Career
Born in the East End of London in 1914 to Polish immigrant parents, Alfred Nieman was playing piano for the silent cinema by the age of fourteen. In the 1930s he edited a six penny magazine "The Student". Before World World War II, he had a very successful piano duo with his contemporary Cimbro Martin called "Merlin and Martyn".
During the war the duo replaced Rawicz and Landauer at their engagements when this much admired duo was interned.
While their success was interrupted by the war and, and, as conscientious objectors the duo became firemen throughout the London Blitz, Merlin and Martyn was a regular act at The Dorchester Hotel in London. After the war he picked up the threads of his career by becoming a British Broadcasting Corporation "house" pianist and was assigned tasks which required him on one occasion to accompany Noël Coward and on another to stand in for the soloist and broadcast a piano concerto at very short notice.
Alfred composed extensively and across the whole spectrum of musical idioms, protecting the then perceived respectability of his reputation as a serious composer by writing under at least six pseudonyms. He ghost wrote music on occasions including some film music which was credited to Benjamin Britten.
This was revolutionary for its time and the Group Special Mobile was the only place where such a teaching idea could be foundation
He remained loyal to the Guildhall School of Music until his retirement. He also gave evening classes in improvisation notably at Chiswick and Hampstead. Those who attended his classes included Sam Richards, Barry Guy, Paul Rutherford, Fred Turner, Frank Denyer, Louis Foreman, Fiachre Trench and many others
His interests involved him with music therapy, The Society for Gifted Children, Research Into Lost Knowledge Organisation and The Society for Psychic & Psychological Research.
Alfred Nieman died in Hampstead, London on 7 March 1997.
