Frederic Austin

English composer Frederic Austin is almost forgotten today. Even as a baritone, for which he was best known during his lifetime, his legacy is obscure; he recorded little. Yet Austin restored the score to John Gay's The Beggar's Opera, and he arranged The Twelve Days of Christmas into the form we know today, with "five golden rings" set off on its own. Austin gained recognition as a composer and teacher, but his singing career eclipsed his compositions. Between 1905 and 1920 he was a fixture in performances of major British vocal works and in opera. After his retirement, Austin began to compose more frequently. Several of his works have been revived, including the orchestral Rhapsody Spring (1907) and a Symphony in E minor (1913). ~ James Manheim