries. According to a brief biography in one of these articles in 1899, he won the Hine Exhibition composition prize in 1893, the Walter MacFarren Scholarship in 1896 (awarded 8 January 1896) Also in 1896 he received a silver medal (presented annually to the most distinguished student at the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, or the Guildhall School of Music, in rotation, the recipient nominated by the principal or director of the school) from the Worshipful Company of Musicians., published 1905 by Livery Club of the company for private circulation, p.108. He won the first Sauret prize in 1897, plus the prestigious Charles Lucas (musician) Medal for composition in mid summer 1898. In 1899 he was awarded the Mendelssohn Scholarship, which was presented to him by Sir John Stainer. This enabled the student to study abroad for 3 years with noted teachers of the day. Between 1899 and 1903, Percy studied in Vienna, Berlin, Karlsruhe, Paris and Milan. As a student he also performed alongside his violin teacher Hans Wessely as second violin for chamber music concerts across London.PCS Concert Programmes 1890–1900
Professional life and Rebecca Clarke He was made a sub-professor at the RAM in 1899 and in 1903, upon his return from Mendelssohn Scholarship studies, Percy became a full professor of Harmony and Counterpoint.Musical Times, 1 November 1903 page 747 Among his Harmony students was Rebecca Clarke who studied there from 1903 to 1905. He had become a friend of the Clarke family in the years before and had recommended she study Harmony with him and the violin with Wessely. However her father removed her from the RAM when Miles suddenly proposed marriage and kissed her after a lesson in 1905.RC Memoirs Unpub. pages 117–118 This led to her being enrolled in the Royal College of Music where she studied composition with Charles Villiers Stanford, who suggested she take up the viola which she later studied with Percy's friend Lionel Tertis.Ponder, Michael (2004)"Clarke, Rebecca Helferich (1886–1979)" Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press
In 1906 (at Wessely's suggestion), Miles became an overseas examiner for the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. This led to long periods of travel across the British Empire, including Australia . Percy went around the world no fewer than six times,see Obituary sometimes visiting his brothers in Canada and relatives in Jamaica and Australia. One of his cousins was the famous Australian water colourist J J Hilder.Surviving letters by PHM held by family
A cello concerto by Miles initially dedicated to and rehearsed with Herbert Withers (1880–1961) was announced for performance on 3 September 1908 in Henry Wood's Promenade Concerts. However it was not in fact performed as Miles voyaged to Australia in April 1908 and the orchestral parts were not completed in time.The Referee 30 August 1908 page 5 Instead Withers performed the Dvorak Concerto and Percy put a line through the dedication to Withers.BBC Proms Archive Proms 1908 Prom 17 The orchestral score is lost,Letter from PHM to his brother Maurice 1919 but the cello and piano accompaniment parts survive.
Financially secure from Examining, though still living with his parents in Erith, he paid off his father's mortgage and debts and in 1909 he purchased a grand piano and a Stradivarius violin made in 1720, known as the General Kyd.Letter of Provenance dated 29th May 1911 held by Miles descendants He bequeathed this to Rebecca Clarke in his Last Will and Testament of 1912.
Although aged 36 at the outbreak of World War I, Percy was keen to enlist. Indeed, despite his age he was called-up several times and presented himself at Woolwich.Letters to Maurice 1917 However he failed the medical on each occasion, either because of his eyesight or weak lungs.
He was reluctant to have his works publishedRevealed in a letter from Mark Andrews, boyhood friend from Erith, to Musical Times, May 1937 although a handful were; his biggest success came in 1920 when his String Sextet, (alongside works by Sir George Dyson, Charles Villiers Stanford and Gustav Holst) was selected from 64 entries for the Carnegie Collection of British Music award, the prize being publication of the score by Stainer & Bell.
Death In 1922 Miles went blind in one eye and also caught pneumoniaobituary which took his life on 18 April of that year. According to his catalogue, he left over 160 works (mainly chamber music and songs), most of which his mother sent to his brothers in Canada after his death. Some are now deemed lost but there are around 100 manuscripts still with relatives in Canada and around 40 survive in the RAM Archive. He never married and lies buried with his parents in Brook Street cemetery, Erith.
