Keats, Horace (1895-1945)

Also known as
Keats, Horace
Keats, Horace Stanley (1895-1945)
Field of activity
composer; arranger; pianist; broadcaster; conductor; music conductor
Libraries Australia
http://nla.gov.au/anbd.aut-an35637566
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-548455

Biographies

KEATS, HORACE STANLEY (1895-1945), composer and accompanist, was born on 20 July 1895 at Mitcham, Surrey, England, son of Charles William Keats, commercial traveller, and his wife Mary, née Clifford. He was a boy soprano at the Oratory, Brompton Road, South Kensington, and briefly learned the piano, but ran away to sea aged 13 and worked as a ship's pianist. He returned to England after the outbreak of World War I in 1914 to enlist in the army, but was rejected for poor eyesight. Engaged as an accompanist by a singer, Nella Webb, on her tour of American and Pacific variety theatres, he arrived in Sydney with her in 1915.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography

Horace Keats came to Australia in 1915 as accompanist to Nella Webb, a well-known vaudeville performer. Whilst in Australia he accompanied Ella Caspers, an Australian contralto, and the bass baritone, Peter Dawson, who both prevailed upon him to stay in Australia as their accompanist. In 1916, as director of the orchestra for several films produced by D W Griffiths, he travelled throughout Australia and New Zealand. Between 1917 and 1920 he was orchestral pianist and conductor for several operas directed by Count Filippini. During the 1920s he and his wife, soprano, Janet le Brun Brown, broadcast regularly from 2FC (later to become part of the ABC) and so commenced a long broadcasting career. Keats conducted the original 2FC orchestra founded in 1924, which was later to become the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. In 1925 he was engaged by 2BL as accompanist and leader of many of the studio's ensemble groups. On 5 September 1927 under his leadership the orchestra broadcast the "Empire Broadcast Programme", the first short-wave length broadcast to BBC London, and later to Canada, India, South Africa and the USA. In July 1929 the ABC was formed which included 2FC and 2BL being taken under its banner. Except for a short break in 1930 when he returned to England to work for the BBC as a conductor, he remained in association with ABC until just before his death. As the original musical director and conductor of the numerous instrumental ensembles used for broadcasting, he arranged a considerable amount of music to accommodate the limited capacity of the broadcasting equipment. This experience and that of accompanying a vast range of singers for many years enhanced his innate abilities as a composer. From 1933, when Keats seriously began composing, he wrote over a hundred and twenty works. During his latter years many of his songs were accepted for publication and recorded within weeks of their completion. In 1934 he saw an opportunity, both in Australia and overseas, to bring the work of Australian poets to a wider audience by setting their poems to music. He became such a specialist in this area that he was known as the "poet's composer". Hugh McCrae, Kenneth Mackenzie and Christopher Brennan were among some of these poets. From 1936 he commenced a series of settings of Brennan's poems, to which he had been granted exclusive rights during his lifetime, and these were regarded as some of his finest compositions. Most of Keats' works were written as songs for both piano and instrumental accompaniment. However, there were some notable exceptions when he wrote scores for some of the early Australian films, including Lovers and Luggers, and a number of radio plays that were performed both in Australia and overseas. Amongst other works for orchestra he composed a setting of John Keats' poem, La Belle Dame sans Merci for Harold Williams. He died of a cerebral haemorrhage at his home in Mosman.

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Resources for Horace Keats

Selected resources (1)

Resources by Horace Keats (195)

  1. Catalogue of songs by Horace Keats
    Wirripang
    [ Book : 1999-2000 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.962)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.962)

  2. Sea-wraith : a setting of a poem by J.J. Donnelly / music by Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace
    [ Printed music : 1995-2001 ]
    At 6 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.184)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.184)

  3. Brennan songs : setting of poems by Christopher J. Brennan. by Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace
    [ Printed music : 1994 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.166)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.166)

  4. Quiet waters : an account of HMAS Canberra and one of her sailors, and three USS cruisers and their men, who rest in the deep quiet waters of Iron Bottom Sound / Brennan Keats
    Keats, J. Brennan
    [ Sound : 2008 ]
    At 9 libraries
    Quiet waters : an account of HMAS Canberra and one of her sailors, and three USS cruisers and their men, who rest in the deep quiet waters of Iron Bottom Sound / Brennan Keats
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.029)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.029)

  5. Ingleburn / written, composed and sung by Bert Harrow ; arranged by Horace Keats
    Harrow, Bert
    [ Printed music : 1940 ]
    View online
    At 3 libraries
    Ingleburn / written, composed and sung by Bert Harrow ; arranged by Horace Keats
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 7.092)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 7.092)

  6. The roads beside the sea : a setting of a poem by Herbert J. Brandon / music by Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace, 1895-1945
    [ Printed music : 1998-2001 ]
    At 4 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.941)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.941)

  7. Echo : the songs of Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace, 1895-1945
    [ Sound : 2002 ]
    At 16 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.795)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.795)

  8. Under the sky : a setting of a poem by Hugh McCrae / music by Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace, 1895-1945
    [ Printed music : 1995-2000 ]
    At 7 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.704)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.704)

  9. White heather / verse by Edith Sterling-Levis ; music by Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace, 1895-1945
    [ Printed music : 1943 ]
    At 5 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.66)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.66)

  10. Sea-wraith : two movements for string quartet / by Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace, 1895-1945
    [ Printed music : 1995 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.628)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.628)

More...

