Ellis, Osian
Alias : Osian Gwynn Ellis
Osian Gwynn Ellis CBE (born 8 February 1928) is a Welsh harpist and composer, known as the first harpist of the Melos Ensemble and for his musical association with Benjamin Britten. Ellis is particularly known for his musical association with Benjamin Britten, with whom he collaborated extensively. Britten wrote the harp part in several of his major pieces with Ellis in mind, particularly A Midsummer Night's Dream, the War Requiem and the Church Parables. Britten also wrote his Harp Suite (Op. 83) for Ellis (1969). In the last few years of Britten's life, when he could no longer accompany Peter Pears on the piano, Britten wrote pieces for Pears and Ellis, including Canticle V: The Death of St Narcissus and A Birthday Hansel. Ellis appears in many first recordings of Britten's pieces, often with Britten himself conducting. [source from Wikipedia]