Arthur Eckersley Butterworth
,
MBE
(4 August 1923 – 20 November 2014) was an English composer, conductor, trumpeter and teacher.
[1]
Biography
[
edit
]
Early life and education
[
edit
]
Butterworth was born in
New Moston
, near
Manchester
. His father ran the church choir, in which his mother played the piano and Butterworth himself sang. For the entrance fee of sixpence, Butterworth attended Halle concerts. He also volunteered for the village brass band who allocated him the
trombone
. As a teenager he played with the
Besses o' th' Barn Band
and started taking conducting lessons.
[2]
While playing with the band, he caught his trombone in
tram tracks
and, discouraged by the accident, changed to the
trumpet
.
[3]
His music teacher at North Manchester Grammar School, Percy Penrose, gave him much encouragement but his parents and headmaster tried to dissuade him from a full-time career. Five years in the wartime
Army
gave him little scope for music-making but Butterworth more than made up for it afterwards. In 1939, however, he won the Alexander Owen Scholarship for young brass players and had his first work played in public by the
Wingates Band
conducted by
Granville Bantock
. At the time, Butterworth was unaware of Bantock's fame, or that he was a friend of
Jean Sibelius
whom he revered, but Bantock was nevertheless encouraging. At the Royal Manchester College of Music (now the
Royal Northern College of Music
), Butterworth studied composition with
Richard Hall
and also learned the trumpet and conducting. He studied composition with
Ralph Vaughan Williams
after writing to the composer in 1950, requesting lessons.
[2]
He served as a trumpeter in the Scottish National Orchestra (now the
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
) from 1949?55 and in the
Halle
from 1955?62;
[4]
he also played as a freelance until 1963. In that year he began to teach at the Huddersfield School of Music, an activity which he combined with composing and conducting (he was for many years principal conductor of the
Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra
). He was made an MBE in 1995. He was unrelated to the composer
George Butterworth
(1885?1916).
Works
[
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]
His works include seven symphonies, eight concertos, several other large orchestral scores, and a considerable amount of music for brass band. In the summer of 2008 Butterworth returned to the Royal Scottish National Orchestra to conduct a recording of his Fourth Symphony (1986) and his Viola Concerto (1988) with the English viola player, Sarah-Jane Bradley. The Sixth Symphony had its premiere in
Saint Petersburg
by
St Petersburg State Capella Orchestra
on 15 November 2009.
[1]
A selection of Arthur Butterworth's orchestral and chamber works have been released on the
Dutton Epoch Label
. The Viola Concerto and the Fourth and Fifth Symphonies are all performed by the
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
under the composer's baton. One of the releases also includes
Barbirolli
's 1958 mono recording of Butterworth's First Symphony, along with a series of reminiscences by the composer. A CD of Piano Trios is also available.
Personal life
[
edit
]
He was married to Diana Butterworth, until her death in February 2013. He died on 20 November 2014 at
Embsay
,
Craven
,
North Yorkshire
and is survived by his daughters Nicola and Carolin.
[5]
Butterworth was appointed
MBE
in 1995.
