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Sir William Turner Walton, O.M.
It is with sadness we learn of the death of Lady Walton on 21 March 2010, at age 83. Please see the full obituary.
Welcome to the Internet's premier resource dedicated to the life and works of William Walton (1902–1983). In the late 1920s and '30s, Walton was considered the most important English composer of his generation, with a unique style built on Romantic passion, Classical structure, sweeping melody, dissonant yet tonal harmony, jazz-infused rhythmic vitality, and brilliant orchestration. Walton's compositions from these decades—most notably the chamber entertainment Façade, the Viola Concerto, the cantata Belshazzar's Feast, the Symphony No. 1, and the Violin Concerto—have never left the standard repertory. Walton's works composed after World War II—including the String Quartet in A minor, the tragic opera Troilus and Cressida, the Cello Concerto, the Symphony No. 2, and the orchestral Variations on a Theme by Hindemith—were not as well received at the time, but in recent decades many have taken their rightful place as masterworks of the mid-twentieth century. Walton is also considered among the greatest of English film composers, including a noteworthy score to Henry V. An eminently congenial man, Walton lived the last half of his life on the tranquil Mediterranean island of Ischia. This website is intended as a monument to one of the twentieth century's great composers.
Site last updated 22 March 2010
Unless otherwise indicated, all material on these pages is © 1997–2010 Gary D. Cannon, and may be reprinted free of charge with reference to WilliamWalton.net and appropriate acknowledgment to the author.
The Walton photo on this title page is © Classical Net, and is posted here in accordance with the copyright information on their pages at www.classical.net.
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