Enid Luff


Enid Luff was a Welsh musician, music educator, and composer.

Biography

Luff was born in Ebbw Vale, Wales, and trained as a pianist. She was educated at the University of Wales and Cambridge and graduated with a Master of Arts degree. She took time out from her career for a family, and then studied piano at Royal Northern College. A Welsh Arts Council Bursary allowed her to study with Elisabeth Lutyens, Anthony Payne and Franco Donatoni.
After ending her musical studies, Luff lived and worked for many years in London, Manchester and Birmingham, where she taught at the University School of Continuing Studies. She founded a music publishing firm with composer Julia Usher called Primavera. Luff resided in Cardiff. She died on 19th February 2022, two days short of her 87th birthday.

Works

Luff composed a large number of works for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, voice, choir and piano orchestra.
Selected works include:
  • 1971: Tapestries
  • 1972: Thanksgiving At Morning Prayer
  • 1973: The Bird
  • 1973: String Quartet No. 2
  • 1973: Four Pieces
  • 1973: Mixed Feelings
  • 1974: Y Cerddi Gloyw
  • 1974: Spring Bereaved
  • 1974: Statements
  • 1975: Counterpoints
  • 1975: Five Nocturnes
  • 1975: Three Pieces
  • 1976: String Quartet No.3, ‘About Phaedra’
  • 1977: The Mad Maid In Summer
  • 1977: Weather And Mouth Music
  • 1978: Mathematical Dream revised 1983
  • 1978: Three Shakespeare Sonnets
  • 1979: Canto and Doubles
  • 1979: Vox Ultimate Crucis
  • 1979: Christmas Night
  • 1980: Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • 1980: The Coastal Road
  • 1980: Three Japanese Songs
  • 1981: Sŵn Dwr
  • 1982: Swiss Interiors
  • 1985: Dream Time For Bells
  • 1985: Sky Whispering
  • 1986: Piano Sonata, ‘Storm Tide’
  • 1986: Bell Tower
  • 1986: Ships
  • 1986: Come The Morning
  • 1987: The Hands of God
  • 1987: The Haunted Nightclub
  • 1989: Arctic Landscapes
  • 1989: Sleep, Sleep, February
  • 1990: God Our Mother
  • 1990: Rags
  • 1991: Listening For The Roar Of The Sun
  • 1992: Listening for the Roar of the Sun
  • 1993: Symphony No. 2 ‘Down’
  • 1995: Meister Eckhart’s Flute
  • 1995: The Patchwork Miles
  • 1995: Lament For The Ashes of Language
  • 1996: Lullaby
  • 1997: The Glass Wall
  • 1997: Variations On The Waters Of Eden
  • 1997: Studies for the Glass Wall
  • 1998: Movements For String Quartet
  • 1998: Shallow Sea
  • 1998: Raven
  • 1999: Telyneg
  • 1999: Shallow Sea With Dancing
  • 1999: Hierusalem
  • 2000: The Footprints of the Storm
  • 2001: The Wake
  • 2002: Heaven’s Bird
  • 2004: About The Wind
  • 2005: The Sea And The Garden
  • 2009: The Water Diviner
  • 2013: Three Steps In The Dark
  • 2014: Sad Story
Unsure composition dates:
? The Lodging
? Weary Was The Walking
? ‘…trees dropped forth pearls… 2014
? ‘…the horror of war and the pity of it…’
? From Switzerland
? At Crack of Winter
? By The Waters Of Babylon
? Three Praises
? The Coming of the Rain
? Lamentation
Some of her works are published by Primavera Music but there are also scores available to view through the British Music Information Centre and Tŷ Cerdd which is the information centre for Welsh music and composers, based in Cardiff, Wales.

Discography

  • Ariel Composers of Wales, Catherine Handley, flute, and Andrew Wilson-Dickson, piano. Cyfansoddwyr Cymru
  • The Music of Enid Luff Contemporary chamber music. Ty Cerdd.