Music for the Masses
Donald Macleod focuses on how, at the age 40, William Walton was conscripted and ended up serving the nation with his music during World War Two.
Donald Macleod explores Walton's war years.
As wartime loomed, in the summer of 1939, Walton composed what was to be his last work of significance until after the war. He described his first Violin Concerto as a declaration of love for his partner. Then, at the age 40, William Walton was conscripted. After a period of driving ambulances, rather badly it seems, he was exempted from military service so he could write music for propaganda films for the Ministry of Information.
One of his most popular works, the Spitfire Prelude and Fugue, was composed for the film, The First of the Few, about the story of Spitfire designer, RJ Mitchell. The film's popularity saw Walton being asked to provide music for a screen version of Shakespeare's Henry V starring Laurence Olivier, one of the most successful films in the history of British cinema. Olivier said, "The music has more guts, more attack and more venom than one would have thought was hidden in Walton's personality." The collaboration saw Walton and Olivier become life-long friends.
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Music Played
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William Walton
'Spitfire' Prelude And Fugue For Orchestra - Prelude
Performer: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.- CHANDOS : CHAN-8870-.
- CHANDOS.
- 1.
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William Walton
Concerto In B Minor For Violin And Orchestra - Allegro
Performer: Yehudi Menuhin. Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: André Previn.- EMI CLASSICS : 5855-62 2.
- EMI CLASSICS.
- 1.
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William Walton
Escape Me Never - Suite From The Film, Arr. Christopher Palmer extracts
Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.- CHANDOS : CHAN-8870-.
- CHANDOS.
- 12.
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William Walton
Henry V - A Shakespeare Scenario Compiled & Arr C Palmer - Agincourt
Singer: Samuel West. Orchestra: BBC S O.. Conductor: Leonard Slatkin. Choir: Trinity Boys Choir.![]()
William Walton
Quartet In A Minor For Strings - Andante tranquillo
Performer: Britten String Quartet.- COLLINS : 12802-.
- COLLINS.
- 4.
Broadcast
- Wed 5 Aug 201512:00BBC Radio 3
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