Background
Hartley was born in Dundee in 1905, where he attended Harris Academy.
Hartley was born in Dundee in 1905, where he attended Harris Academy.
Royal Academy of Music.
He sometimes composed music under the pseudonym Iris Taylor. He made his first public broadcast as a solo pianist in 1925 and in 1931 went on to form his "Novelty Quintet", which regularly made broadcasts on the British Broadcasting Corporation. In 1946, he was made Head of British Broadcasting Corporation Light Music. He composed mainly in the light music genre and his compositions were often featured on the British Broadcasting Corporation Light Programme.
In addition to "Rouge et Noir", compositions for orchestra include the "Scherzetto for Children", "The Hampden Roar", "Alpine Festival", "The Ball at Aberfeldy", "Whispering Breeze", "Hampden Road March" and "A Dream of Hawaii".
A fuller list is available at Philip Scowcroft"s Light Music Garland site. Fred Hartley published several of his piano works under the name Iris Taylor – "Dreamy Afternoon", "Cuckoo in Love", "Twentieth Century Nocturne" and "Starry Night".