ALWYN, William
b. 7. Nov. 1905 Northampton (UK)
d 11. Sept. 1985 Southwold, aged eighty
Alwyn website

He was educated at the Royal Academy of Music, gaining scholarships in flute and composition. Later he also studied piano, introducing to England many new works of Ravel, Roussel and Goossens. He was professor of composition at the Royal Academy from 1926 to 1956 and was a Fellow there. Many works have been commissioned from him and he has written much film music. He was chairman of the Composers’ Guild and was a member of the Council of the Performing Right Society.

1927 (22)

Five Preludes for orchestra

1930 (25)

Piano Concerto

1936 (31)

Marriage of Heaven and Hell, choral work

1939 (34)

Violin Concerto

Rhapsody, for piano quartet

Sonata-Impromptu, for violin and viola

1940 (35)

Masquerade, overture

Divertimento for solo flute

1942 (37)

Concerto Grosso No 1

1943 (38)

Pastoral Fantasia, for viola and strings

1945 (40)

Concerto for oboe, harp and strings

1946 (41)

Suite of Scottish Dances

1947 (42)

Manchester Suite, for orchestra

Three Songs (Louis MacNeice)

Piano Sonata

1948 (43)

Three Winter Poems, for string quartet

1949 (44)

Symphony No 1

1951 (46)

Festival March

Concerto Grosso No 2

1953 (48)

Symphony No 2

The Magic Island, symphonic prelude

1954 (49)

Lyra Angelica, for harp and strings

1955 (50)

Autumn Legend, for English horn and strings

1956 (51)

Symphony No 3

1957 (52)

Elizabethan Dances, for orchestra

1959 (54)

Symphony No 4

1964 (59)

Concerto Grosso No 3

1966 (61)

Derby Day, overture

1970 (65)

Sinfonietta for strings

1973 (68)

Symphony No 5, Hydriotaphia

1974 (69)

Mirages, song cycle

1976 (71)

Six Nocturnes, for baritone and orchestra

String Quartet No 2 ‘Spring Waters’

Moto Perpetuo, for recorders

1977 (72)

Miss Julie, opera

What Shall We Do With a Drunken Sailor, vocal

1979 (74)

Green Hills, piano solo

1980 (75)

Leave Taking, song cycle

Rhapsody for piano, violin, viola and cello

String Quartet No 3