Charles Spinks
(1915-1992)

Charles Spinks was born at Lowestoft in Suffolk and educated by Thomas Yorke-Trotter at his London Academy of Music and later at Trinity College of Music and London University. He was well known as a Harpsichordist and Organist and was for many years a BBC Staff Accompanist in London where he regularly played organ at the Henro Wood Promenade Concerts. In later years, he returned to teaching at the Universities of Cambridge and East Anglia until forced to give up by illness in 1986. His musical composition never ceased and, with his wife, the Greek musician, Krinió Papastávrou, he published cantatas, songs and chamber pieces. Apart from music, Spink’s war years as a commissioned officer with the Royal Corps of Signals, when he saw action at El Alamein, led to a fascination with telephones and to a knack of linking local exchange codes to telephone his friends for the price of a local call - until the introduction of STD spoiled his fun.

Krinió was a constant inpiration and loving companion. Together, the couple cultivated well over 100 varieties of traditional English rose in the garden of their cottage deep in the West Suffolk countryside.

His remarkable powers of keyboard improvisation enabled him to give a very imaginative yet stylish quality to his continuo playing for which he was widely known both in the UK and overseas. The same keyboard fluency helped him considerably in the field of composition, and though his output is not large, it is varied and adventurous.

Among his works are an early String Quartet, a Piano Sonatina, a Suite for flute and strings, a set of variations on a Greek folksong for piano and orchestra or 2 pianos. He has also written several pieces for organ, including a Toccata, and pieces for piano and small chamber groups. In the field of lighter music he has contributed two overtures for concert band or small orchestra.

A full list of works is given below with publisher details.

The Birds: Carol for soprano solo, SATB choir and organ [Bardic Edition BD 0329]
Concert Toccata for Organ and Brass [Alfred Lengnick - hire/rental]
Dance Suite op. 12 (arr. Oboe and Strings) [Bardic Edition - hire/rental]
Dance Suite op. 12 for piano or harpsichord [Bardic Edition BD 0147]
Five Greek Pictures op. 8 (arr. Flute, Viola and Harp) [Bardic Edition - Score and Parts]
Five Greek Pictures op. 8 for piano [Bardic Edition BD 0148]
Four Pieces for piano [Bardic Edition]
Kaleidescope for piano [Bardic Edition]
Lamento op. 4 for piano [Bardic Edition BD 0149]
March: ‘Pride of London’ for concert band or orchestra [Alfred Lengnick - hire/rental]
Pavane for oboe and piano [Bardic Edition BD 0448]
Pebmarsh Fancy for flute and piano [Bardic Edition BD 0222]
Romance op. 15 for oboe and harp (or piano) [Bardic Edition BD 0626]
Short Overture: ‘Fair Wind’ for concert band or orchestra [Alfred Lengnick - hire/rental]
Sonatina op. 7 for piano [Bardic Edition BD 0150]
String Quartet for 2 violins, viola and cello [Alfred Lengnick - parts only on sale]
Suite for piano [Bardic Edition]
Suite op. 14 for flute and strings [Alfred Legnick - hire/rental and score and parts on sale]
Three Arabesques for organ [Bardic Edition BD 0155]
Toccata for organ [Bardic Edition BD 0083]
Two Pieces: Bagatelle and Feu Follet for organ [Bardic Edition BD 0082]
Variations on a Greek Folk-Song for piano and orchestra [Bardic Edition - hire/rental]
Variations on a Greek Folk-Song op. 6 for 2 pianos, 4 hands [Bardic Edition BD 0070]*

*two copies required for performance

Alfred Lengnick & Co. (division of Complete Music Ltd), Pigeon House Meadow, 27 Grove Road, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, HP9 1UR
Telephone: 01494 681216/Fax: 01494 670443
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Alfred Lengnick & Co. hire/rental material available from Chester Music Ltd., Hire Library, Newmarket Road, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3YB
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