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Lord Berners

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Composer

The Resume

    (September 18, 1883-April 19, 1950)
    Born in Apley Hall, Shropshire, England, United Kingdom
    Birth name was Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson
    14th Baron Berners
    Composer/Painter/Author/Eccentric
    Composed 'Fantasie Espagnol' (1913), 'Fugue in C Minor' (1924) and music for the ballets 'The Triumph of Neptune' (1926) and 'Luna Park' (1930)
    Composed the score for the film 'Nicholas Nickleby' (1947)
    Wrote the novels 'The Girls of Radcliff Hall,' 'Romance of a Nose' and 'Count Omega'

Why he might be annoying:

    He was a dilettante who dabbled in a lot of areas without excelling in any.
    He was better known for his eccentricities than his music. (Or his novels. Or his paintings.)
    He had the pigeons roosting at his house dyed pastel colors.
    He outfitted his dogs with pearl necklaces.
    He held a tea party for three friends and a horse.
    He drove around his estate wearing a pig's head mask to frighten the tenants.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He titled one cheery composition 'Funeral March for a Wealthy Aunt.'
    His weekend parties attracted much of the era's 'smart set,' including Noel Coward, H.G. Wells, Salvador Dali, Igor Stravinsky and Evelyn Waugh.
    He was inspiration for the character Lord Merlin in Nancy Mitford's novel 'The Pursuit of Love.'
    He sent a fake invitation to Sybil Colefax, a notorious social climber: 'I wonder if by any chance you are free to dine tomorrow night? It is only a tiny party for Winston and GBS.... There will be nobody else except for Toscanini and myself.' The signature and address were both left illegible.
    He wrote for himself the epitaph 'Here lies Lord Berners/One of the learners/His great love of learning/May earn him a burning/But, Praise the Lord!/He seldom was bored.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 17 Votes: 82.35% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 6 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 26 Votes: 30.77% Annoying