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{{Short description|English poet and radio producer}}
{{Refimprove|date=July 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2017}}
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'''Terence Rogers Tiller''' (September 19, 1916 – December 24, 1987) was an English poet and radio producer.
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
[[File:Terence_Tiller.jpg|thumb|right|Terence Tiller]]
⚫
'''Terence Rogers Tiller''' (19 September 1916 – 24 December 1987) was an English poet and radio producer.


==Early life==
==Early life, poet==
He was born in [[Truro]], [[Cornwall]]. He studied history at [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]]; after graduating BA he lectured there in medieval history, 1937 to 1939. During [[World War II]] he taught English literature at the [[University of Cairo]].<ref>Tiller, Terence (1966) ''Chess Treasury of the Air''. Harmondsworth: Penguin; p. 1</ref>
Tiller was born in [[Truro]], [[Cornwall]] and educated at [[Latymer Upper School]] in Hammersmith.<ref name=obit>Obituary of Terence Tiller, ''[[The Times]]'', 5 January 1988, p. 14</ref> He studied history at [[Jesus College, Cambridge]], where he graduated with a starred first-class BA degree in 1937 and won the [[Chancellor's Gold Medal|Chancellor's Medal for English Verse]].<ref>'University News', ''Times'', 21 June 1937, p. 20.</ref> He then lectured in medieval history at Cambridge from 1937 to 1939. But then, just before the war, he accepted an academic position in Cairo, where he remained stranded. For the next six years he taught English literature at what was then the [[Cairo University|King Fuad I University]].<ref>Tiller, Terence (1966) ''Chess Treasury of the Air''. Harmondsworth: Penguin; p. 1</ref>

While there he became associated with the [[Cairo poets|Personal Landscape]] group of poets that also included [[Keith Douglas]], [[Lawrence Durrell]], [[Robin Fedden]] and [[Bernard Spencer]].<ref name=obit/> His enigmatic poems about wartime Egypt, showing the influence of [[Wilfred Owen]], gained attention through the publication of his ''Poems'' in 1941, followed by ''The Inward Animal'' in 1943.<ref>[https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/darkness-of-past-love-terence-tiller-poetry/ Greening, John. 'Darkness of Past Love' in ''The Times Literary Supplement'', 31 March 2017]</ref> His most acclaimed poetry collection was ''Unarm, Eros'' (1947), containing poems of "strong formal pattern, heraldic imagery, and striking sensuousness"<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Terence-Tiller 'Terence Tiller, British Writer', in ''Encyclopaedia Britannica'']</ref>


==BBC==
==BBC==
In 1946 he joined the [[BBC]] Features Department; and was a known [[Fitzrovian]]. In 1955 he was producer of the [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|first BBC radio adaptation]] of [[Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' (which did not please the author). He later brought work by [[Mervyn Peake]] to the airwaves. In 1964 he moved to the Drama Department; he has written and produced radio scripts on a wide range of subjects, but mainly on history, literature and mythology. His work on the weekly chess programme on Network Three led to his book ''Chess Treasury of the Air''.<ref>Tiller, Terence (1966) ''Chess Treasury of the Air''. Harmondsworth: Penguin; p. 1</ref>
In 1946 he joined the [[BBC]] Features Department, where he was responsible for hundreds of plays and feature broadcasts on a wide range of subjects, but mainly on history, literature and mythology. His contemporaries in the department included fellow poets [[Rayner Heppenstall]], [[Louis MacNeice]] and [[W R Rodgers]].<ref>, E.S. Guralnick. '[https://www.jstor.org/stable/26437970 Radio Drama: The Stage of the Mind]', in ''Virginia Quarterly Review''
Vol. 61, No. 1, Winter 1985, p 84-5</ref><ref>G D Bridson. '[https://www.jstor.org/stable/20609128 Broadcast Poetry in Britain]', in ''Poetry'', Vol 79 No 5, February 1952</ref> During this period, Tiller became a noted [[Fitzrovian]].<ref>Butler, Marilyn. '[https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v02/n15/marilyn-butler/rise-and-fall-of-radio-features Rise and Fall of Radio Features]', in ''London Review of Books'' Vol 2 No 15, 7 August, 1980</ref> He collaborated with the composer [[Elizabeth Poston]] on features such as ''The Shepherds' Play'' (1947), ''The Death of Adam'' (1949), ''Lilith'' (1950), and ''The Holy Child'' (1952). In 1955 he was producer of the [[The Lord of the Rings (1955 radio series)|first BBC radio adaptation]] of [[Tolkien]]'s ''[[The Lord of the Rings]]'' (which did not please the author). He adapted and modernized [[Chaucer]]'s ''The Parlement of Foules'' in 1958.<ref>Third Programme, 8 June, 1958</ref>

