Composer and arranger Albert W Ketèlbey is now almost unknown except for his work Bells Across the Meadows but until the time of the Second World War he strode the country’s musical stage like a giant of light musical entertainment. In 1929 he was declared ‘Britain’s greatest composer’ according to the number of performances of his works. Over the course of his career he was a church Organist musical director at London’s Vaudeville Theatre editor to several music publishing firms and Music Director of the Columbia Gramophone Company.His most popular works appear to be a series of Orchestral tone poems like Sanctuary Of The Heart based on a verse from hisown poem In a Monastery Garden printed in the score.
