Short bio George Butterworth
Birthday:
1885 in London, England
Died:
1916 in Pozières, France
Active:
1900s - 1910s
Genre:
Classical
Period:
Post-Romantic
Full biography George Butterworth
George Butterworth was an accomplished English composer and musician, born on July 12, 1885, in London. He was considered one of the most promising young composers of his generation, and his contribution to British classical music is widely recognized and celebrated.
Butterworth's musical journey began at Oxford University, where he studied English literature and music. At Oxford, he fell in love with English folk music, and this love affair with the genre would influence his musical style throughout his career. His love for folk music and its influence on his work is most notable in his song cycle settings of A. E. Housman's poems "A Shropshire Lad."
Butterworth's body of work was sadly cut short due to his untimely demise in World War I, but his work left an indelible mark on the British classical music tradition. His most notable work includes the orchestral rhapsody "A Shropshire Lad," his two song cycles, "Love Blows as the Wind Blows" and "Bredon Hill," "The Banks of Green Willow," and "Two English Idylls."
Butterworth's resurgence in popularity brought to light his influence on other renowned British composers, such as Ralph Vaughan Williams. A recording of Butterworth's orchestral rhapsody "A Shropshire Lad" by the London Symphony Orchestra was released in 2018 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of his death.
Although his career was brief, George Butterworth's contribution to British classical music will live on forever, and his legacy continues to inspire generations of composers and musicians in England and beyond.
Compositions featuring George Butterworth
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fantasia for orchestra (incomplete) | 9:08 min | Orchestral | 1914 |
| 2 | The Banks of Green Willow, idyll for orchestra | 6:17 min | Orchestral | 1913 |
| 3 | A Shropshire Lad, rhapsody for string orchestra | 9:42 min | Orchestral | 1912 |
| 4 | Bredon Hill and Other Songs, songs (5) for voice & piano | 13:48 min | Vocal Music | 1912 |
| 5 | Folk Songs (11) from Sussex, arrangements for voice & piano | 18:37 min | Vocal Music | 1912 |
| 6 | Love Blows as the Wind Blows, songs (4) for voice & string quartet (or orchestra) | 10:54 min | Vocal Music | 1912 |
| 7 | With rue my heart is laden, for voice & piano | 2:05 min | Vocal Music | 1912 |
| 8 | English Idylls (2) for orchestra | 9:47 min | Orchestral | 1911 |
| 9 | Requiescat, for voice & piano | 2:54 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 10 | Songs (6) from "A Shropshire Lad," for voice & piano (or orchestra) | 13:23 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 11 | When I was one-and-twenty, for voice & piano | 1:18 min | Vocal Music | 1911 |
| 12 | Suite for string quartet | 16:46 min | Chamber Music | 1910 |
| 13 | I fear thy kisses, song for voice & piano | 2:05 min | Vocal Music | 1909 |
| 14 | Haste on, my joys!, song for voice & piano | 1:44 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 15 | I will make you brooches, song for voice & piano | 2:17 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 16 | On the Idle Hill of Summer, song for voice & piano | 3:19 min | Vocal Music | - |
Albums featuring George Butterworth
| # | Сover | Name album | Year | Music label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Britten, Butterworth, Finzi, Errollyn Wallen - Paul Watkins (Cello), Martyn Brabbins, Donald Runnicles, John Wilson (Conductors); BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra – The Best Of British(CD, Album, Stereo) | 2023 | BBC Music Magazine |
| 2 |  |
Holst / Butterworth / Vaughan Williams, Stokowski, NBC Symphony Orchestra – Stokowski Conducts British Music At The NBC(File, FLAC, Remastered) | 2018 | Pristine Audio |
| 3 |  |
Butterworth, James Rutherford, The BBC National Orchestra Of Wales, Kriss Russmann – Orchestral Music(SACD, Album) | 2016 | BIS |
| 4 |  |
Gurney, Warlock, Butterworth – Heracleitus(CD, Album) | 2016 | EM Records (10) |
| 5 |  |
Butterworth Plus Hamish MacCunn – A Shropshire Lad - Rhapsody / Land Of The Mountain And The Flood | 2015 | BBC Music |
