Born in London, Frank Bayford was educated at Enfield Grammar School and then went on to study pharmacy at what is now Portsmouth University.
Most of his professional career was spent at Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield, where he was for many years Head of Pharmacy and also Guest Lecturer in pharmaceutics to the medical and nursing staff. He took early retirement from the Health Service in 1988.
He is mainly self-taught as a composer and has written over 100 works, ranging from solo piano pieces to orchestral items. His music is concise and was once described as “not outstaying its welcome,” to the delight of the composer.
As well as in this country, his work has been performed as far away as Alaska and Austin, Texas in the USA and Lisbon in Portugal.
In 1974, Bayford was instrumental in forming the Compass Composers Association.
This organisation gave many first performances of new music from the late 1970s and formed a publishing division, Modus Music, which now has a catalogue of over 300 varied items.
In recognition of his support for music locally in Enfield (where he has been a lifelong resident), he was made President of the Enfield String Players in 1993. This well-established orchestra has premièred several of his works. His interests include history, gardening, Scotland, old churches and photography.
Many of his slides form the basis of a series of talks that he gives about places in the British Isles and local history.
Cantilena Semplice Op.94 by Frank Bayford was composed for Double Bass 2000, a project to commission, perform and publish over 100 works for double bass.
Aimed…
Cantilena Semplice Op.94 by Frank Bayford was composed for Double Bass 2000, a project to commission, perform and publish over 100 works for double bass.
Aimed at the intermediate bassist and remaining in bass clef, this is a beautifully evocative and atmospheric piece which emphasises the lyrical and sonorous qualities of the double bass across its middle range.
Generally slow moving, Cantilena Semplice offers opportunities for the bassist to create expansive melodies and explore the singing qualities of the instrument.
The accompaniment is mainly chordal, never overpowering the solo line but constantly adding colour, support, rhythmic interest and contrast.
The edition includes piano accompaniments for both solo and orchestral tunings. “This short piece – it lasts just three minutes – gives the double bass an opportunity to show its capabilities as a melody instrument. After a short piano introduction, based on converging fourths, a simple tune in lilting triple metre emerges. It subtly changes its harmonic implications as it weaves its way through various key changes in the accompaniment, again with converging fourths ever present. The work ends with the piano playing the opening tune in the treble over a decelerating E minor chord, and the double bass rising in a simple scale to finish on a high D harmonic.”
