Colin Tilney

Musician Colin Tilney’s expertise on various early keyboard instruments is reflected in his recordings and in the variety of music they cover. A survivor of the first generation of musicians who brought the idea of historically informed performance to the general concertgoer’s consciousness, he has remained remarkably active in late life. Born in London on October 31, 1933, Tilney studied music and languages at Cambridge and then sought out harpsichord lessons with several teachers, the historical keyboard pioneer Gustav Leonhardt among them. He began performing and recording, at first mostly in ensembles devoted to English music, in the early ’60s. His U.S. debut came in 1971. From 1979, Tilney taught at the University of Toronto and at Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music, during which time he edited several printed collections of specialized Baroque repertoire, including The Art of the Unmeasured Prelude (1991). He formed his own chamber ensemble, Les Coucous Bénévoles, in 1995. Among his early recordings was an appearance on the Columbia Records recording of Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress, conducted by the composer. Tilney has remained an unusually active survivor of the first generation of musicians who brought the idea of historically informed performance to the general concertgoer’s consciousness. His repertory stretches from the 16th century to the late 18th, and he has played the fortepiano, the virginal, and even an occasional continuo organ in addition to his main instrument, the harpsichord. He has often attempted to match specific instruments with appropriate repertoire. He has made an acclaimed recording of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier and has recorded the complete keyboard works of Matthew Locke. A good example of Tilney’s work on disc is the 1996 album Scarlatti High and Low, which presented Domenico Scarlatti harpsichord sonatas that lay at the extremes of the instrument’s range. Here and elsewhere, Tilney not only presents unusual music engagingly but also embodies expertise on the historical development of keyboard instruments. His interests also extend to contemporary music, and he has commissioned works for harpsichord from various Canadian composers and from the British serialist Elisabeth Lutyens. In 2002, Tilney relocated to Victoria, British Columbia, where he has been an adjunct professor of harpsichord performance at the University of Victoria and has served as the resident harpsichordist for the Victoria Symphony. He has recorded consistently for various labels, including Doremi, Music & Arts, and Dorian, and his pace barely slowed as he approached his tenth decade; in 2022, he recorded the album Two Voices: The Music of Girolamo Frescobaldi for the Marquis label. The album was issued in 2023, by which time his recording catalog comprised some 85 digital releases, plus others from the LP era. ~ James Manheim