List of compositions Compositions, mostly in Manuscript, held by the Royal Academy of Music Archive, London include:
1891 Vocal duet "Now and Afterward" 1893 Song for Sop., Vln., Cello & Pft. "A Golden Radiance" Words by E. Nesbit 1893 Song for voice and piano, "Sing to me" Words by Fr.Ryan 1893 2 Canons for 2 voices and piano, "Sunset" and "The Singer" 1894 Slow movement (only) of Sonata in A minor for violin and piano 1894 Song "Weariness" Words by Longfellow 1894 Song "When you were here" Words by L Jackson 1894 Song "The Seasons" Words by Jane Hood 1894–1901 Quintet in A maj for 2 Vlns. 2 vlas. and cello 1895 Song "My lady fair" Words by M E Sargent 1895 2 songs for voice and piano "When grief shall come to thee", "Go down, thou ruddy sun" 1896 Love song for voice and piano "To the cold, dark night" Words by Harold Miles Silvanus 1897 Waltz in F sharp minor for piano 1897 Septet in E flat for Vln, Vla, Cello, Bass, Clt, Hrn, & Bassoon. (viola part only) 1898–1902 4 sets of Variations on Beethoven's "Das Blumchen Wunderhold" for violin, viola & cello 1899 5 Songs, words by Robert Burns 1900 3 Lieder – "Abendlied", words by Edmund Hoefer, "Am Wege" words by Max Kalbeck, "Im Walde" words by Ludwig Bowitsch 1900 3 Songs to words by Ossian- "Pleasant is thy voice, O Carril", "Daughter of Heaven", "Come thou beam" 1900 3 Fantasy-Pieces for Cello & Piano 1901 Quintet in F minor for 2 Vlns., Vla, Cello & Bass 1901 8 Songs for voice & piano. Words by Heine 1902 3 Fantasy-pieces for string quartet, (Published by Bote & Bock) 1902 Quintet in D for 2 Vlns., Vla., Cello & Bass (in one movt.) 1902 18 Metamorphoses on a theme intended to represent a pet dog named "Don" for Vln., Vla., & Cello 1902-3 Variations for string quartet on an original theme in A minor 1903-4 Quintet for Clarinet, 2 Vlns., Vla., & Cello 1904 4 Songs to words by Swinburne 1906 3 Shakespeare Sonnets for voice & piano 1906 Duet for Vla. & Cello arr. for Vln. & Vla by W Maurice Miles 1906 Quartet for 4 Cellos, for W.M.Miles 1907 Grand Solo for viola in G, ("To Johnson. So difficult as to be absolutely impossible") for G.D.Miles 1907-8 Cello Concerto in D, Piano & Cello parts (Proms 1908 commission) 1909 Rhapsody in Eb for violin & piano (No.3 of 3 Pieces for Violin & Piano) 1911 Trio No.1 in D for 2 violins & viola 1914–15 3 Pieces for Violin & Piano- 1.Intermezzo 2. Capriccio 3. Romanza (Published by Stainer & Bell 1920) 1914–16 Cello Sonata in C for Cello & Piano 1912–17 Sextet in G minor for 2 Vlns., 2 Vlas., Cello & Bass (Published by Stainer & Bell 1920). Winner of Carnegie Trust Award (alongside Holst's "Hymn of Jesus" and Stanford 5th Symphony) 1917 "Sunshine over the Avon" for solo piano. (parody of Schoenberg, written "whilst waiting for dinner") 1918 5 Pieces (Interludes) for piano solo 1919 2 Songs for voice & piano "In Flanders Fields" words by Lt. Col. John McRae, "England & Flanders" words by H.C F 1921 3 Easy Pieces for Violin & Piano (Published posthumously by The Associated Board in Aug 1922)
Miscellaneous items also held by RAM Archive Catalog(sic) of the Musical Compositions of Percy Hilder Miles Dec 1907– (updated to 1921). Contains listings of approximately 180 works with dates and locations of composition. Two pages from The Strad, vol.XXXI no.370, February 1921 concerning the collection of violins made by George Miles Viola part to Stephen Foster's "Old Folks at Home"
Manuscripts held by Percy's great nephew William Stantan Miles in Canada
1886 3 Duets facile for 2 violins (Op.1) 1888 Trio in C for 3 Violins (Op.3) 1893 Song for Sop., Vln., Cello & Pft. "A Golden Radiance" Words by E. Nesbit (parts & score) 1893 2 Piano trios in C min & D min 1893 One movt. of a string quartet in G "Quartette facile" 1893 Song "Greeting" for voice & piano (won Hine prize at RAM Dec 1893) 1893 Trio in D min for 2 violins & cello 1893-4 Piano Trio in E min (parts & score) 1894 6 Canons for 2 voices & piano 1894 Cello Sonata in A min 1894 Violin Sonata in A min 1894 2 string quartets- G min & E maj 1894 3 duets for violin & cello- in G, A & D min 1894 6 studies for violin 1894 2 movts. of a string quartet in G min 1894 Melody in G for violin & piano 1894 6 Albumleaves for piano 1894 Piano quartet in G min 1894 Romance & Polacca for cello & piano 1894 Violin Sonata in G 1894 Song "Weariness" Words by Longfellow 1894–1901 Quintet in A for 2 Vlns., 2 Vlas. & Cello (score & parts) 1895 Trio in C maj for Vln., Vla. & Cello 1895 2 Children's pieces in A & G for violin & piano (arr. for Cello & piano c.1900) 1895 Serenade- Duet for Vln. & Cello in Eb 1895 3 Duets for female voices and piano (No.1- "Life and Song" words by R E Burton- only) 1895 3 Quartets for SATB & piano 1895 Piano Trio in C min 1895 Te Deum in E flat SATB choir & piano 1895 "Autumn song" for tenor, violin & piano. Words by Wilfred Browne 1895-6 6 Songs with piano 1896 6 Songs with piano 1896 Andante in A flat for piano 1896 Andante & Rondo for violin & piano 1896 2 sets of variations (in D & G min) on original themes for string quartet 1896 4 Part Songs (Madrigals) in 5 & 6 parts 1896 String quartet in A 1896 2 movts. of a violin sonata in D (composed for RAM Charles Lucas Prize- unsuccessful) 1896 3 Love-songs for tenor with piano. Words by Harold Silvanus 1897 Set of variations on a theme by F W Hood for string quartet 1897 Septet in E flat for Vln., Vla., Cello, Bass, Clt., Hrn. & Bassoon- (score) 1897 Mass in D for soli, chorus & orchestra (piano score)