| 6 |  |
Vaughan Williams • Finzi • Gurney • Butterworth - Roderick Williams (3) • Jeremy Irons, City Of London Choir • London Mozart Players, Hilary Davan Wetton – Flowers Of The Field(CD, ) | 2014 | Naxos |
| 7 |  |
George Butterworth, Mark Stone (10), Stephen Barlow – The Complete Butterworth Songbook(CD, Album) | 2010 | Stone Records (16) |
| 8 |  |
George Butterworth, Roderick Williams (3), Iain Burnside – Songs From A Shropshire Lad • Folk Songs From Sussex | 2010 | Naxos |
| 9 |  |
Elgar • Vaughan Williams • Butterworth / London Symphony Orchestra • André Previn – 'Enigma' Variations • Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis • The Wasps (Overture) • The Banks Of Green Willow(CD, Compilation, Remastered) | 2007 | EMI Classics |
| 10 |  |
Sir Adrian Boult, George Butterworth, Herbert Howells, Peter Warlock, Patrick Hadley, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra – Boult Conducts: Butterworth, Howells, Hadley, Warlock(CD, Compilation) | 2007 | Lyrita Recorded Edition |
| 11 |  |
Sir Thomas Allen, Malcolm Martineau, Beethoven, Wolf, Butterworth, Vaughan Williams, Bridge – Songs By Beethoven, Wolf, Butterworth, Vaughan Williams And Bridge(CD, Album) | 2005 | Wigmore Hall Live |
| 12 |  |
Ralph Vaughan Williams, Benjamin Britten, George Butterworth, Sir Edward Elgar, Gustav Holst, Christopher Warren-Green, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – English String Classics(CD, ) | 2004 | Apex |
| 13 |  |
Hallé Orchestra, Mark Elder (2), Lyn Fletcher, George Butterworth, Frederick Delius, Percy Grainger, Joseph Taylor – English Rhapsody: Delius & Butterworth | 2003 | Hallé Concerts Society |
| 14 |  |
Vaughan Williams · Butterworth · Somervell - Christopher Maltman · Roger Vignoles – Songs Of Travel · A Shropshire Lad · A Broken Arc | 2003 | Hyperion |
| 15 |  |
George Butterworth: Six Songs From A Shropshire Lad; Bredon Hill And Other Songs; A Shropshire Lad - Rhapsody; Two English Idylls; The Banks Of The Green Willow(CD, Album, Reissue, Stereo) | 2001 | Decca |
| 16 |  |
Vaughan Williams / George Butterworth Butterworth London Symphony Orchestra, Richard Hickox – A London Symphony: The Original 1913 Version Of Symphony N°.2 | 2001 | Chandos |
| 17 |  |
George Butterworth, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Walter Leigh, Peter Warlock, Gerald Finzi – The Banks of Green Willow(CD, Compilation) | 1999 | BBC Worldwide Music |
| 18 |  |
Vaughan Williams, Warlock, Butterworth, Delius, Elgar, The Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Sir Neville Marriner – Fantasia On Greensleeves | 1997 | Decca |
| 19 |  |
Luxon, Butterworth, Gerald Finzi – Earth & Air & Rain(CD, ) | 1997 | Belart |
| 20 |  |
Walford Davies, Butterworth, Somervell, Geoffrey Bush, Vaughan Williams - Martin Oxenham, Bingham String Quartet, Katharine Durran – Prospice - Songs With Quartet · Piano(CD, Album) | 1994 | Duo (5) |
| 21 |  |
Vaughan Williams, Butterworth - Anthony Rolfe Johnson, David Willison – Songs Of Travel / A Shropshire Lad(CD, Compilation) | 1993 | IMP Classics |
| 22 |  |
Coleridge Taylor, Butterworth, MacCunn, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Grant Llewellyn – Coleridge Taylor · Butterworth · Taylor | 1993 | Argo (2) |
| 23 |  |
Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Ireland, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, David Willison – Songs Of Travel / A Shropshire Lad / The Land Of Lost Content & Others Songs | 1993 | IMP Classics |
| 24 |  |
Vaughan Williams • Elgar • Butterworth / Thomas Allen • Robert Tear • City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra • Simon Rattle • Vernon Handley – Songs Of Travel • On Wenlock Edge • Orchestral Songs | 1993 | EMI Classics |
| 25 |  |
Carlos Kleiber, Giuseppe Verdi, Alban Berg, George Butterworth, Cotrubas, Aragall, Bruson, Bavarian State Opera Orchestra, WDR Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra – La Traviata / Wozzeck (Excerpts) / English Idyll N. 1(2×CD, Compilation) | 1993 | Artists Live Recordings |
| 26 |  |
Elgar, Butterworth, Delius, Britten, Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Adrian Boult – English Classics(CD, Compilation) | 1992 | HMV Classics |
| 27 |  |
