Malcolm Williamson (composer)
Malcolm Benjamin Graham Christopher Williamson , CBE (born November 21, 1931 in Sydney , † March 2, 2003 in Cambridge ) was an Australian composer.
Life
Williamson studied at the Sydney Conservatory with Sir Eugène Aynsley Goossens until 1944 . From the age of eighteen he lived mainly in England, where he worked as an organist and at times also as a bar pianist . He studied here with Elisabeth Lutyens from 1953 and later with Erwin Stein . In the mid-1950s his first compositions were made famous by Adrian Boult and Benjamin Britten .
His first breakthrough came with his first two operas, Our Man in Havana (1963) and English Ecentries (1964), as well as his violin concerto (1964). He also mastered the music education . His works for children The Happy Prince and the miniature operas in concert are popular educational projects. In 1977 the bestseller of children's literature, the novella Watership Down , was produced as an animated film, for which he composed the film music. His last cycle, A Year of Birds , was successfully premiered at the 1995 Proms .
After the death of Sir Arthur Bliss , he became the nineteenth Master of the Queen's Music - and was the first and so far only non-Briton in this position. In 1977 and 1992 he was called to compose for the Queen's anniversaries and Princess Diana's funeral.
Williamson's works have been broadcast regularly on BBC radio.
Awards
- In 1976 Williamson was named Commander of the British Empire
- Appointed Officer of Australia in 1986
- In 1982 the University of Melbourne awarded him an honorary doctorate in music.
- In 1989 he received the Sir Bernard Heinze Memorial Award .
Stage works
- The Display , Ballet, 1963
- Our Man in Havana , Opera, 1963
- English Eccentries , Opera, 1964
- The Violins of Saint Jacques , opera, 1966
- The Happy Prince , children's opera
Instrumental works
- First Symphony ( Elavimini ), 1956-57
- Second Symphony , 1969
- The Icy Mirror (Third Symphony), 1972
- Fourth Symphony , 1977
- Fifth Symphony , 1980
- Sixth Symphony , 1981-82
- Seventh Symphony , 1984
- Piano Concerto no 2 , 1960
- Third Piano Concerto , 1962
- Five Preludes , for piano, 1966
- Piano Quintet , 1968
- Overture 'Santiago de Espada' , 1957
- Sinfonia Concertante , 1958-61
- Organ Concerto , 1961
- Vision of Christ-Phoenix for organ, 1962
- Violin Concerto , 1964
- Sinfonietta , 1965
- Pas de Quatre for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and piano, 1967
- From a Child's Garden , song cycle, 1968
- Mass of Christ the King , 1978
- Lento for Strings , 1985
- The True Endeavor for speaker, choir and orchestra, 1988
- The Dawn is at Hand , choral symphony based on poems by Oodgeroo Noonuccal , 1988
- With Proud Thanksgiving , 1995
- A Year of Birds , 1995
Film music
- The Brides of Dracula , soundtrack, 1960
- Crescendo - The Handwriting of Satan , soundtrack, 1969
- The Horror of Frankenstein , film music
- The Masks of Death , film music
Works for the Royal Family
- Ode for Queen Elizabeth , 1980
- Lament in Memory for Lord Mountbatten of Burma , 1980
Individual evidence
- ↑ Malcolm Williamson, Works Weinberger Catalog
- ↑ Malcolm Williamson on hyperion-records.co.uk
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Williamson, Malcolm |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Williamson, Malcolm Benjamin Graham Christopher |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Australian composer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 21, 1931 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Sydney |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 2, 2003 |
| Place of death | Cambridge |