# Most well known british compsoers?



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

I've recently discovered one of the most selections I have of any country not counting the Germans or Russians is the British, particularly composers like Vaughan Williams, Delius, Bax, Walton, Britten, and I was wondering who else I might enjoy?


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## Stargazer (Nov 9, 2011)

Henry Purcell, John Rutter, Handel (I say he's British enough!), William Byrd, John Dowland, Edward Elgar...I'm sure I missed a few other big ones.


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## AndyS (Dec 2, 2011)

Gustav Holst?


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

*Frank Bridge* - a very varied and important work, including pieces like the orchestral "The Sea" 



 and the piano concerto "Phantasm" 



 as well as good chamber works (string quartets, cello sonata, piano quintet).

*John Foulds* - a lot of eccentric and varied works, the "Dynamic Triptych" piano concerto being a good introduction - he was partly inspired by the Orient and early avantgarde as well as symbolist ideas 



 




In the pastoral/late romantic tradition, Irish-born *Hamilton Harty* wrote a lot of nice music - An Irish Symphony, a Piano and a Violin Concerto, and the pretty "In Ireland" f. Flute, Harp & Orchestra, just to mention some 



 . The chandos recordings are especially recommended.

*Michael Tippett* - a large oeuvre, including the Double Concerto for strings 



 Fantasia Concertante for Strings 



 and the Piano Sonata no.3 




*George Dyson*, comparable to the more restrained Vaughan Williams works, wrote concertos etc. Not so well-known, but good. His Concerto da Chiesa at times reminds of VWs lovely Tallis Fantasia


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

*Moeran*, first and foremost.

Also Finzi, Ireland, Bantock, Alwyn, Arnold, Dyson, Harty, Foulds, Bliss, Bridge, to name a few.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

In addition to the above:

Alan Rawsthorne
Robert Simpson
George Lloyd
John Tavener
Benjamin Britten
John McCabe
Edward Elgar
Richard Rodney Bennett
Edward Gregson
Nicholas Maw
Alun Hoddinott
Phillip Sparke-Very tonal composer who specializes in music for concert band and brass band.

Quasi-Modernist:
James MacMillan
Oliver Knussen
Peter Maxwell Davies
Robert Saxton
George Benjamin

12-tone:
Humprey Searle
Benjamin Frankel


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Granville Bantock - steeped in romantic period excess in a good way.

Herbert Howells - among my favorites of the lesser known English composers. Of particular interest are his two piano concertos and various works for cello and orchestra.

Kenneth Leighton - his Concerto for organ, string orchestra & timpani is awesome.


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## Taggart (Feb 14, 2013)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_classical_composers

Should be a good starting point.


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## presto (Jun 17, 2011)

William Alwyn is a very fine composer too.

We must not forget about all those great English baroque composers too!
Boyce, Arne, Stanley, Avison, Greene, Hayes.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Before Taggart's post featuring a link to what seems to be a fairly conclusive list of notables I was going to nominate William Mathias - sadly becoming a bit of a neglected figure while the reputations of the likes of Alan Rawsthorne (whose work I like, by the way) seem to be on more of a latter-day upswing. He was probably more noted for his choral output while he was alive but he produced some fine concertos and symphonies, too.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)

Jason Page
Nathan McCree
Peter Connelly
Martin Iveson
Barry Leitch
Ben Daglish
David Whittaker
Geoff Follin
Graeme Norgate
Grant Kirkhope
Jonathan Dunn
Matt Furniss
Nicolas Varley
Peter Gabriel
Richard Jacques
Richard Joseph
Rob Hubbard
Robyn Miller
Shaun Southern
Tim Tollin
Tim Haywood
Tim Wright
Mark Knight
Cold Storage
JUG
Appolo 440
Allister Brimble
David Wise
Bob and Barn
Nitin Sawhney
Stuart Chatwood
Russell Shaw
Harry Gregson Williams
Graeme Norgate
Rupert Gregson Williams
Eveline Novakovic
Mike Beckett
Stephen Root
Mutato Muzik
Gerald V. Casale
Bob Mothersbaugh
Bob Casale
Josh Freese
Michael Hunter
Neil Baldwin


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

There is only one British composer that needs listening first, the rest can wait, just a little. *George Frideric Handel*


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> There is only one British composer that needs listening first, the rest can wait, just a little. *George Frideric Handel*


Not sure he was British, but he wrote pretty good for a guy that habitually misspelled both of his last two names...


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

KenOC said:


> Not sure he was British, but he wrote pretty good for a guy that habitually misspelled both of his last two names...


haha! He became a naturalised English subject. He wrote the vast bulk of his mastperieces for the English audience. He studied Purcell's manuscripts for example, and wrote English music in that manner, albeit of course with his genius of invention. And his music has ever since been part of the British musical landscape and heritage. But he did speak with a very heavy German accent.


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## presto (Jun 17, 2011)

HarpsichordConcerto- I visited the "Handel House" last year, what a fascinating experience!


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Manok said:


> I've recently discovered one of the most selections I have of any country not counting the Germans or Russians is the British, particularly composers like Vaughan Williams, Delius, Bax, Walton, Britten, and I was wondering who else I might enjoy?


Given the list of composers mentioned by the OP, Handel is hardly the obvious choice.....


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> haha! He became a naturalised English subject. He wrote the vast bulk of his mastperieces for the English audience. He studied Purcell's manuscripts for example, and wrote English music in that manner, albeit of course with his genius of invention. And his music has ever since been part of the British musical landscape and heritage. But he did speak with a very heavy German accent.


When I was in college, I used to listen to the Royal Fireworks music while getting ready for my English exams. Somehow that music was for me the very epitome of Britishness.


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