Frank Merrick

Frank Merrick CBE (30 April 1886 – February 1981) was an English pianist in the early 20th century. He was born in Clifton, now part of Bristol.

Merrick's peers included Artur Schnabel and Mark Hambourg, and he studied with Theodor Leschetizky. From 1911 to 1929 he taught at the Royal Manchester College of Music and from 1929 at the Royal College of Music. His students included Alan Rawsthorne and Thomas Pitfield He went to Vienna in 1899 for about 18 months and again, for a shorter period, in 1903. This prevented him from playing at the Bechstein (now Wigmore) Hall when it first opened. ([1]). He is particularly known for winning in 1928 the Columbia Gramophone Company competition to write the remaining movements (scherzo and finale) of Schubert's 8th Symphony. His composition was recorded by Columbia and sold, although these recordings are primarily, if not all, on 12-inch records and now very rare. Several later LP recordings of Frank Merrick playing various works by John Field and other British composers were released on the British label Rare Recorded Editions and are also rare. A "Frank Merrick Society" was formed to release his recordings. His book, Practising the Piano, first published by Barrie and Jenkins in 1960, has gone through at least four printings. His many pupils include the composer Michael Garrett.

The original manuscripts of his compositions were donated to CHOMBEC (Centre for the History of Music in Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth) and the archives of Bristol University. There are many items, including a large number of Esperanto songs, over 30 of which, by his own account, he composed.

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