Michael Morrow

Michael Morrow
Born	2 October 1929
Origin	London, England, United Kingdom
Died	20 April 1994 Hampstead, London, England
Genres	Early music
Occupation(s)	Musician, music director
Instruments	Lute, recorder
Years active	30
Labels	Vox, Argo, Delysé, Philips, Decca, Vanguard, Boston Skyline
Associated acts	Musica Reservata

Michael Morrow (1929-1994) was an Irish artist, ornithologist, musician and musicologist who, together with John Beckett, founded the British early music group Musica Reservata in London during the late 1950s. He directed the group, which became famous for its ground-breaking and vigorous approach to performing medieval and early Renaissance music, until it was disbanded in the 1980s.

Norman Michael MacNamara Morrow was born on 2 October 1929, in London, to his Irish parents Larry and Léonie Morrow. His formal education began in Dublin, when he was sent to St Andrew's school in Clyde Road. However, as Michael suffered from Christmas disease, a form of haemophilia, he had to be educated at home.

Between 1946 and 1947, the family lived in London, where Michael attended the Hammersmith School of Art. When the family returned to Dublin and lived in Fitzwilliam Square, Michael continued his studies at the National College of Art. The family then moved to Belfast, where he attended the Belfast College of Art. After about six months he returned to the National College of Art in Dublin, where one of his classmates was Beatrice ffrench-Salkeld, daughter of the avant-garde artist Cecil ffrench-Salkeld. Beatrice later married the Irish writer and playwright, Brendan Behan. A little later, Beatrice's sister Celia dated the artist Reginald Gray, who was also a friend of Michael's. Michael taught Reginald and Celia to play the recorder.

Michael also befriended John ffrench, whose work was exhibited with Beatrice and Michael's. John lived at Castleffrench, near Ballinasloe in the West of Ireland. As Michael had developed an interest in ornithology and falconry, he spent time at Castleffrench, where he painted, played music and hawked.

Michael eventually rejoined his family, who now had moved back to Fitzwilliam Square. After a couple of years the family left and moved to a house on Strand Road at Merrion, overlooking Dublin bay. At this point, in 1950, Michael met the young musician and harpsichord player John Beckett in the National Library of Ireland. This chance meeting would, in time, alter the course of both young men's lives.

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