Maurice Jacobson

Elegy

This ELEGY was written in memory of E.Norman Hay.
Edward Norman Hay (1889-1943) was a composer and musicologist and a friend of Maurice Jacobson. Hay studied in Belfast and took a BMus at Oxford, and later a Doctorate in Music at Bailliol College, Oxford for composition (1919). He was also a fellow of the Royal College of Organists. In 1922-3 he served as Head of Music at Campbell College, Belfast, and from 1923-4 was the external examiner (degrees) at Trinity College, Dublin, and shortly before his death was lecturer in music at Queen's University, Belfast.
On the last page of the manuscript of the Elegy, alluding to bars 78-79, Maurice Jacobson wrote 'I shall always associate this Beethoven theme with Norman Hay; we once listened to it in the company of a Roman Catholic priest, and in the stillness which followed we sat silent - Catholic, Protestant and Jew. At last Norman broke the silence, saying quietly: 'Father, would you give us your blessing?'. In a short time he was dead.'
Duration 4 1/2 minutes