George H. Clutsam

George Howard Clutsam (26 September 1866 – 17 November 1951) was an Australian pianist, composer and writer, best remembered as the arranger of Lilac Time. Clutsam published over 150 songs.

Life

Clutsam was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. His career began as a pianist, at which he had little formal training. After establishing himself in Australia and neighbouring countries, he moved to London in 1889, where he continued as an accompanist to various artists including his fellow Australian Nellie Melba in 1893. From 1895 he increasingly moved to arrangement and composition of orchestral works and light opera.

In 1908, Clutsam married Minnie Fischer, a successful singer, also Australian. Between 1908 and 1918 he wrote music criticism for The Observer, while continuing to compose and arrange. In 1912, he wrote a biography of Franz Schubert. As well as the many stage works, he wrote numerous songs, including the charming, popular (but now politically incorrect) Ma Curly-Headed Babby. Later he became Vice-Chairman of the Performing Right Society. He also wrote music for the silent cinema, and subsequently also composed for the "talkies".

Clutsam published under a number of pseudonyms, namely Paul Aubry, Robert Harrington, H.S. Iseledon, Georges Latour and Ch.G. Mustal.

He died in London in 1951 at the age of 85.

Selected musicals and other works

• Carnival Scenes (1895; orchestral work)
• A Summer Night (1910; opera)
• King Harlequin (1912; opera)
• Carmen Ballet (1912; Alhambra Theatre, based on Bizet music)
• Young England (1916 musical)
• A Southern Maid (1920; contributed additional music)
• 101 original studies for the pianoforte (1920)
• The Green Lanes of England (1920; orchestral suite)
• Gabrielle (1921 musical)
• Lilac Time (1922 arrangement of Franz Schubert's music)
• The Damask Rose (1929; arrangement of Chopin music)
• Heart's Desire (1937; film score)
• Three Plantation Sketches (orchestral work)
• Plantation Songs

References

• On-line biographical note by Philip L Scowcroft
• Profile of Clutsam at the Music Australia site
• Biography and notes at the Australia Lit website
• Scowcroft, Philip L, British Light Music Composers, ISBN 0903413 88 4
• Information about the Carmen ballet
• Listing of works by Clutsam
• G. H. Clutsam at the IMDB database
• Profile of Clutsam

Persondata
Name	Clutsam, George Howard
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	26 September 1866
Place of birth
Date of death	17 November 1951
Place of death