Victor Hely-Hutchinson

Who was Victor Hely-Hutchinson?

Christian Victor Hely-Hutchinson was a British composer, born in Cape Town, Cape Colony.

He is best known for the Carol Symphony, from which, the third movement was used for the title music of the 1943 Children's Hour and 1984 BBC children's television adaptation of John Masefield's The Box of Delights, in particular the variation on the theme of The First Nowell. He is also well known for his settings of various nursery rhymes and children's poems. His setting of Old Mother Hubbard is composed in the manner of Handel. His song setting of Edward Lear's The Owl and the Pussycat was notably recorded by Elton Hayes and featured on the BBC's Children's Favourites radio show.