Gordon Jacob

1895-1984

Gordon Jacob

Gordon Jacob was an English composer and teacher, best known for his large body of work and his long tenure at the Royal College of Music (1924–1966). He composed over 700 works, including original compositions and orchestrations of others’ music. Jacob’s career was shaped by his early experiences in World War I, during which he began composing while a prisoner of war. He studied at the Royal College of Music under prominent figures such as Ralph Vaughan Williams and later became a respected professor of composition and orchestration. His students included notable composers like Malcolm Arnold and Imogen Holst. Despite his prolific output, Jacob’s traditional tonal style fell out of favor with some broadcasters during the 1960s, though he continued to compose and receive commissions, especially in the U.S.

Gordon Jacob composed his Six Shakespearean Sketches for string trio in 1946. The work is inspired by characters and scenes from various Shakespearean plays, with each movement reflecting a specific scene or mood from the Bard’s work. The piece was dedicated to the Carter Trio and consists of six movements, each drawing on different plays, such as The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, and Henry V.

Jacob received numerous awards and honors, including a CBE in 1968. He continued composing until shortly before his death at 88.

recording as an encore by the Trinitas Trio recorded by the Concertzender Netherlands March 11th 2007

I How sweet the moonlight shines on yonder bank

Live recording Trinitas Trio around 2001

six Shakespearean sketches