Peter Tranchell

Peter Andrew Tranchell (14 July 1922–14 September 1993) was a British composer.

Tranchell was born at Cuddalore, India, on July 14 1922, and educated at the Dragon School, Clifton College and King's College, Cambridge. During the Second World War he served in the Army after which he resumed his Cambridge studies.

He was Lecturer in Music at the University of Cambridge from 1950 to 1989, and Fellow and Director of Studies in music at Gonville and Caius College from 1960 to 1989. As Praecentor of the college he directed the chapel choir. He died on 14 September 1993 at Winchester.

His compositions included the opera The Mayor of Casterbridge (1951), anthems, and a cantata. He was also a composer of light music, his output including vocal "entertainments", instrumental miniatures and the musical comedy Zuleika (after Max Beerbohm), produced in Cambridge in 1954 and revived in 1957.

elected works

Ballets

"Falstaff" (1950)
"Fate's Revenge" (1951), performed by Ballet Rambert at the Lyric, Hammersmith
"Images of Love", (1964) produced at Covent Garden with choreography by Kenneth MacMillan

Operas & musicals

"The Mayor Of Casterbridge" (1951)
"Zuleika" (1954)
"Thackeray Ditties" (1962)
"His First Mayweek" (1963)

Instrumental works

"Organ Sonata" (1958)

Choral works

"Te Deum in E" (1975)
"This Sorry Scheme of Things" (1953)
"The Joyous Year" (1961)