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Dr Vernon Handley, CBE (Born November 11, 1930, Enfield, London) is a British conductor. He was a pupil of Sir Adrian Boult ([1]).

He was born of Welsh parents into a musical family. While in school he watched the BBC Symphony Orchestra in its studio in Maida Vale where by his own account he learned some of his conducting technique by watching Boult. Later the two corresponded in the early 1950s and met around 1958, after Handley's term in the Armed Forces and attendance at Balliol College, Oxford. During their first meeting he "was put through the worst two hours of counterpoint and harmony that I’ve ever faced" and was then asked how he would conduct a page of a score put in front of him, a problem he solved. (The score, Arnold Bax's third symphony, was also in the program of the first concert Handley gave in London. The orchestra was the symphony of Morley College.) Handley has been a devoted champion of the music of Bax during his career.^[1]

He was appointed the musical director in 1962 in Guildford, and in twenty-one years there established the Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom he programmed much of Bax's music and made the first recording of the composer's fourth symphony. With the Guildford Philharmonic, Handley also conducted a recording of Gerald Finzi's Intimations of Immortality.^[2] He also directed the Tonbridge Philharmonic orchestra. In 1983 he was appointed associate conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also served as conductor of the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra and had assistant conductorships elsewhere, is conductor emeritus of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, and has conducted a number of others in concert, for broadcast and for recording. Dr Handley was appointed Principal Conductor of the English Symphony Orchestra in January 2007.

He has premiered and recorded premiere performances of works by British composers, including a series on Hyperion Records of the symphonies of Robert Simpson and Sir Granville Bantock, most of which are premieres; Simpson dedicated his Symphony no. 10 to Handley. He has contributed a foreword to Alan Poulton's Dictionary-Catalog of Modern British Composers (Greenwood Press) and to a book on Boult. He has also recorded Sir Arnold Bax's, Ernest John Moeran's and Charles Villiers Stanford's symphonies for Chandos Records as well as discs of other orchestral works. Handley recorded the symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams and Sir Edward Elgar for EMI's Classics for Pleasure label. Handley has also recorded many works by Sir Malcolm Arnold for Conifer Records which have recently been reissued in the UK by Decca Records

Handley ('Tod' to his friends) has been the recipient of numerous awards, most recently The Gramophone Magazine's Special Achievement Award in 2003. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Classical Brit Awards on 3 May 2007 at the Royal Albert Hall.

He was appointed CBE in 2004.

