Frederick Laurence

Frederick Laurence (until 1919 Frederick Kessler, 25 May 1884 - 3 May 1942) was a British composer, early film music pioneer and latterly an orchestral manager and administrator. He changed his name mid-career by deed poll in 1919 to avoid the anti-German sentiment prevalent in Britain at the time. Holbrooke first included Laurence’s music into his Modern English Chamber Music concert series in 1905. Most of his early works composed using the name Kessler - including a Piano Trio and a String Quartet - remained in manuscript and have since been lost. Those that were published show his adoption of an adventurous harmonic language for their time. and The Dance of the Witch Girl in 1920, as well as five performances of the smaller scale Tristis between 1919 and 1923. Other orchestral works, including The Dream Harlequin, Milandor and A Miracle, were performed at Royal College of Music Patron’s Fund rehearsals. Their address in the 1930s was Crewkerne, High Road, North Finchley. Film Music In 1924 Laurence helped the conductor Eugene Goossens II compile and fit to the action orchestral music from various sources, to be performed live at London screenings of the film The Epic of Everest