Christian Darnton

Christian Darnton (also called Baron von Schunck) (born October 30, 1905 near Leeds ; † April 14, 1981 ibid) was an English composer.

Life

Christian Darnton was born near Leeds on October 30th.

Darnton was a student of Benjamin Dale , Harry Farjeon , Cyril Rootham and Charles Wood . He studied bassoon and conducting at the Royal College of Music and finally composition in Berlin with Max Butting until 1929. In 1929 he married the painter Joan Bell and began his first symphony on his honeymoon in Tyrol. In the 1930s he became an assistant to Edwin Evans and a close friend of Constant Lamberts and Alan Rawsthornes.

By 1940 he wrote a wealth of experimental and avant-garde works. During the Second World War, when he professed communism, he mainly devoted himself to composing film music. After he had distanced himself from communism in 1956, he undertook extensive trips; No compositions were created during this time. In the last years of his life from 1970 onwards he wrote several great works, including the orchestral concerto and his fourth symphony.

Darnton died on April 14, 1981 in Leeds.

Works (selection)

• Concertino for piano and chamber orchestra, 1926
• 1st Symphony , 1929–31
• Piano concerto , 1933
• Concerto for viola and strings , 1933–35
• Harp Concerto , 1934
• Suite concertante for violin and chamber orchestra, 1936
• Five orchestral pieces , 1938
• Swansong , five songs for soprano and orchestra, 1938
• 2nd Symphony (Anagram) , 1939-40
• Ballad of Freedom , Cantata, 1941-52
• Stalingrad , Overture, 1943
• 3rd Symphony in D major , 1944–45, rev. 1961
• Fantasy Fair , Opera, 1949-51
• Jet Pilot , Cantata, 1952
• Concerto for Orchestra , 1970–73
• 4th Symphony , 1975-79

Web links

• Christian Darnton in the Internet Movie Database (English)