Not everything Walton wrote was great. But when Walton was on his game he is legitimately writing some of the best music of the 20th century. The Prologue and the two foxtrots are such a game day
The wartime film music of William Walton is difficult to find now. 'Went the Day Well' & 'The Foreman went to France' contain some of his best work. Good to hear this.
Foxtrots, my favorite section, starts at around 14:45! Two tunes here. So groovy! Love the way the movements are so easily accessed by clicking on the time. :)
@@gerritliskow2399 Gadzookers, Walton was so good! Reminds me of Popular Song from his Facade Suite. Same kind of humor. I'm working on some variations of my own music in a Dance Suite about the woods area near me. Small ensemble instruments.
There's some wonderful music in this suite but I agree the Foxtrots were a revelation. They should have been used in the for 1997 TV serialization of A Dance To The Music Of Time
utterly fantastic. Never heard it played with such gusto! Some of it is in the recording. Some in the arrangement! I've heard other versions, but they don't beat this for feeling! CHEERS!
A lot of William Walton's work is difficult to find. Have to say The Prologue is equally impressive played on a large organ. Same applies to Walton's Spitfire fugue which was originally an orchestral piece.
me parecen estupendas las tres obras q conozco de este compositor aunque amo la música clásica nunca abia escuchado de él hasta el pasado domingo en la estación cultural de universidad nicolíita con otra obra q ojala se pudiera subir al you tube la obra es alondra silvestre gracias
Just occurred to me that the root melody of Foxtrots sure sounds like "Goodbye, Jimmy Goodbye," a sort of folk song. Anyone else note that? It is obvious in the last section of the song at about 16:25. :)
The tune he uses there is from the song "All Over the Place" by Andrew Eyton and Noel Gay, which was popular in the UK at the time, as it was apparently used in a wartime Tommy Trinder film. "Goodbye, Jimmy Goodbye" wasn't written till the late '50s, but there is a bit of a similarity in the melody - I see what you mean! Maybe the former indirectly inspired the latter? Here's a link to "All Over the Place" for a comparison: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-9xxxVzrReXQ.html
Surely Britains foremost C20 composer ? Overshadowed by 'Battle of Britain' unfortunately, this music from his wartime work is up there with his best work although sadly now largely unknown. Our foremost C20 composer ? I think so.
I've always thought Walton is hugely underrated, and light years ahead of the likes of Britten, hugely and unfairly overrated. Foremest C20 composer...'fraid not, you're forgetting George Lloyd, and Havergal Brian!
@@paulputnam8211 Well yes Paul, a massive body iof work indeed....but look at the range, examples of almost every musical form to mention, from small intimate pieces to works of immense scale. These are the hallmarks of a giant, and I firmly believe however ignored he is and has been, that will not always be the case. Leopold Stokowski was no fool, he saw Brian for who he was, as Walt Disney knew when he used Stokowski for Fantasia.
As much as adore Walton's music, I have to disagree with the synopsis above that states he is "by far the most recognized British composer after Elgar" surely that must be RVW. Who was arguably better than Elgar himself. Check out the RVW Society.
He was doing a job. The films were made to inspire the population at a very difficult time in our history & some uplifting music was required. Walton supplied it.
@@paulputnam8211 I completely agree. Walton is not celebrating war no more than the serene Vaughan Williams Symphony #5 written and premiered during WWII celebrated war.
@@paulschlitz5256 Absolutely! Walton is not glorifying war, but inspiring resistance to an evil dictator Adolph Hitler. Which with many allies we did. Otherwise we would have allowed the world to fall into a ‘nightmare’ - to quote Churchill.
The programme note aptly describes these pieces as "vignettes of civilian life during this dreadful conflict". The films for which Walton provided music focused on life on the home front and people's resolve to maintain some semblance of normal life during WWII.
Sorry Mr Logan but you have completely missed the point. Walton isn't "gleefully celebrating" war or anything else. Civilian life went on during WW2. (My late mother had fond memories of dancing the foxtrot with off-duty Polish fighter pilots). This suite is mainly taken from music Walton was commissioned to write for films about life on the "home front".
