Harry Mortimer
Biography
Harry Mortimer (10 April 1902 – 23 January 1992) was an English composer and conductor who specialised in brass band music, one of the foremost cornet players of his era. Harry Mortimer was born in Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, his father being conductor Fred Mortimer (1880–1953). Fred taught Harry and his brothers Rex and Alex to play the cornet, and also composition. Later Harry was taught by William Rimmer (1862–1936). In 1910, the family moved to Luton, where Harry became cornet soloist in the Luton Brass Band, and at the age of 14 years became conductor of the Luton Red Cross Junior Band. The Luton band was also conducted by Fred at this time, which raised their standard considerably. Under the conductor William Halliwell, the Band won the national championship in 1923 at Crystal Palace, the southernmost English Brass Band to do so. Their father then became conductor of the well-known Fodens Motor Works Band, meaning that the family moved to Sandbach, Cheshire. His three sons played in this band too: Alex euphonium, Rex (euphonium) and Harry (cornet). All three sons became well-known conductors. In the 28 Championship section Finals held between 1930 and 1963, bands directed by one of the Mortimers became champion on 20 occasions. Father Fred won with the Foden's Motorworks Band seven times between 1930 and 1938, Harry nine times, (3 times with the Black Dyke Mills Band, 3 times with the Fairey Aviation Band, twice with the Fodens Motor Works Band and once with Munn and Felton's), Alex three times (twice with the CWS Manchester Band and once with the Black Dyke Mills Band) and Rex once (with the Fodens Motor Works Band). In addition, Harry led the Fairey Aviation Band to eight successes in the British Open Championship, in which brass bands from outside of Great Britain are occasionally invited to participate. As conductor of the Fairey Aviation Band, the Black Dyke Mills Band, Munn & Felton's (now Virtuosi GUS Band), Bickershaw Colliery Band and the Brighouse and
Bio from Wikipedia
Discography
Records they worked on — most-collected first.
Credited work
235 releases · 57 albums · active 1953–2012
- Performance · 375
- Other credits · 62
- Production · 1
Studios: Belle Vue Gardens, Manchester · Free Trade Hall · De Montfort Hall · St. Anne's Cathedral, Leeds
Frequent collaborators
- Massed Brass Bands Of Fodens, Fairey Aviation & Morris Motors
- Various
- Munn And Felton's (Footwear) Band
- Hurricane Smith
- B.M.C. Concert Band
- G.U.S. (Footwear) Band
- Men O' Brass
- Harry Mortimer & His All Star Brass