Ian whyte composer

He was awarded an OBE in and in received an honorary doctorate in music from Edinburgh University. Dr Ian Whyte died on 27 March after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife and a son. It included a memorial sonnet written by the composer's son, Mr Don Whyte, and at the end the congregation sang the psalm "Praise Ye the Lord" to the tune of "Dunfermline", Dr Whyte's own favourite and the town from which he originally came.

It is mainly as a conductor that Ian Whyte will be remembered. He had a special understanding of Scandinavian music — more will remember his fine readings of Sibelius — and at the end of the Second World War was invited to Oslo by King Haakon to conduct a concert in honour of the King's birthday. Namespaces Page Discussion. Views Read View source View history. Categories : Articles with hCards Scottish broadcasting executives. Preceded by Neil McLean. Aberdeen Station Representative — Succeeded by Moultrie Kelsall.

Warrack developed the orchestra later renamed the BBC Scottish SO into a versatile ensemble with an adventurous repertory. In Whyte himself became its conductor and continued its enterprising policies until his death.

His musical acumen was demonstrated not only in his qualities as a conductor — his exceptionally acute ear and the lucidity of his performances — but also in his choice of assistants. These included, very early in their careers, Alexander Gibson and Colin Davis. During Whyte's terminal illness much of his work was taken over by Bryden Thomson. Whyte's responsiveness to Scottish traditional music is demonstrated in his numerous song and dance arrangements.

Several of his original works received performances at the Edinburgh Festival, among them a piano concerto and a symphony. His ballet Donald of the Burthens, produced at Covent Garden in , incorporated bagpipes not entirely unsuccessfully in an otherwise conventional orchestra. His Eightsome Reel for orchestra, and other pieces of the kind, could be said to have paved the way for Scottish-based entertainment music by Arnold, Hamilton, Musgrave and others.

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