Cromwell Everson

Cromwell Everson was primarily known as a composer during his lifetime. He was brought up as an Afrikaner by his mother, Maria De Wit and father, Robert Everson. He continued this tradition and all his children were brought up as Afrikaners.
Everson wrote the first Afrikaans opera, and most of his other vocal works were in Afrikaans. His works consist of five sonatas, a trio, an opera, a set of inventions, four song-cycles, a piano suite, miscellaneous movements for the piano and guitar and an incomplete symphony and string quartet.
During Everson's career in Worcester, Western Cape he also gave music lessons to the musician David Kramer.
For his Afrikaans opera Everson received in 2007 a posthumous acknowledgement from the ATKV.

Education

1945, Matric, Central High School, Beaufort West
1950, Bachelor of Music, Stellenbosch University
1974, Doctor of Music, University of Cape Town

Compositions

Vocal works

Opera

Klutaimnestra, Afrikaans opera in four acts. First performance 7 November 1967, Biesenbach Hall, WorcesterRat a Plan, incomplete chamber opera.

Choral

Kyrie Eleison, SATB

Song cycles

Vier Liefdesliedjies for soprano and piano. First performance on 9 June 1955 in the Stellenbosch Conservatory of Music. First radio broadcast performance on 11 January 1960.

# Nagliedjie
# Net altyd jy
# Nooit Nog
# Dennebosse.Kontraste Water en Woestyn re-titled Die Dobbelsteen. First performance on 26 August 1956 in the Stellenbosch Conservatory of Music.
# By alle skone dinge
# Drie Bome
# Die Karnaval sal eindig
# Boer
# Hael
# Wat kan ek jou gee?
# Nagrit
''Three Brontë Songs''

Solo songs

Maria for soprano and piano Nagstorm oor die see for dramatic soprano and piano Die Vreemde Dae for soprano and piano

Instrumental works

Orchestral

Symphony, an incomplete work Danza Senzule for chamber orchestra

Chamber music

String Quartet, an incomplete work
Trio for Viola, Violoncello and Piano

First complete performance 8 April 1978, SABC Concert Studio Sea Point, Cape Town. First radio broadcast performance 20 July 1971.

String Quartet, an incomplete work

Solo works

Suite for Piano
Prelude and Fuga for piano solo
Sonata – Variation I for piano solo
Sonata – Variation II for piano solo
Sonata for violin and piano. Dedicated to famous violinist Maria Neuss. First performance and live broadcast 22 August 1954, Hidding Hall, Cape Town.
Three Eliegies for piano solo
Variations for piano
Etude for piano solo
Guitar Sonata. Dedicated to David HewittCantús Tristitae, for solo guitar. First performance 11 Augustus 1985, Jubilee Hall, Durban. First radio broadcast performance 5 July 1988.
Sonato for solo flute. Dedicated to Esmé Venter.
Sonato for violin solo. Dedicated to Marike Urban-Grimm.
Wedding March for organ solo. Dedicated to Ludwig en Retha Everson.

Electro-acoustical works

Son Staan Stil, an electronic music composition Seven Inventions, a computer music composition