Romance and Intermezzo for flute and piano

Edward German (1862–1936) was a central figure in the British musical renaissance of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Often regarded as the natural heir to Arthur Sullivan, he was the primary architect of the "English Pastoral" style in light classical music.
Born in Whitchurch, Shropshire, near the Welsh border, in the family of a local church organist and choir conductor who provided him with his first lessons in piano and music theory. His original name was German Edward Jones; later was adopted "Edward German" as his professional name to avoid confusion with other musicians named Jones during his time in London.
In 1880, German entered the Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, to study violin under Richard Gompertz and composition under Ebenezer Prout, a close friend of Sullivan. During his years at the Academy, he won several prestigious awards, including the Charles Lucas Medal for composition. His peers remembered him as a quiet, intensely hardworking student who supported himself by playing violin in theater orchestras at night.
His breakthrough came as the Musical Director of the Globe Theatre. His music for Shakespearean plays, specifically "Richard III" (1889) and "Henry VIII" (1892), became national sensations. Following the death of Sir Arthur Sullivan, German was chosen to finish Sullivan’s incomplete operetta, The Emerald Isle. This led to his most famous original work, the operetta "Merrie England" (1902), which solidified his status as a national icon of British identity. He was knighted in 1928 for his services to music. Despite the rise of modernism in the 1920s, German remained committed to tonal clarity and melodic grace until his death.
Scholars characterize German's style as a "Musical Peacemaker" because he bridged the gap between serious symphonic writing and popular light music. His music is noted for its "Englishness", a blend of folk-like melodies and clean, transparent orchestration.