Edwin Yorke Bowen was a whiskey manufacturer's son from Crouch Hill, London. He studied with the famous pianist and educator Tobias Matthay. Then he began his career as a pianist-virtuoso. He studied composition with Frederick Corder. Brahms' influence is clearly felt in his work, but one can also distinguish the influence of Russian and French composers, such as Balakirev and Debussy. Bowen's works also reflect the music of Ireland, Delius, and Vaughan Williams. This mixture of styles makes Bowen's unique sound world very noticeable.
