This bio-bibliography of one the most important contemporary British composers begins with a brief biographical sketch. Works and first performances are listed alphabetically by title, and each entry is followed by the relevant bibliographic citation numbers. The discography includes sound recordings in all formats. The major portion of the work, the bibliography, is divided into articles and reviews; books, theses, and dissertations; articles by Walton; and films. The archival section lists collections of Walton’s music manuscripts, letters, and miscellanea. Two appendices contain a chronological listing of works and first performances, and a works lists arranged by classification. An index of individuals and performance ensembles completes the work, which will serve as a significant addition to university libraries and departments of music.
William Turner Walton (1902-1983) was born in Oldham, England. He showed an early talent for composition and had written several significant works by 1916. Following his failure to graduate from Oxford, Walton took up residence with the Sitwell family in Chelsea and embarked upon one of the most productive phases of his career. Acclaimed as a milestone in British choral music, Belshazzar’s Feast premiered in 1931, and its instant success established Walton firmly among the ranks of important contemporary British composers. Subsequently, Walton began work on his Symphony No. 1 and simultaneously wrote his first film score, one of many first-class scores he composed for movies including As You Like It, Henry V, and Chekhov’s Three Sisters. Walton traveled to Argentina in 1948, where he met and married his wife Susana. The couple returned to London, but soon relocated to a villa on Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples. Another fruitful period ensued, marked by many important commissions. The composer died in 1983, and a foundation was later established for the purpose of transforming the villa into a performing arts center.
