Charles Ancliffe

Charles William Ancliffe (25 July 1880 – 20 December 1952) was an Irish born composer of light music, chiefly remembered for his salon piano music, genre dance pieces, light character pieces and his Nights of Gladness waltz.

When aged 11 he was organist at the miltary church in Secunderabad where his father was stationed.[1] At the age of 15 in 1896 he joined the 2nd Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry in Guernsey as a bandsman and spent nine years in India (1901–1910). In 1911 he joined the 3rd Battalion South Wales Borderers, awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct medals in 1914, discharged in 1918.[2] He studied at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, graduating at the age of 20 having been awarded the gold baton for composition.[3] He followed in his father's footsteps by becoming a bandmaster himself; from 1900 to 1918 he was bandmaster of the First Battalion, South Wales Borderers, seeing much service in India.[4][5] During this period he wrote many popular pieces of music including marches such as "The Liberators", and "Castles in Spain". He also composed dozens of short genre pieces, often styled 'intermezzo' or 'entr'acte', several songs and ingeniously titled suites such as Below Bridges which included titles "Wapping Old Stairs, Poplar" and "Stepney Church", – all London bridges.

Around the time of the First World War Ancliffe composed many waltzes and light character solo pieces, and it is mainly for these that he is remembered. These included "Nights of Gladness Waltz", "Thrills Waltz", "Secrets Waltz", the titles reflecting the age in which they were written. These enjoyed renewed popularity with the fashion for ‘olde-tyme dancing’ after World War II.

"Nights of Gladness"

National Promenade Band

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It was for "Nights of Gladness", written in 1912, that Ancliffe became most famous. The waltz became so popular all over the world that in later years the BBC named a long-running series of light music programmes after it, using it as the signature tune[6][7]

More than a hundred years after it was written it is still to be found included on many CD compilations of light music, played by notable orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.[8] It sold over two million copies but unfortunately he had sold it for £10 but continued to earn an income from the performing rights.[9][10]

After leaving the services, Ancliffe was a regular conductor of the Scarborough Military Band, and was also a frequent guest conductor of his own works on BBC Radio. He had been conductor of the Scarborough Municipal Band in the 1920s but admitted that he had "been unable to find employment except during three months of the season." "He had composed music , but latterly had sold very little because of the popularity of jazz."[11] and was living on his £85 army pension.[12]

Ancliffe was born on 25 July 1880[13] at Curragh Camp, Kildare, Ireland,[2][14] where his father was an army bandmaster.

He married Eva Jessie Laver (1881–1963) in 1904 in St John's Church, Portland, Weymouth.[2][15][16] They had a daughter Kathleen Jessie born 1906 in Karachi, now in Pakistan,[17][18][19] and another daughter Joan Isobel born in 1911 at Chatham.[20] In 1911 the family were living in Chatham Barracks, in 1921 at 23, Glebe Road, Barnes and in 1939 in Guildford.

He died at the Richmond Royal Hospital on 20 December 1952 after he collapsed in George Street, Richmond.[21] He was then living at 5 Poulett Gardens, Twickenham.[22]

• April Clouds
• Dream Princess
• Festive Days
• Irish Whispers
• Red Leaves
• Shy Glancess
• Southern Nights
• Temptation
• Thrills
• Twilight Time
• Unforgotten Hours
• Smiles, then kisses

• A Forest Wooing
• April's Lady
• Burma Intermezzo
• Cinderella's Wedding
• Down in Zanzibar
• El Saludo
• Fragrance
• Hans the Stroller
• Mariette-Coquette
• Moon Maid
• Peacock's Parade
• Penelope's Garden
• Secrets
• Valley of Roses
• The Flutter of the Fay

• Below Bridges
• Southern Impressions
• The Purple Vine (in three movements) : The Vintagers, The Purple Vine and Evening at the Inn
• Suite Poetique

• "Ask Daddy"
• "Someday in Somebody's Eyes"
• "I Cannot Live Without You"

• Works by Charles William Ancliffe at Project Gutenberg
• Free scores by Charles Ancliffe at the International Music Score Library Project (IMSLP)
• Charles William Ancliffe on Lives of the First World War