George Butterworth, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Brian Rayner Cook, Clifford Benson – Songs Cycles By Vaughan Williams And Butterworth(CD, Album) | 1991 | Unicorn-Kanchana |
| 28 |  |
Thomas Allen, Geoffrey Parsons (2) - Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Quilter – On The Idle Hill Of Summer - English Songs By Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Quilter | 1990 | Virgin Classics |
| 29 |  |
Butterworth, Gurney - Luxon, Willison – Butterworth & Gurney Songs (When I Was One-And-Twenty)(CD, Album, Stereo) | 1990 | Chandos |
| 30 |  |
Peter Warlock, George Butterworth, Benjamin Britten, Sir Neville Marriner, The Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields – Warlock: Capriol Suite; Butterworth: A Shropshire Lad(CD, Album) | 1989 | London Records |
| 31 |  |
William Boughton, English Symphony Orchestra • English String Orchestra - Elgar, Butterworth, Britten, Holst, Bridge, Finzi, Vaughan Williams, Delius, Parry, Warlock – The Spirit Of England(4×CD, Compilation, Special Edition, Stereo, Ambisonic) | 1989 | Nimbus Records |
| 32 |  |
Vaughan Williams / Butterworth - Shura Gehman, Adrian Farmer – English Songs (Songs Of Travel / A Shropshire Lad / And Other Songs)(CD, Album, Stereo, Ambisonic) | 1988 | Nimbus Records |
| 33 |  |
Neville Dilkes, English Sinfonia, Ernest John Moeran, George Butterworth – Symphony In G Minor Etc. | 1988 | EMI |
| 34 |  |
Butterworth, Parry, Bridge, English String Orchestra Conducted By William Boughton – A Shropshire Lad ● The Banks Of Green Willow | 1987 | Nimbus Records |
| 35 |  |
Jeffrey Tate, English Chamber Orchestra, Butterworth, Bridge, Moeran With Ann Murray, Bax – The Banks Of Green Willow(LP, Album, Stereo) | 1987 | EMI Digital |
| 36 |  |
George Butterworth / Ralph Vaughan Williams - Graham Trew, Roger Vignoles – Songs Of Travel | 1982 | Hyperion |
| 37 |  |
Holst - London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn, George Butterworth, Ralph Vaughan Williams – André Previn Conducts Holst(Cassette, Album, Compilation) | 1982 | His Master's Voice |
| 38 |  |
Elgar / Delius / Warlock / Vaughan Williams / Butterworth, The Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner – Serenade / On Hearing the First Cuckoo / Capriol Suite / Tallis Fantasia / The Banks Of Green Willow(LP, Compilation, Stereo) | 1982 | Argo (2) |
| 39 |  |
John Shirley-Quirk, Vaughan Williams, Butterworth – A Recital Of English Songs(LP, Stereo) | 1980 | Saga (5) |
| 40 |  |
Vaughan Williams / Elgar / Butterworth, Robert Tear, City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Vernon Handley – On Wenlock Edge (Version With Orchestra) / Songs With Orchestra / Love Blows As The Wind Blows(LP, Album, Stereo) | 1980 | His Master's Voice |
| 41 |  |
Walton / Finzi / Butterworth, Edith Sitwell, Constant Lambert, Sir William Walton / Joan Cross / Roy Henderson (2) – Façade (excerpts) / Dies Natalis / A Shropshire Lad(LP, Compilation, Mono) | 1979 | Decca |
| 42 |  |
Frank Bridge, Bantock, Butterworth, Norman Del Mar, Bournemouth Sinfonietta – Bridge, Bantock & Butterworth | 1979 | RCA Red Seal |
| 43 |  |
Scenes From Watership Down(LP) | 1978 | Argo (2) |
| 44 |  |
Herbert Howells, George Butterworth, New Philharmonia Orchestra, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult – Merry Eve / Elegy / Music For A Prince / Two English Idylls / The Banks Of Green Willow / A Shropshire Lad(LP, Album, Stereo) | 1977 | HNH Records |
| 45 |  |
Butterworth / Britten, The Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Neville Marriner – A Shropshire Lad • Two English Idylls / The Banks Of Green Willow / Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge | 1976 | Argo (2) |
| 46 |  |
Butterworth / Finzi - Benjamin Luxon, David Willison – A Shropshire Lad / Earth And Air And Rain | 1976 | Argo (2) |
| 47 |  |
Britten / Butterworth / Elgar / Tippett / Vaughan Williams - The Academy Of St. Martin-in-the-Fields / Neville Marriner – A Festival Of English Music(4×LP, Compilation, Stereo, Box Set, ) | 1976 | Argo (2) |
| 48 |  |
George Butterworth, John Ireland, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, David Willison – A Shropshire Lad / The Land of Lost Content(LP) | 1975 | Polydor |
| 49 |  |