[edit] Recording History

Year	Recording
1965	Bax's Symphonic Variations with Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra for Concert Artist. Bax's Symphony No. 4 and Ernest John Moeran's Serenade with Guildford PO for Concert Artist.
1972	Geoffrey Bush's Music for Orchestra with London Philharmonic Orchestra for Lyrita.
1974	Ralph Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis with London Philharmonic Orchestra for EMI's Classics for Pleasure (CfP) Tchaikovsky's Hamlet Fantasy Overture with London PO for CfP.
1975	Finzi's Intimations of Immortality with Guildford PO for Lyrita.
1976	Geoffrey Bush's Yorick Overture with New Philharmonia Orchestra for Lyrita. Cyril Rootham's Symphony No. 1 and Josef Holbrooke's The Birds of Rhiannon Op. 87 with London PO for Lyrita.
1977	Frederick Delius's Summer Night on the River, A Song Before Sunrise, The Walk To the Paradise Garden, On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, La Calinda, Sleigh Ride and Irmelin Prelude with London PO for CfP. Elizabeth Maconchy's "Proud Thames" Overture with London PO for Lyrita. Vaughan Williams' A London Symphony with London PO for EMI.
1978	Edward Elgar's Falstaff and Cockaigne with London PO for CfP Walton's Symphony No. 1 with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for ASV. Arthur Bliss's Adam Zero with Royal Liverpool PO for EMI.
1979	Patrick Hadley's The Trees So High with Guildford PO for Lyrita. Grace Williams Symphony No. 2 and Ballads with BBC Welsh Symphony for BBC Regium reissued by Lyrita. EJ Moeran's Violin Concerto with London Symphony Orchestra for Lyrita. Elizabeth Maconchy's Serenata Concertante with LSO for Lyrita. Arthur Bliss's Discourse for Orchestra, Edinburgh Overture, and Meditations on a Theme by John Blow with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for EMI. Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 6 and Prelude and Fugue with London PO for EMI.
1980	Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches with London PO for CfP
1981	Elgar's Symphony No. 1, Symphony No.2 and Sea Pictures with LPO for CfP Delius's Brigg Fair, In A Summer Garden, Eventyr, and A Song of Summer with Halle Orchestra for CfP.
1982	Delius Cello Concerto, Holst Invocation, Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Sussex Folk Tunes. Julian Lloyd Webber, cello, Philharmonia Orchestra, RCA
1983	Vaughan William's Wasps Overture and Serenade to Music; Delius's Two Pieces for Small Orchestra, Summer Evening and Air And Dance with London PO for Chandos. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Symphony No. 39 with London PO for Chandos. Antonín Dvořák's Symphony No 8 and Nocturne for Strings with London PO for Chandos. Elgar's Enigma Variations, Introduction and Allegro and Serenade with London PO for CfP.
1984	Vaughan Williams' Job with London PO for CfP Elgar's Violin Concerto with London PO and Nigel Kennedy for CfP
1985	Vaughan Williams' Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus, The Lark Ascending, and The Wasps - Aristophanic Suite with London PO for CfP Dvorak's In Nature's Realm Overture, Carnival Overture, Othello Overture and Scherzo Capriccioso with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Delius's Florida Suite and North Country Sketches with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos.
1986	Charles Villiers Stanford's Symphony No.3 and Irish Rhapsody No.5 with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Bax's On The Sea Shore, Benjamin Britten's Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia, and Frank Bridge's The Sea with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Bax's Spring Fire, Northern Ballad No. 2 and Symphonic Scherzo with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for Chandos. Arthur Bliss's Colour Symphony and Checkmate Suite with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Edvard Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Two Elegaic Melodies, Sigurd Jorsalfar and Symphonic Dances with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Finzi's Cello Concerto and Kenneth Leighton's Veris Gratia Suite with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Raphael Wallfisch for Chandos.
1987	Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 5 and Flos Campi with Royal Liverpool PO for CfP Robert Simpson's Symphonies No. 6 and 7 with Royal Liverpool PO for Hyperion. Stanford's Symphony No. 5 and Irish Rhapsody No.4 with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Ernest John Moeran's Violin Concerto, Symphony and Overture for a Masque with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto and Ernest Chausson's Poeme for violin & orchestra with Royal PO for Chandos.
1988	Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony with Royal Liverpool PO for CfP Walton's Symphony No. 1 and Variations on a Theme by Hindemith with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for EMI. Simpson's Symphony No. 9 with Bournemouth SO for Hyperion. Bridge's Phantasm, Walton's Sinfonia Concertante and John Ireland's Piano Concerto with Royal PO and Kathryn Stott for Conifer. Stanford's Symphony No. 6 and Irish Rhapsody No. 1 with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Moeran's Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra, Rhapsodies No. 1 and 2 for Orchestra, and Serenade with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Johannes Brahms' Variation on a Theme by Haydn and Serenade No. 1 with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Borodin's Prince Igor and In The Steppes of Central Asia, Glinka's Russlan and Ludmilla, Mussorgsky's Night on Bare Mountain, Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol and Russian Easter Festival Overture with Halle Orchestra for CfP. Elgar's "Organ Sonata" and "Wand of Youth" Suites No. 1 and 2 with Royal Liverpool PO for CfP.
