compose2

This page is wholly on composers from the British Isles, though some worked abroad.

Once you start a list like this, you suddenly realise who you've missed out. Works come to mind or appear in a concert or on a radio programme.

This page is a listing of "British" composers. The order is alphabetic. I have selected a single work and perhaps referred to a few others in each case. Many of these composers had works released on the Lyrita label, a UK specialist label which has begun to appear on CD at last.

Many of these works can be found on low priced but good releases on NAXOS and other labels.

William Alwyn (1905-)

Symphony cycle and shorter works.

Malcolm Arnold (1921-)

Film scores as well as serious works.

Arnold Bax (1883-1953)

"Tintagel", a tone poem based on the castle on the cliffs by that name.

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

The "War Requiem" and many distinctive operatic works, notably "Peter Grimes" Try the "Sea Interludes" for starters.

Frederick Delius (1862-1934)

"A Mass of Life" and many orchestral short works of descriptive nature. Thomas Beecham and John Barbirolli were great advocates of his music.The story of how Eric Fenby helped the composer was made into a Drama Documentary by Ken Russell and is very moving indeed, as is much of the resulting music.

Edward Elgar. (1857-1934)

The "Enigma" Variations. Pomp and Circumstance marches. The Symphonies, Violin and Cello concertos and Organ Sonata. He also recorded much of his music, some of it twice on 78 and it is still available!
Sir John Barbirolli was a major enthusiast of Elgar. He recorded some works several times

The Third Symphony.
A remarkable reconstruction by Anthony Payne. This entered the top 20 album charts and stayed there for several weeks. There is now a recording on the budget Naxos label as well as the original release.

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

"The Planets", "St Paul's Suite", "The Hymn of Jesus" and other works.

There is an important Halle connection here. As well as through JB, the concerts society has caused another Planet to be created. This is Pluto, and it FOLLOWS ON after the chorus fades out. That is a VERY hard act to follow, but in my opinion it works! A recording will be released shortly. The advent of the CD will easily allow the listener to include it or not as they wish. It makes full use of the available resources, Organ included!
The Halle and Mark Elder are recording the additional section to The Planets in the Bridgewater Hall.

John Ireland (1879-1962)

"These Things Shall Be"

George Lloyd (1913-)

Symphony cycle

Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971)

A recent release on the Naxos label makes a useful introduction.

John Taverner (c1490-1545)

I really should set up an early music page too. His surviving music is ecclesiastical, "Dum transisset Sabbatum", Mass a 4 "The Western Wynde" being two such.

Michael Tippett (1905-19)

"A Child Of Our Time" is a large scale work with major social comment. It includes spiritual elements (Negro Spirituals that is)

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

The "Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis" and a cycle of Symphonies. Some of the latter are on a large scale too. Sir John Barbirolli has close links with RVW who dedicated one symphony (8th) "To Glorious John"

William Walton (1902-19)

"Belshazzar's Feast" Film music scores.

This Page PKM 2000 Created 24th. Nov. 2000 Edited 18th. Jan 2001

William Alwyn (1905-)		Symphony cycle and shorter works.
Malcolm Arnold (1921-)		Film scores as well as serious works.
Arnold Bax (1883-1953)	"Tintagel", a tone poem based on the castle on the cliffs by that name.
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)	The "War Requiem" and many distinctive operatic works, notably "Peter Grimes" Try the "Sea Interludes" for starters.
Frederick Delius (1862-1934)		"A Mass of Life" and many orchestral short works of descriptive nature. Thomas Beecham and John Barbirolli were great advocates of his music.The story of how Eric Fenby helped the composer was made into a Drama Documentary by Ken Russell and is very moving indeed, as is much of the resulting music.
Edward Elgar. (1857-1934)	The "Enigma" Variations. Pomp and Circumstance marches. The Symphonies, Violin and Cello concertos and Organ Sonata. He also recorded much of his music, some of it twice on 78 and it is still available! Sir John Barbirolli was a major enthusiast of Elgar. He recorded some works several times
The Third Symphony. A remarkable reconstruction by Anthony Payne. This entered the top 20 album charts and stayed there for several weeks. There is now a recording on the budget Naxos label as well as the original release.
Gustav Holst (1874-1934)	"The Planets", "St Paul's Suite", "The Hymn of Jesus" and other works.
There is an important Halle connection here. As well as through JB, the concerts society has caused another Planet to be created. This is Pluto, and it FOLLOWS ON after the chorus fades out. That is a VERY hard act to follow, but in my opinion it works! A recording will be released shortly. The advent of the CD will easily allow the listener to include it or not as they wish. It makes full use of the available resources, Organ included! The Halle and Mark Elder are recording the additional section to The Planets in the Bridgewater Hall.
John Ireland (1879-1962)	"These Things Shall Be"
George Lloyd (1913-)		Symphony cycle
Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971)	A recent release on the Naxos label makes a useful introduction.
John Taverner (c1490-1545)	I really should set up an early music page too. His surviving music is ecclesiastical, "Dum transisset Sabbatum", Mass a 4 "The Western Wynde" being two such.
Michael Tippett (1905-19)	"A Child Of Our Time" is a large scale work with major social comment. It includes spiritual elements (Negro Spirituals that is)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)		The "Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis" and a cycle of Symphonies. Some of the latter are on a large scale too. Sir John Barbirolli has close links with RVW who dedicated one symphony (8th) "To Glorious John"
William Walton (1902-19)	"Belshazzar's Feast" Film music scores.