The innumerable dance : The life and work of William Alwyn
Wright, Adrian200809UU
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Place reservation for The innumerable dance : The life and work of William AlwynA biography of William Alwyn that sets his works in full context. It gives an account of his marriages, his operas and his relationship with Britten. This book is the first full-scale biography of William Alwyn since his death in 1985. Alwyn's early life as a flautist was altered when he became a leading composer of the Documentary Film Movement in the 1930s, going on to a prolific career in writing for feature films, including commissions for Walt Disney and Carol Reed. By the mid 1950s his reputation was established by the beginning of his four-symphony cycle, his many tone poems, concertos, chamber and piano pieces. An habitue of the London film studios and concert halls, and a prominent professor at the Royal Academy of Music, a major crisis in Alwyn's life precipitated an escape to the Suffolk coast in 1960, where he turned his back on film music and immersed himself in the writing of operas (including Miss Julie), poetry, essays, fiction and painting. Adrian Wright's book balances detailed analysis of Alwyn's work with a vivid account of his marriages to the musician Olive Pull and the composer Doreen Carwithen, relationships that profoundly affected the course of his career. Using a mass of hitherto unpublished material (including an unexpurgated version of his noted Ariel to Miranda) and interviews with prominent figures in Alwyn's life, the volume places his achievements in the musical context of his time, along the way dealing with his relationship with Benjamin Britten, and such hitherto almost unknown works as Don Juan, The Fairy Fiddler, and the radio opera Farewell, Companions. Adrian Wright is the author of the acclaimed "Foreign Country: The Life of L.P. Hartley" (1996) and "John Lehmann: A Pagan Adventure" (1998), and is a contributor to "The New Dictionary of National Biography".Review: Wright provides a direct, detailed chronicle of Alwyn's life...(which) fills in many gaps...the book is an engaging read and should encourage people to explore Alwyn's music. GRAMOPHONEAn intriguing overview of one of England's important composers. FILM SCORE MONTHLY.
Main title:
The innumerable dance : The life and work of William Alwyn / Adrian Wright.
Author:
Imprint:
Woodbridge : The Boydell Press : [distributor] Boydell & Brewer Ltd : [distributor] Central Book Services : [distributor] Central Book Services : [distributor] Stephan Phillips : [distributor] Boydell & Brewer, 2008.
Collation:
364 p. : 40 black and white ; 24x16x3 cm.
Notes:
Hardback. With dust jacket.Originally published in: 2008.
ISBN:
9781843834120 (hbk)184383412X (hbk)
Dewey class:
780.92
Language:
English
Subject:
Index terms:
Alwyn, William
BRN:
3728451
Bookmark link:
More Information:
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Total copies: 1
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Place reservation for The innumerable dance : The life and work of William Alwyn