In 1964 he moved to the Drama Department. His work on the weekly chess programme on the [[Third Programme]] led to his book ''Chess Treasury of the Air'' in 1966.<ref>Tiller, Terence (1966) ''Chess Treasury of the Air''. Harmondsworth: Penguin; p. 1</ref> In 1969 he completed the posthumous story ''After Ten Years'' by [[C. S. Lewis]] for broadcast,<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/fb16934ff1fa49c4900d007cdfa69360 BBC Radio 3, 9 March, 1969]</ref> and in 1973 he brought [[Mervyn Peake]]'s ''The Rhyme of the Flying Bomb'' to the airwaves.<ref>[https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/283ce5bfc0974fbd84b510090e919240 BBC Radio 3, 9 August, 1973]</ref>

Tiller retired from the BBC in 1976,<ref name=obit/> but continued working on some projects. In 1979 he dramatized [[Vladimir Nabokov]]'s novel ''The Defence''.<ref>BBC Radio 4, 22 January, 1979.</ref>


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==

;Edited works and translations
;Poetry
* ''Poems'' (1941), Hogarth Press)
*''The Inward Animal'' (1943)
* ''Unarm, Eros'' (1947),
*''Reading a Medal, and other poems'' (1957)
*''Notes for a Myth'' (1968, Chatto & Windus)
* ''That Singing Mesh, and other poems'' (1979)
* ''Collected Poems'' (Eyewear Publishing, 2016)<ref>[https://store.eyewearpublishing.com/products/the-collected-poems-of-terence-tiller ''The Collected Poems of Terence Tiller'']</ref>

;As editor, translator
* ''The Vision of [[Piers Plowman]]''; translated from Middle English into Modern English verse
* ''The Vision of [[Piers Plowman]]''; translated from Middle English into Modern English verse
*A translation of [[Dante Alighieri|Dante]]
*A translation of [[Dante Alighieri|Dante]]
*''Chess Treasury of the Air'' (Penguin Handbooks; PH124; 1966) for Penguin, which he edited
*''Chess Treasury of the Air'' (Penguin Handbooks; PH124; 1966), as editor
*''New Poems 1960'', edited with [[Anthony Cronin]] and [[Jon Silkin]]
*''New Poems 1960'', edited with [[Anthony Cronin]] and [[Jon Silkin]]
*John Gower ''[[Confessio Amantis]]: 'The Lover's Shrift';'' translated from Middle English into Modern English verse. (Penguin Classics; L128.)Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1965
*John Gower ''[[Confessio Amantis]]: 'The Lover's Shrift';'' translated from Middle English into Modern English verse. (Penguin Classic, 1965)

;Original poetry
As a poet, he was published by [[Hogarth Press]]: ''Poems'' (1941); ''The Inward Animal'' (1943); ''Reading a Medal, and other poems'' (1957) as well as "Unarm, Eros". ''Notes for a Myth'' (1968) and ''That Singing Mesh, and other poems'' (1979) were published by [[Chatto and Windus]] in the Phoenix Living Poets series.


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


{{Authority control|VIAF=14845041}}
{{Authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Tiller, Terence
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British poet
| DATE OF BIRTH = September 19, 1916
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = December 24, 1987
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiller, Terence}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tiller, Terence}}
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:1916 births]]
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:1987 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:People from Truro]]
[[Category:People from Truro]]
[[Category:20th-century English poets]]
[[Category:20th-century English poets]]
[[Category:People educated at Latymer Upper School]]




Latest revision as of 15:07, 26 June 2024

Terence Tiller

Terence Rogers Tiller (19 September 1916 – 24 December 1987) was an English poet and radio producer.