Walter Leigh, John Ireland, George Butterworth, Peter Warlock, E. J. Moeran, Neville Dilkes Conducting The English Sinfonia – Concertino For Harpsichord And Strings / The Holy Boy / Two English Idylls / Capriol Suite / Lonely Waters / Whythorne's Shadow(L | 1972 | His Master's Voice |
| 50 |  |
Walton / Butterworth / Bax / Vaughan Williams, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Adrian Boult – Festival Of English Music Vol. 2: Portsmouth Point ∙ Siesta ∙ Scapino / A Shropshire Lad ∙ The Banks Of Green Willow / Tintagel / The Wasps - Overture | 1972 | Decca |
| 51 |  |
George Butterworth / Hamilton Harty / Frank Bridge / Arnold Bax - Neville Dilkes Conducting The English Sinfonia – A Shropshire Lad / The Banks Of Green Willow / A John Field Suite / There Is A Willow Grows Aslant A Brook / Dance In The Sunlight | 1971 | His Master's Voice |
| 52 |  |
John Shirley-Quirk - Purcell, Butterworth, Humfrey, Moeran - Martin Isepp, Nona Liddell, Ivor McMahon, Ambrose Gauntlett – A Recital Of English Songs | 1966 | Saga (5) |
| 53 |  |
Vaughan Williams / Sir John Barbirolli, Hallé Orchestra – Symphony In D Minor, No.8 / The Garden Of Fand / A Shropshire Lad | 1959 | Mercury |
| 54 |  |
Butterworth, Bax, Sir John Barbirolli, Hallé Orchestra – A Shropshire Lad - Orchestral Rhapsody; The Garden Of Fand(10", 33 ⅓ RPM, Mono) | 1957 | Pye Records |
| 55 |  |
Sir Adrian Boult, Gustav Holst, Arnold Bax, George Butterworth, The London Philharmonic Orchestra – A Concert Of English Music(LP, Mono) | 1956 | London Records |
| 56 |  |
Butterworth / Holst - The London Philharmonic Orchestra Conducted By Sir Adrian Boult – The Perfect Fool Ballet Suite / A Shropshire Lad - Rhapsody(LP, 10", Mono) | 1955 | Decca |
| 57 |  |
George Butterworth / Hamilton Harty / Frank Bridge / Arnold Bax - Neville Dilkes Conducting The English Sinfonia – A Shropshire Lad / The Banks Of Green Willow / A John Field Suite / There Is A Willow Grows Aslant A Brook / Dance In The Sunlight(Cassette, | - | His Master's Voice |
| 58 |  |
John Cameron, Gerald Moore, Butterworth – Butterworth : A Shropshire Lad(LP, 10", Mono) | - | His Master's Voice |
| 59 |  |
British Youth Symphony Orchestra, Butterworth, Dvořák, Kabalevsky – Butterworth, Dvořák, Kabalevsky(LP, Album) | - | Indigo (10) |
| 60 |  |
John Carol Case / Arthur Somervell / Daphne Ibbott / George Butterworth – Farewell Recital / Maud / A Shropshire Lad(LP) | - | Pearl |
| 61 |  |
Vaughan Williams / Elgar • Delius • Warlock • Butterworth • Academy Of St Martin-In-The-Fields • Neville Marriner – Fantasia On Greensleeves / Serenade(CD, Compilation, Reissue, Remastered, Special Edition) | - | Decca |
| 62 |  |
Robert Tear, Philip Ledger - Vaughan Williams, George Butterworth, Benjamin Luxon – Songs Of Travel · Blake Songs · Linden Lea · The Water Mill · Orpheus With His Lute · Six Songs From A Shropshire Lad(CD, Compilation, Remastered, Stereo) | - | London Records |
| 63 |  |
Elgar, Walton, Butterworth, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Beinum, Boult – Festival Of English Music(LP, Compilation, Mono) | - | Ace Of Clubs |
Videos featuring George Butterworth
Sir Granville Bantock - Comedy Overture "The Pierrot of the Minute" (1908)
Sir Granville Bantock (7 August 1868 – 16 October 1946) was an English composer.
Comedy Overture, Pierrot of the Minute (1908)
after Ernest Dowson (1867-1900)
The Bournemouth Sinfonietta conducted by Norman del Mar
Summer
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
Summer · Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Bantock: Piettor of the Minute (The) - Bridge: Summer - Suite for String Orchestra
℗ 1979 Chandos
Released on: 1979-11-01
Conductor: Norman Del Mar
Orchestra: Bournemouth Sin
The Banks of Green Willow
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
The Banks of Green Willow · Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Bantock: Piettor of the Minute (The) - Bridge: Summer - Suite for String Orchestra
℗ 1979 Chandos
Released on: 1979-11-01
Conductor: Norman Del Mar
Orchest
There is a Willow Grows Aslant a Brook
Provided to YouTube by NAXOS of America
There is a Willow Grows Aslant a Brook · Bournemouth Sinfonietta
Bantock: Piettor of the Minute (The) - Bridge: Summer - Suite for String Orchestra
℗ 1979 Chandos
Released on: 1979-11-01
Conductor: Norman De
Leave a Reply