William Wordsworth (composer)
Encyclopedia
William Brocklesby Wordsworth (17 December 1908 – 10 March 1988) was an English composer
.
Wordsworth was born in London
. He studied harmony and counterpoint under George Oldroyd
from 1921 to 1931, continuing his study with Donald Francis Tovey
at Edinburgh University from 1934 to 1936. In anticipation of conscientious objection he voluntarily began work on the land in 1939, and this role was later made a condition of exemption from military service by his tribunal. He lived in England until 1961 when he moved to Inverness-shire
; in 1966, he helped found the Scottish Composer's Guild. His works, which number over 100, are largely tonal
and Romantic
in style.
He helped form the Society of Scottish Composers.
He died at Kingussie
in Scotland
.
Concertos
Chamber
Vocal
Piano Solo
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Wordsworth was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He studied harmony and counterpoint under George Oldroyd
George Oldroyd
Dr. George Oldroyd was an English organist and composer of Anglican church music. He was organist of St. Alban's Church, Holborn from 1919 to 1920, and then of St Michael's Church, Croydon from 1920 until his death in 1956. Both are churches firmly rooted within the Anglo-Catholic tradition in the...
from 1921 to 1931, continuing his study with Donald Francis Tovey
Donald Francis Tovey
Sir Donald Francis Tovey was a British musical analyst, musicologist, writer on music, composer, conductor and pianist...
at Edinburgh University from 1934 to 1936. In anticipation of conscientious objection he voluntarily began work on the land in 1939, and this role was later made a condition of exemption from military service by his tribunal. He lived in England until 1961 when he moved to Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
; in 1966, he helped found the Scottish Composer's Guild. His works, which number over 100, are largely tonal
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
and Romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
in style.
He helped form the Society of Scottish Composers.
He died at Kingussie
Kingussie
Kingussie is a small town in the Highland region of Scotland. It is one settlement in the Highland Council ward of Badenoch and Strathspey, and is the capital of the district of Badenoch. It lies beside the A9 road, although the old route of the A9 serves as the town's main street...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Works
Orchestral- Symphony No. 1 in f minor, Op. 23 (1944)
- Symphony No. 2 in D, Op. 34, (1947-48)
- Symphony No. 3 in C, Op. 48 (1950-51)
- Symphony No. 4 in E flat, Op. 54 (1953)
- Symphony No. 5 in a minor, Op. 68 (1959-60)
- Symphony No. 6, Op. 102 (1977)
- Symphony No. 7, Op. 107 (1980) "Cosmos"
- Symphony No. 8 (1986)
- Divertimento in D, Op. 58 (1954)
Concertos
- Piano Concerto, 1946
- Violin Concerto, 1955
- Cello Concerto, 1962
Chamber
- String Quartet No. 1, (1941)
- String Quartet No. 2, (1944)
- String Quartet No. 3, (1947)
- String Quartet No. 4, (1950)
- String Quartet No. 5, (1957)
- String Quartet No. 6, (1964)
- Sonata #2 in g minor, op. 66, for cello and piano (1959)
- Nocturne, op. 29, for cello and piano (1946)
- Scherzo, op. 42, for cello and piano (1949)
- Sonata for cello solo (1961)
- Conversation Piece for viola and guitar, Op.113 (1983)
- Intermezzo for viola and piano (1935)
- Sonatina in D for viola and piano (or guitar), Op.71 (1961)
- Three Pieces (Prelude, Elegy and Scherzo) for viola and piano, Op.93 (1972)
Vocal
- Four Songs of Shakespeare for high voice, viola and piano, Op.103 (1977)
- The image vocal setting for high voice to the poem by Richard HughesRichard Hughes (writer)Richard Arthur Warren Hughes OBE was a British writer of poems, short stories, novels and plays.He was born in Weybridge, Surrey. His father was a civil servant Arthur Hughes, and his mother Louisa Grace Warren who had been brought up in Jamaica...
(before 1947) - The Solitary Reaper for mixed chorus, viola and piano
- Oratorio, Dies Domini for soloists, chorus, and orchestra (1942-1944)
Piano Solo
- Sonata, D minor, Op. 13 (1939)
- Cheesecombe Suite, Op. 27 (1945)
- Ballade, Op. 41 (1949)