Short bio Arthur Butterworth
Full biography Arthur Butterworth
Arthur Butterworth was an English composer, conductor, trumpeter, and teacher who was born on August 4, 1923. He passed away on November 20, 2014, at the age of 91. Butterworth was a prolific and hardworking composer who produced over 150 scores for a variety of musical forces. He wrote mainly to commissions which were widely performed. He wrote extensively for the brass band movement, writing several important pieces , including Odin, which is regarded as a masterpiece.
Butterworth's symphonies also gained a considerable following, numbering one to eight in total, and his music for wind band is widely performed. His music was championed by famous conductors such as Sir John Barbirolli. Despite his large output, Butterworth remained relatively unknown outside of banding and his local area for most of his life.
Apart from being a composer, Butterworth was also a conductor, working with orchestras such as the Manchester Symphony Orchestra and the Hallé Youth Orchestra. He was also a trumpet player and music teacher.
A new biography of Arthur Butterworth written by Andrew Woolcock, a freelance writer and an acknowledged specialist in 20th century music , was released in May 2023. The book was called "Moorland Symphonies: An introduction to the music of Arthur Butterworth."
Compositions featuring Arthur Butterworth
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 121 | 16:34 min | Chamber Music | 2004 |
| 2 | Rêverie for recorder, harp & string orchestra, Op. 113a ("Farewell Manchester") | 3:49 min | Concerto | 2000 |
| 3 | Viola Concerto, Op. 82 | 39:11 min | Concerto | 1988 |
| 4 | Symphony No. 4, Op. 72 | 41:43 min | Symphony | 1986 |
| 5 | Summer Music, bassoon & orchestra, Op. 77 | 20:13 min | Concerto | 1985 |
| 6 | Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 73 | 21:07 min | Chamber Music | 1983 |
| 7 | Sonata for viola & piano, Op. 78 | 18:32 min | Chamber Music | 198? |
| 8 | Triton Suite, for brass, Op. 46 | 11:53 min | Chamber Music | 1972 |
| 9 | Symphony No. 2, Op. 25 | 28:08 min | Symphony | 1964 |
| 10 | Symphony No. 1, Op. 15 | 38:21 min | Symphony | 1957 |
| 11 | Romanza, for horn & strings | 9:38 min | Concerto | 1954 |
| 12 | Lakeland Summer Nights, suite for piano, Op. 10 | 10:09 min | Keyboard | 1949 |
| 13 | Ancient Sorceries, for voice, cello, harpsichord & recorder | 13:22 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 14 | Aubade, for flute & piano, Op. 53 | 5:01 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 15 | The Path Across the Moors, for orchestra | 6:50 min | Orchestral | - |
Albums featuring Arthur Butterworth
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Symphony No.1 (1956) : Symphony No.2 (1964) : Symphony No.4 (1986)(2×CD, Album, Stereo, Mono) | 2016 | Lyrita Recorded Edition |
| 2 |  |
Brass Partout / Hermann Bäumer - Elgar, Butterworth, Bourgeois, Tavener, Pickard, Turnage – Black Castles (British Music For Brass)(CD, Album) | 2007 | BIS |
| 3 |  |
Arthur Butterworth, The Terroni Piano Trio With Morgan Goff – Piano Trio No. 1 / Piano Trio No. 2 / Viola Sonata(CD, Compilation) | 2006 | Dutton Epoch |
| 4 |  |
Fogg, Addison, Hope, Butterworth – Graham Salvage / Royal Ballet Sinfonia / Gavin Sutherland (3) / Arthur Butterworth – English Bassoon Concertos(CD, Album) | 2001 | ASV Digital |
| 5 |  |
Arthur Butterworth • Ruth Gipps — Münchner Symphoniker / Douglas Bostock – Butterworth Symphony No. 1 • Gipps Symphony No. 2(CD, Album) | 1999 | Classico |
| 6 |  |
Besses O' Th' Barn Band, Ifor James / Gustav Holst / George Butterworth / John Ireland – English Brass | 1976 | Pye Records |
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