Biography

In February 1916 Baines provided the organ accompaniment for a performance of The Creation in Cleckheaton, his largest public undertaking yet, and it was shortly after this that his father was appointed musical director of the Fossgate Cinema in York, so the family moved again to 91 Albemarle Road in York. William, however, remained in Cleckheaton for a year, taking over his father’s post at the cinema. Immediately prior to the move to York, Albert Jowett had had to close the Leeds College, but he retained pupils of his choice, so Baines had to travel to Jowett’s home in Leeds. After a while he decided to give up the lessons due to the long distance they necessitated. Baines had studied with Jowett for nearly six years and, although Eaglefield Hull told the British musical establishment that Baines was “entirely self-taught”, there can be little doubt that Jowett exerted a large influence on the composer (Baines himself was fully aware of his debt to his former teacher in later years.)

From this point on, then, Baines was alone, forging his way towards his own individual musical language.

When William did eventually move to York, he often acted as a relief pianist for his father, but the cinema audiences of the city can hardly have been prepared for the lengthy extracts from Beethoven sonatas that he played to them. During the first year there Baines wrote his Symphony in C Minor, a colossal achievement for a 17-year old, especially considering that he had never actually heard a symphony at the time.

1 January 1918 saw William begin to keep a diary and so, from here onwards it will be useful to quote from it as a comment on his life and musical activities.

During the first few months of that year Baines began to work on his String Quartet and also the Four Sketches for piano. On 7 May he wrote:

“Last night I felt very ill – I describe it best as a sort of general weakness.”

This is the first occasion on which we hear of Baines being physically weak and he never really fully regained his health from this point to his death. On the same day, 7 May, he received his papers from the army stating that he had to be re-examined at the medical office. He had been examined in March the previous year and the doctors had graded him C3, which was not a total rejection, just a deferment and, in fact, he underwent two more examinations that year (his deferment was renewed on both occasions). This time, however, the officer deemed that William was fit to undertake work of a light clerical nature.

On 3 June 1918, following a walk to Haxby with his Mother and Teddy (his younger brother) Baines received the inspiration for his piano piece, Paradise Gardens, and he began the first draft two days later.

While on holiday in late September of 1917 William received a letter from his mother stating that he had been placed in the Labour Battalion, and on 4 October he entered into service. His last diary entry reads as follows:

“This is my last day behind an artist’s bow – (oh! how I love art). Tomorrow I shall be in khaki. I have joined as a batman, a servant (Officer’s) in the R.A.F. – Only those who have my temperament can understand what it means – I have played a little tonight, but it hurts. However, I am hoping the day will not be far distant when I can start my diary once more – Ah! once more – once more – Adieu.”

Baines was stationed at Blandford Camp, in Dorset, rumoured to have the worst conditions in the country, as was proven when, after only two weeks in the cold, wet, influenza-ridden establishment, William contracted septic poisoning. A telegram was sent to his parents, reading:

“Come at once. Your son dangerously ill.”

Within 24 hours his parents were there, although his father had to return home after a few days, his mother remained for a month, until the armistice was signed. William was then transferred to a York hospital and he eventually came home for his demobilization party on 24 January 1919. There he met two people who were to be of importance to him in later life. One was Miss Edith Milner, a rich woman who later engaged Baines to do some recitals for her. The other was Karl. S. Wood, also a pianist, but an artist and poet too. He introduced Baines to the nuns at St Mary’s Convent in York and, as the composer was receiving concert engagements whilst still recovering, they allowed him to go there to practice. Baines became very friendly with one nun in particular, Sister Mary Bernard, who became the dedicatee of the 2nd Prelude.

Karl Wood suggested to Baines that he send some manuscripts to Elkin’s publishers in London, and they soon invited him down to play for them. On this trip Baines heard Stravinsky’s Firebird and Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune. Both made lasting impressions. Elkin’s agreed to publish Paradise Gardens and the Seven Preludes, providing William paid for 300 copies of each in advance, which he duly did.

Back in York, William made the acquaintance of J. E. Kennedy, who was to provide him with access to a complete library of Scriabin’s piano music, which influenced him considerably in his later works.

The summer of 1919 saw the composer working on his Violin Sonata, the first concert study Exaltation, and The Island of the Fay. After a holiday in Bridlington, taking in visits to Flamborough, Baines heard in early November from Elkin’s. They were to publish the two works on the 26th of that month.

William undertook a trip to London with Frederick Dawson (in September 1921) and the highlights were some visits to the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts. One in particular was a great impression on him:14 September: “Tonight I had my greatest sensation. Scriabin’s 2nd Symphony. Ah! He was a great man: there were times during the performance when my back recorded 20 degrees below zero!”

In February 1922 Baines heard Busoni play Liszt’s A Major Concerto in Bradford, and afterwards he was introduced to him. He later sent some of his music to the aging Italian virtuoso and received an encouraging letter in return.

By the end of March William’s health began to fail, even a visit to Bridlington and Flamborough failed to register any improvement, and on 12 April he wrote what was to be his last composition, Pool-Lights from Pictures of Light.

He still managed to visit Nun Appleton occasionally, but soon he was confined to bed by a Bradford doctor, his condition still deteriorating. On the afternoon of Monday 6 November, while clasping his father’s hand, William Baines died, aged 23, of consumption of the bowels.

The funeral took place on the following Friday, at the Horbury Methodist Church where Baines had first heard his father play the organ.

A memorial tablet was constructed a short while later, with the intention of placing it in York Minster. The scheme was turned down, however, so the tablet was placed in the chapel at Horbury, in 1924.

On the cover of A Last Sheaf reads the following lines:

“… For now the hours are said,

And ah! too soon

Thy golden notes have sped

To mingle with the music of the Spheres!”