Short bio Rutland Boughton
Full biography Rutland Boughton
Rutland Boughton (1878-1960) was an English composer who gained recognition in the early 20th century for his operas and symphonies. He was born in Aylesbury, England, and studied at the Royal College of Music in London. Although he received formal training, much of his musical education was self-taught.
Boughton is known for his interest in composing music dramas, which he believed had the potential to convey profound spiritual and moral messages to audiences. His best-known work in this genre is the opera "The Immortal Hour," which was based on the play of the same name by Fiona MacLeod. This piece was performed a total of 216 times, making it the longest-running opera written by an English composer.
Boughton also wrote a series of music dramas based on the Arthurian legends , which he referred to as the "Bread and Circuses" cycle. The first of these dramas, "The Birth of Arthur," was performed in 1909, followed by "The Round Table" in 1910 and "The Lily Maid" in 1911.
In addition to his work as a composer, Boughton was also a singing teacher, choral conductor, and writer. He was known for his support of English music and musicians and was a founder of the Glastonbury Festivals. Despite his contributions to English music, he is not widely recognized outside of musicological circles.
Compositions featuring Rutland Boughton
| # | Name | Duration | Genre | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trumpet Concerto | 20:39 min | Concerto | 1943 |
| 2 | Songs (3) without Words for oboe & string trio | 9:07 min | Chamber Music | 1937 |
| 3 | Quartet for oboe & string trio No. 1 | 14:59 min | Chamber Music | 1932 |
| 4 | String Quartet in F major ("From the Welsh Hills") | 27:39 min | Chamber Music | 1923 |
| 5 | String Quartet in A major ("On Greek Folk Songs") | 27:21 min | Vocal Music | 1923 |
| 6 | The Immortal Hour, opera | Opera | 1914 | |
| 7 | Love and Spring, tone poem for orchestra, Op. 23 | 13:28 min | Orchestral | 1906 |
| 8 | A Summer Night, tone poem for orchestra, Op. 5 | 13:31 min | Orchestral | 1903 |
| 9 | Troilus & Cressida (Thou & I), tone poem for orchestra, Op. 17 | 12:14 min | Orchestral | 1902 |
| 10 | The Coastwise Lights (from Songs of the English), for voice & orchestra | 3:28 min | Vocal Music | 1901 |
| 11 | Fair is Our Lot (from Songs of the English), for voice & orchestra | 4:24 min | Vocal Music | 1901 |
| 12 | The Price of Admiralty (from Songs of the English), for voice & orchestra | 3:26 min | Vocal Music | 1901 |
| 13 | Symphony, No 3 in B minor | 36:18 min | Symphony | - |
| 14 | Symphony No. 2 ("Deirdre" A Celtic Symphony) | 34:36 min | Symphony | - |
| 15 | Symphony No. 1 "Oliver Cromwell" | 37:02 min | Symphony | - |
| 16 | Symbol Songs (5), for voice & piano | 12:39 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 17 | The Queen of Cornwall, opera in 2 acts | 113:33 min | Opera | - |
| 18 | Sweet Ass, for voice & piano | 1:51 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 19 | Songs (4) for voice & piano, Op. 24 | 11:26 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 20 | Songs of Womanhood (5) for voice & piano, Op. 33 | 17:28 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 21 | Songs (3) for voice & piano Op. 39 | 10:23 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 22 | Somerset Pastoral, for oboe | 4:01 min | Chamber Music | - |
| 23 | Folk Dances (3) for orchestra | 5:56 min | Orchestral | - |
| 24 | Faery Song, for voice & piano (or orchestra) | 1:53 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 25 | Concerto for string orchestra | 32:04 min | Concerto | - |
| 26 | Concerto for oboe, No 1 in C | 19:08 min | Concerto | - |
| 27 | Concerto for flute & strings in D major | 15:36 min | Concerto | - |
| 28 | Celtic Love Songs (5) for voice & piano | 16:38 min | Vocal Music | - |
| 29 | Bethlehem (choral drama adapted from the Coventry Nativity Play) | 79:14 min | Choral | - |
| 30 | Aylesbury Games | 22:37 min | Orchestral | - |
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