1989	Stanford's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Down Among the Dead Men with Ulster Orchestra and Margaret Fingerhut for Chandos. Stanford's Symphonies No. 4 and 7 and Irish Rhapsodies No. 3 and 6 with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Bax's Enchanted Summer, Walsinghame and Fatherland with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Brighton Festival Chorus for Chandos. Moeran's In The Mountain Country, Nocturne, Lonely Waters and Whythorne's Shadow with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos Bliss's Cello Concerto, The Enchantress and Hymn To Apollo with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite No. 2, Lyric Suite and Piano Concerto with Ulster Orchestra and Margaret Fingerhut for Chandos. Beethoven's Egmont Overture, Schubert's Symphony No. 8 and Mozart's Symphony No. 40 with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet Fantasy with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Dvorak's Violin Concerto and Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 with Royal Liverpool PO and Tasmin Little for CfP.
1990	Stanford's Concert Piece for Organ and Orchestra and Oedipus Rex Prelude with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Bantock's Celtic Symphony, Hebridean Symphony, Witch of Atlas and The Sea Reivers with Royal PO for Hyperion.
1991	Vaughan Williams' Sinfonia Antartica, Partita for Double String Orchestra, Oboe Concerto, Fantasia on Greensleeves, Serenade to Music and English Folk Song Suite with Royal Liverpool PO for CfP Simpson's Symphony No. 2 with Bournemouth SO for Hyperion. Simpson's Symphony No. 10 with Royal Liverpool PO for Hyperion. Arnold's Symphonies No. 7 and No. 8 with Royal PO for Conifer. Stanford's Symphonies No. 1 and 2, Irish Rhapsody No. 2 and Clarinet Concerto with Ulster Orchestra for Chandos. Herbert Howells' Three Dances with Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for Hyperion Howells' Hymnus Paradisi and An English Mass with Royal Liverpool PO and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir for Hyperion. Sibelius' Violin Concerto and Brahms' Violin Concerto with Royal Liverpool PO and Tasmin Little for CfP
1992	Vaughan Williams' Pastoral Symphony and Symphony No.4 with Royal Liverpool PO for CfP Bantock's Pagan Symphony, Fifine at the Fair and Two Heroic Ballads with Royal PO for Hyperion. Vaughan Williams' Piano Concerto and John Foulds' Dynamic Triptych for Piano and Orchestra with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Howard Shelley for Lyrita. Howells' Piano Concerto No. 2 and Concerto for Strings with Royal Liverpool PO for Hyperion. Simpson's Symphonies No. 4 with Bournemouth SO for Hyperion.
1993	Vaughan Williams' London Symphony and Symphony No. 8 with Royal Liverpool PO for CFP Richard Wagner's Overtures with Royal PO for Intersound. Gustav Holst's Planets and St Paul's Suite with Royal PO for Intersound Arnold's Symphony No. 6, Fantasy on a Theme by John Field, Sweeney Todd, and Tam O'Shanter Overture with Royal PO for Conifer. Elgar's Dream of Gerontius with Royal Liverpool PO and Huddersfield Choral Society for CfP.
1994	Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 6 and Symphony No. 9 with RLPO for CfP. Vaughan Williams' Piano Concerto, Delius' Piano Concerto and Finzi's Eclogue with RLPO and Piers Lane for CfP Sergei Rachmaninov's Symphony No. 2 with Royal PO for Intersound. Arnold's Symphony No. 2, a Grand Grand Overture, Carnival of Animals, Concerto for 2 Pianos (3 Hands) with Royal PO for Conifer. Simpson's Symphonies No. 3 and 5 with Royal PO for Hyperion. Bax's Overture To Adventure, Rogue's Comedy Overture and Work In Progress recorded with Royal PO for Lyrita.
1995	Bantock's The Cyprian Goddess', Helena, and Dante and Beatrice with Royal PO for Hyperion.
1996	Simpson's Symphonies No. 1 and 8 with Royal PO for Hyperion. Arnold's Symhpony No. 9 and Concertino for Oboe and Strings with Bournemouth SO for Conifer. Arnold's Symphonies No. 1 and No. 5 with Royal PO for Conifer. Arnold's Symphonies No. 3 and No. 4 with Royal Liverpool PO for Conifer. Bruch's Scottish Fantasy and Lalo's Symphonie espagnole with Royal Scottish National Orchestra for CfP
1997	Bantock's Sappho and Sapphic Poem with Royal PO and Julian Lloyd Webber for Hyperion. Mackenzie's Violin Concerto and Pibroch Suite with Royal Scottish National Orchestra for Hyperion.
1998	Arnold's Symphony For Strings, Philharmonic Overture, Comedy Overture, Water Music, Anniversary Overture, Peterloo Overture and A Flourish For Orchestra with BBC Concert Orchestra for Conifer. Bax's Concertante for Piano and Orchestra, In Memoriam and Bard of the Dimbovitza with BBC Philharmonic for Chandos. John McCabe's Concerto for Flute and Symphony No. 4 with BBC Symphony Orchestra for Hyperion. Boughton's Symphony No. 3 and Concerto for Oboe with Royal PO for Hyperion.
1999	Edgar Bainton's Symphony No. 2, Hubert Clifford's Symphony and John Gough's Serenade with BBC PO for Chandos.
2001	Bantock's Thalaba The Destroyer, Processional, Caristiona, Camel Caravan, and Two Preludes with Royal PO for Hyperion.
2003	Bax's Seven Symphonies, Tintagel and Rogue's Comedy Overture with BBC PO for Chandos. Bantock's Song of Songs - Days 2, 3 and 5, Overture to a Greek Tragedy, Pierrot of the Minute and The Wilderness and Solitary Place with Royal PO for Hyperion.
2005	Bax's In The Faery Hills, November Woods, Garden of Fand and Sinfonietta with BBC PO for Chandos. York Bowen's Violin Concerto and Piano Concerto with BBC Concert Orchestra for Dutton.
2006	Bainton's Symphony No. 3 and Rutland Boughton's Symphony No. 1 with BBC Concert Orchestra for Dutton. Bax's Northern Ballads No. 1, 2 and 3, Nympholept, Into The Twilight and Red Autumn with BBC PO for Chandos. Bantock's Omar Khayyam with BBC SO and BBC Symphony Chorus for Chandos.
2007	Bax's The Happy Forest with BBC PO for Chandos. Bowen's Piano Concertos No. 2 and 3 and Symphonic Fantasia with BBC CO for Dutton.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Biographical information, tributes
• Hyperion artist page
• Vernon Handley at Chandos Records
• Biography on Clarion
• BBC brief biography On the occasion of an honorary doctorate from the University of Surrey in 2004
• Interview about Bax - contains biography
• Review of the 1982 Delius Cello Concerto recording