the son of herbert long of bury st. edmunds, and sophia edith chapman, long was educated at banbury grammar school and the royal college of music, then studied music at merton college, oxford from 1931 to 1934 (taking a b.mus. in 1933, a b.a. in 1934), during which period he also served as the college organist. he later received an m.a. from merton college, in 1946.