Composer Of The Week - 12 - 16 Oct 26

He had a sardonic wit, was obsessively self-critical and became one of England’s finest twentieth-century composers. He wrote across many genres, including orchestral, choral and chamber music, as well as opera and film scores. William Walton is our Composer of the Week.

Together with Vaughan Williams, he was one of the leading English composers of his generation. But his interests stretched far beyond English folksong –to Hindu philosophy and further afield… the galaxy. Gustav Holst is our Composer of the Week.

As one of the 20th century’s greatest composers, his piano virtuosity enabled him to significantly expand the instrument’s repertoire. While his music did not express political sentiment, he suffered great torment when his wife was arrested under the Stalinist regime. Sadly, he never lived to see her release Sergei Prokofiev…

our composer of the week. Stravinsky and this turn-of-the-century composer dedicated works to each other. Ravel was something of what was then called a “dandy” – and it wasn’t just his attire that was top-notch. His orchestral compositions were equally impressive. Maurice Ravel is our Composer of the Week.

He was mentored by Camille Saint Saëns, and became known as the master of the French song. His gift for melody obscured the fact that his music was deep and introspective. If you think of moonlight - you may already know his name. Gabriel Fauré is our composer of the…