Resources about Horace Keats (5)

  1. A poet's composer : the biography of Horace Keats 1895-1945 and his connection with associate artists such as Peter Dawson, Barbara Russell and the poets Kenneth MacKenzie, Hugh McCrae and Christopher Brennan / Brennan Keats
    Keats, J. Brennan
    [ Book : 1997 ]
    At 24 libraries
    A poet's composer : the biography of Horace Keats 1895-1945 and his connection with associate artists such as Peter Dawson, Barbara Russell and the poets Kenneth MacKenzie, Hugh McCrae and Christopher Brennan / Brennan Keats
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 24.297)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 24.297)

  2. Catalogue of songs by Horace Keats
    Wirripang
    [ Book : 1999-2000 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.581)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.581)

  3. [Biographical cuttings on Horace Keats, composer, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals]
    [ Published : 1900-1990 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.494)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 15.494)

  4. A poet's composer : the biography of Horace Keats 1895-1945 and his connection with associate artists such as Peter Dawson, Barbara Russell and the poets Kenned Mackenzie, Hugh McCrae and Chirstopher Bremmam / Brennan Keats ; [editor Florence Jones]
    Keats, J. Brennan
    [ Sound : 2011 ]
    At 4 libraries
    A poet's composer : the biography of Horace Keats 1895-1945 and his connection with associate artists such as Peter Dawson, Barbara Russell and the poets Kenned Mackenzie, Hugh McCrae and Chirstopher Bremmam / Brennan Keats ; [editor Florence Jones]
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.115)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.115)

  5. Janet Keats interviewed by Barbara Blackman
    Keats, Janet
    [ Sound : 1981 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.001)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.001)

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  1. Website: Composer biographies
    www.amcoz.com.au
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  1. HORACE KEATS' LAST RECITAL. [coming soon]
    The Grenfell Record and Lachlan District Advertiser (NSW : 1876 - 1948) Thursday 23 January 1930 p 5 Article
    ... HORACE KEATS' LAST RECITAL. Good-bye to our old friend. Horace Keats. Good luck to him. He He' is leaving the A.B.C. for an engagement ment ' in London where ' bright pros pects' lie open to him, and he will make his last broadcast from 2FC on January 24th, when he gtves a pianoforte recital. ' ^ ... 57 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.986)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.986)

  2. Horace Keats Dies
    The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882 - 1950) Tuesday 21 August 1945 Edition: CITY FINAL p 2 Article
    ... Horace Keats Dies SYDNEY, Tues-Mr Mr Horace Keats, outstanding . . Australian composer known to ... .He. suffered a stroke on Saturday night and never regained conscious ness. An Englishman, Mr Ke'ats ... action., .As a pianist Mr, Keats ; had been acc.ompanist, . to, many famous, artists who had visited ... 108 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.983)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.983)

  3. HORACE KEATS DEAD
    The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Wednesday 22 August 1945 p 4 Article
    ... HORACE KEATS DEAD .Horace Keats, composer, ,of i some, of the songs ever written i,n ... songs have been published m England bv Cramei and Co. and in Sydney by Chappell and Co Mr. Keats was ... Mccrae and I Christopher Brennan , Mr. Keats also wiote a musical , comedy with an Irish subject. "Over I ... 174 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.98)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.98)

  1. Catalogue of songs / by Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace
    [ Printed music : 1998-2001 ]
    At 5 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.239)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.239)

  2. Quiet / Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace
    [ Printed music : 2003 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.691)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.691)

  3. Dreams / words and music by Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace
    [ Printed music : 2000 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.646)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.646)

  4. Songs of life / by Horace Keats
    Keats, Horace
    [ Printed music : 2004 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.638)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.638)

  1. U.S. affairs annual. (state-by-state statistics)
    Scholastic Update
    [ Map, Article : 1995 ]
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  2. U.S. affairs annual: facts and figures to guide you through the 50 states
    Scholastic Update
    [ Map, Article : 1997 ]
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  3. State-by-state almanac. (facts about each state; includes map)
    Scholastic Update
    [ Map, Article : 1996 ]
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  1. The poetical works of John Keats / edited with an introduction and textual notes by H. Buxton Forman
    Keats, John, 1795-1821
    [ Book, Article : 1800-1987 ]
    Languages: English, Serbian
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    At 59 libraries
    The poetical works of John Keats / edited with an introduction and textual notes by H. Buxton Forman
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  2. The poetical works
    Pope, Alexander, 1688-1744
    [ Book, Article : 1645-2012 ]
    Languages: English, Undetermined, Latin, [3 others]
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    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.253)

  3. Catalogue of songs by Horace Keats
    [ Book : 1990 ]
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  4. The complete poetical works and letters of John Keats
    Keats, John, 1795-1821; Scudder, Horace Elisha, 1838-1902, ed
    [ Book : 1899 ]
    Read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
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    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.191)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.191)

  1. [Keats, Horace (composer) : programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia]
    [ Published : 1900 ]
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  2. McQuown, Madeline R. McQuown
    Madeline R. McQuown
    [ Unpublished : 1803 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    McQuown, Madeline R. McQuown
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  3. [Papers]
    Stanner, W. E. H. (William Edward Hanley), 1905-1981
    [ Unpublished : 1929-1981 ]
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    Keats, John, 1795-1821
    [ Book, Article : 1800-1987 ]
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  3. Heartfelt: a creative couple [Janet and Horace Keats] and their ideal poet [Christopher Brennan] are brought to life by an artist friend
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  4. KEATS AND HORACE
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