Early life, poet

[edit]

Tiller was born in Truro, Cornwall and educated at Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith.[1] He studied history at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he graduated with a starred first-class BA degree in 1937 and won the Chancellor's Medal for English Verse.[2] He then lectured in medieval history at Cambridge from 1937 to 1939. But then, just before the war, he accepted an academic position in Cairo, where he remained stranded. For the next six years he taught English literature at what was then the King Fuad I University.[3]

While there he became associated with the Personal Landscape group of poets that also included Keith Douglas, Lawrence Durrell, Robin Fedden and Bernard Spencer.[1] His enigmatic poems about wartime Egypt, showing the influence of Wilfred Owen, gained attention through the publication of his Poems in 1941, followed by The Inward Animal in 1943.[4] His most acclaimed poetry collection was Unarm, Eros (1947), containing poems of "strong formal pattern, heraldic imagery, and striking sensuousness"[5]

BBC

[edit]

In 1946 he joined the BBC Features Department, where he was responsible for hundreds of plays and feature broadcasts on a wide range of subjects, but mainly on history, literature and mythology. His contemporaries in the department included fellow poets Rayner Heppenstall, Louis MacNeice and W R Rodgers.[6][7] During this period, Tiller became a noted Fitzrovian.[8] He collaborated with the composer Elizabeth Poston on features such as The Shepherds' Play (1947), The Death of Adam (1949), Lilith (1950), and The Holy Child (1952). In 1955 he was producer of the first BBC radio adaptation of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (which did not please the author). He adapted and modernized Chaucer's The Parlement of Foules in 1958.[9]

In 1964 he moved to the Drama Department. His work on the weekly chess programme on the Third Programme led to his book Chess Treasury of the Air in 1966.[10] In 1969 he completed the posthumous story After Ten Years by C. S. Lewis for broadcast,[11] and in 1973 he brought Mervyn Peake's The Rhyme of the Flying Bomb to the airwaves.[12]

Tiller retired from the BBC in 1976,[1] but continued working on some projects. In 1979 he dramatized Vladimir Nabokov's novel The Defence.[13]

Bibliography

[edit]
Poetry
  • Poems (1941), Hogarth Press)
  • The Inward Animal (1943)
  • Unarm, Eros (1947),
  • Reading a Medal, and other poems (1957)
  • Notes for a Myth (1968, Chatto & Windus)
  • That Singing Mesh, and other poems (1979)
  • Collected Poems (Eyewear Publishing, 2016)[14]
As editor, translator
  • The Vision of Piers Plowman; translated from Middle English into Modern English verse
  • A translation of Dante
  • Chess Treasury of the Air (Penguin Handbooks; PH124; 1966), as editor
  • New Poems 1960, edited with Anthony Cronin and Jon Silkin
  • John Gower Confessio Amantis: 'The Lover's Shrift'; translated from Middle English into Modern English verse. (Penguin Classic, 1965)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Obituary of Terence Tiller, The Times, 5 January 1988, p. 14
  2. ^ 'University News', Times, 21 June 1937, p. 20.
  3. ^ Tiller, Terence (1966) Chess Treasury of the Air. Harmondsworth: Penguin; p. 1
  4. ^ Greening, John. 'Darkness of Past Love' in The Times Literary Supplement, 31 March 2017
  5. ^ 'Terence Tiller, British Writer', in Encyclopaedia Britannica
  6. ^ , E.S. Guralnick. 'Radio Drama: The Stage of the Mind', in Virginia Quarterly Review Vol. 61, No. 1, Winter 1985, p 84-5
  7. ^ G D Bridson. 'Broadcast Poetry in Britain', in Poetry, Vol 79 No 5, February 1952
  8. ^ Butler, Marilyn. 'Rise and Fall of Radio Features', in London Review of Books Vol 2 No 15, 7 August, 1980
  9. ^ Third Programme, 8 June, 1958
  10. ^ Tiller, Terence (1966) Chess Treasury of the Air. Harmondsworth: Penguin; p. 1
  11. ^ BBC Radio 3, 9 March, 1969
  12. ^ BBC Radio 3, 9 August, 1973
  13. ^ BBC Radio 4, 22 January, 1979.
  14. ^ The Collected Poems of Terence Tiller


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