Dyson, Sir George (1883-1964), was a British composer, teacher, and writer. He is best remembered for his cantata The Canterbury Pilgrims (1931). This work and such other choral compositions as Nebuchadnezzar (1935) and Quo Vadis? (1939) show his gift for vocal writing. Dyson also won praise for the orchestral works Symphony in G (1940) and Violin Concerto (1941). Dyson was a noted music educator. His influential book The New Music (1924) showed great understanding of the trends in music of the early 1900’s.
Dyson was born on May 28, 1883, in Halifax, West Yorkshire, and studied at the Royal College of Music in London. He became a professor at the college in 1921 and served as its director from 1937 to 1952. Dyson then became president of the Royal College of Organists. He was knighted in 1951. From 1956 to 1961, he completed several compositions for organ. Dyson died on Sept. 28, 1964.