[5]
Selected works
[
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]
- Orchestral
- Suite for string orchestra, Op. 8 (1948)
- Sinfonietta
, Op. 9 (1949)
- Legend
, Tone Poem from Derbyshire M. for small orchestra, Op. 11 (1950)
- Symphony No. 1, Op. 15 (1957)
- The Path across the Moors
, Op. 17 (1959); also for brass band
- Three Nocturnes: Northern Summer Nights
, Op. 18 (1958)
- The Quiet Tarn (Malham)
, Op. 21 (1960)
- The Green Wind (Le vent vert)
, Op. 22 (1960)
- A Dales Suite (Embsay)
, Op. 24b (1981); also for brass band
- Symphony No. 2, Op. 25 (1964)
- The Moors
, Suite for large orchestra and organ, Op. 26 (1962)
- Italian Journey (Roma; Ravello, Rimini)
, Op. 34 (1966)
- From the Four Winds (Horologion Andronicus)
for large orchestra and organ, Op. 40 (1971)
- Gigues
, Scherzo, Op. 42 (1969)
- Symphony No. 3
Sinfonia Borealis
, Op. 52 (1979)
- Pageantry
, Op. 48 (1973)
- September Morn
, Symphonic Study, Op. 62 (1983)
- Nex Vulpinus (The Fox)
for string orchestra, Op. 63 (1981)
- Beowulf
for string orchestra, Op. 68 (1982)
- Symphony No. 4, Op. 72 (1986)
- Northern Light
, Symphonic Study, Op. 88 (1991)
- Solent Forts
, Concert Overture, Op. 90 (1992)
- Mancunians
for large orchestra and brass band, Op. 96 (1995)
- Ragnarok
, Concert Overture, Op. 97 (1995)
- Symphony No. 5, Op. 115 (2001?2002)
- Mill Town
, Op. 116 (2003)
- Symphony No. 6, Op. 124
- Capriccio Pastorale
for small orchestra, Op. 125
- Coruscations
, Op. 127 (2007)
- Entre chien et loup
, Op. 130
- Scherzo
for small orchestra, Op. 131
- Grey Moorland
, Concert March, Op. 134
- Symphony No. 7, Op. 140 (2011)
- Brass band
- The Path across the Moors
for brass band, Op. 17b (1964); original version for orchestra
- A Dales Suite (Embsay)
for brass band, Op. 24a (1965); also for orchestra
- Three Impressions
, Scenes from 19th Century Northumberland for brass, Op. 36 (1968)
- Ballad
for brass band, Op. 39 (1962)
- Blenheim
, Heroic Overture for brass band, Op. 43 (1972)
- St. Gertrude
for brass band, Op. 44 (1969)
- Revelation
, Concert March for brass band, Op. 45 (1966)
- Caliban
, Scherzo malevolo for brass band, Op. 50 (1978)
- Nightflight
, Symphonic Study for brass band, Op. 57 (1973)
- Winter Music
for brass band, Op. 71 (1978)
- Odin, from the Land of Fire and Ice
for brass band, Op. 76 (1986)
- Sinfonia for Brass: Maoriana
for brass band, Op. 85 (1990)
- Paean
for brass band, Op. 86 (1990)
- Passacaglia on a Theme of Brahms
for brass band, Op. 87 (1991)
- Suivez la raison
, Concert March for brass band and organ, Op. 92 (1993)
- Wind Band
- Mancunian Way
for wind band, Op. 66 (1985)
- Winter Music
for wind band, Op. 71 (1978)
- Tundra
, Boreal Suite for large wind band, Op. 75 (1979)
- Concertante
- Concertante for 2 oboes, 2 horns and string orchestra, Op. 27 (1962)
- Concerto for organ, string orchestra and percussion, Op. 33 (1973)
- Duo concertante
for oboe, harpsichord and strings, Op. 35 (1967)
- Concerto for violin and orchestra, Op. 58 (1978)
- Summer Music
, Concerto for bassoon and orchestra, Op. 77 (1985)
- Scherzo and Canzona
for bass trombone and brass band, Op. 80 (1984)
- Concerto for viola and orchestra, Op. 82 (1988?1992)
- Concerto alla Veneziana
for trumpet and brass band (or orchestra), Op. 93 (1992)
- Concerto for cello and orchestra, Op. 98 (1997)
- Guitar Concerto
, Op. 109 (2000)
- Sinfonia Concertante
for euphonium, baritone and brass, Op. 111 (2001)
- Gog and Magog
for double bass and string ensemble, Op. 118
- Capriccio
for violin and Orchestra, Op. 139
- Chamber music
- Sonata for oboe and piano, Op. 5 (1947)
- Trio for oboe, clarinet and bassoon, Op. 6 (1947)
- Modal Suite
for flute, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, violin, viola and cello, Op. 7 (1947)
- Romanza
for horn and string quartet with double bass ad libitum (or piano), Op. 12 (1951)
- Suite for viola and cello, Op. 13 (1951)
- Sextet for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano, Op. 16 (1957)
