Septimus Kelly

1881 - 1916

We don’t get a huge number of Australian composers of classical music. Kelly was born and educated in Sydney before moving to England. He represented Britain at the London Olympics of 1908 in rowing. He won a gold medal as a member of the Eights.

He studied music at Eton before going on to do the same at Balliol College. He studied at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt before returning to London. He is known to have performed there with Pablo Cassals

He was not especially prolific or revolutionary in his style, but his music is thoughtful and moving.

The piece below was written for Rupert Brooke, the poet with whom he had struck up a friendship. Brooke died in 1915. Kelly did not long outlive him, killed at the Somme while rushing a German machine gun post.