- Scherzo
for brass quartet, Op. 19 (1956)
- Three Dialogues
for 2 treble instruments, Op. 20 (1962)
- Trio cornet, tenor-horn, trombone, Op. 28 (1962)
- A Triton Suite
for 3 trumpets, 3 trombones and tuba, Op. 46 (1972)
- Sonata for double bass and piano, Op. 47 (1970)
- Berceuse
for oboe and piano, Op. 51 (1971)
- Aubade
for flute and piano, Op. 53 (1973)
- Fanfare and Berceuse
for trumpet and piano, Op. 54 (1975)
- Ludwigstanz
, Recreation for 6 clarinets, Op. 56 (1975)
- A Gabriel Sonata
for trumpet and organ, Op. 59 (1976)
- Flamboyance
for trumpet (or cornet) and piano, Op. 64 (1977)
- Leprechauns
for 2 oboes and cor anglais, Op. 67 (1978)
- Hejnal
for trumpet and piano, Op. 69 (1979)
- Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 73 (1983)
- Sonatina for violin and piano, Op. 74 (1979)
- Sonata for viola and piano, Op. 78 (1986); premiered by
Cecil Aronowitz
and
Terence Weil
- Three Night Pieces
for trumpet and piano, Op. 81 (1987)
- Partita
for euphonium and piano, Op. 89 (1991)
- Quartet for brass instruments, Op. 91 (1992)
- Piano Quintet, Symphonic Variations for piano and string quartet, Op. 95 (1995, revised 1998)
- Wedding Music
for trumpet and organ, Op. 99 (1996)
- String Quartet, Op. 100 (1997, revised 2011)
- Morris Dancers
for 4 horns, Op. 101 (1997)
- Actaeon's Ride
for woodwind and brass ensemble, Op. 102 (1997, revised 1998); commissioned for, and premiered by the Mayfield Wind Sinfonia, Sheffield.
- Bubu
for English horn, viola and harp, Op. 107 (1999)
- Pastorale
for viola and piano, Op. 112 (2002)
- The Sands of Dee
for double bass and piano, Op. 117
- Three Lyric Pieces
for tuba (or cello, or double bass) and piano, Op. 119 (2003)
- Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 121 (2004)
- Undine
for flute and piano, Op. 128
- Sonata for
bass oboe
(or
heckelphone
) and piano, Op. 132
- Soliloquy
for cello and piano, Op. 136
- Carillon
- Kendal Clock (Tinnitis Aurium Kendaliensis 1189?1989)
for carillon, Op. 84 (1989)
- Organ
- Partita on a German Chorale
, Op. 2 (1947)
- Organ Sonata, Op. 106 (1998)
- Piano
- Lakeland Summer Nights
, Op. 10 (1949)
- Five Caprices
, Op. 23 (1960)
- Schubert Variations
, Op. 114
- Vocal
- Now on Land and Sea descending
for contralto and orchestra, Op. 1 (1947)
- Three German Folk Songs
for tenor and piano, Op. 3 (1947)
- Four Nocturnal Songs
for soprano and piano, Op. 4 (1948)
- The Night Wind
for soprano, clarinet and piano (or orchestra), Op. 38 (1969)
- Ancient Sorceries
for
countertenor
, recorder and harpsichord, Op. 49 (1975)
- The Great Frost
for narrator and orchestra, Op. 94 (1993)
- Choral
- A Moorland Symphony
for bass solo, chorus and orchestra, Op. 32 (1967)
- Trains in the Distance
for speaker, tape, chorus and orchestra, Op. 41 (1971)
- Five Part Songs
for male chorus and piano, Op. 55 (1978)
- Hunter's Moon
, 3 Songs for male voices and piano, Op. 60 (1979)
- The Owl and the Pussy Cat
for chorus, brass band and jazz group, Op. 61 (1979)
- Haworth Moor
, 3 Songs for chorus and piano, Op. 110 (2000)
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
Conway, Paul.
Moorland Symphonies ? An Introduction to the Music of Arthur Butterworth
(Lyrita Books, 2023)
- ^
a
b
"Arthur Butterworth: Composer whose work was suffused with his love of"
.
The Independent
. 26 November 2014
. Retrieved
23 July
2020
.
- ^
"BBC Radio 4 - Last Word, PD James, 'Mad' Frankie Fraser, Glen A Larson, Medlin Lewis-Spencer, Arthur Butterworth MBE"
.
BBC
. Retrieved
23 July
2020
.
- ^
Walker, Lynne
(2 August 2008).
"King Arthur"
.
Classical Music
.
Archived
from the original on 5 June 2011
. Retrieved
1 July
2011
– via MusicWeb International.
- ^
a
b
Conway, Paul (5 December 2014).
"Arthur Butterworth obituary: Composer, conductor and trumpeter with a passion for all things northern"
.
The Guardian
. Retrieved
24 December
2014
.
External links
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