This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(May 2019) |
The British composer Geoffrey Bush wrote music across a range of genres, including orchestral, chamber, keyboard, choral works, and a large number of songs. The following is a chronological list of his compositions, from a career that lasted from his student days in the late 1930s until the 1990s.
Year | Genre | Title | Musical forces | Recordings | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1938 | Choral | Te Deum | Choir, organ | |||
1939 | Orchestral | A Little Concerto (on themes of Arne) | Piano, string orchestra | |||
1939 | Orchestral | Natus est Immanuel | String orchestra | Lyrita SRCD341 | Revised 1954 | |
1940 | Orchestral | Rhapsody for clarinet and strings | Clarinet, string orchestra | Also versions for piano & strings and clarinet/horn/strings | ||
1940 | Chamber | Two Epigrams for viola, clarinet and piano | Viola, Clarinet, Piano | 1. To Watson Forbes. 2. To the old man on the fence. | ||
1941 | Orchestral | Overture: The Spanish Rivals | Full orchestra | |||
1942 | Choral | Portraits: Thomas Morley; Henry Lawes; Giles Farnaby; Pan | Unaccompanied choir | |||
1943 | Orchestral | Divertimento | String orchestra | |||
1943 | Orchestral | Sinfonietta Concertante | Cello, orchestra | Lyrita SRCD341 | ||
1943 | Orchestral | Overture: The Rehearsal | Full orchestra | |||
1944 | Vocal | Song: Now The Lusty Spring Is Seen | Voice, piano | |||
1944 | Vocal | Song: Weep You No More Sad Fountains | Voice, piano | |||
1944 | Vocal | Song cycle: Five Spring Songs | Voice, piano | Lyrita SRCD343 | ||
1945 | Chamber | Sonata for violin & piano | Violin, piano | Lyrita SRCD360 | ||
1946 | Keyboard | Four pieces for piano | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 | ||
1947 | Choral | Christmas Cantata | Solo voices, choir, oboe and orchestra | Saydisc CDSDL352 | Also version for oboe and piano accompaniment | |
1947 | Keyboard | Nocturne and Toccata | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 | ||
1948 | Orchestral | Concerto for oboe and strings | Oboe, string orchestra | Barbirolli Society SJB104546 | ||
1948 | Orchestral | Two miniatures | String orchestra | Lyrita SRCD341 | ||
1948 | Choral | Summer Serenade | Tenor solo, chorus, piano and orchestra | |||
1948 | Vocal | Three Elizabethan Songs | Voice and piano | Fire!Fire! - T. Campion; Sigh no more, ladies- Shakespeare; Sweet, stay awhile - J.Donne | ||
1949 | Vocal | Song cycle: Four Songs from the Hesperides | Solo baritone, orchestra | |||
1949 | Orchestral | Overture: Yorick | Full orchestra | Lyrita SRCD252 Lyrita SRCD2337 | ||
1949 | Keyboard | An Oxford Scherzo | Two pianos | |||
1949 | Orchestral | Martini Fantasy | Solo violin, string orchestra | |||
1950 | Choral | Portraits: Orpheus | Unaccompanied choir | |||
1950 | Vocal | Song cycle: Farewell Earth's Bliss | Baritone and string orchestra | Atma ACD22701 | Alternative version: baritone with small strings ensemble | |
1951 | Vocal | Song: She Hath an Eye | Voice and piano | |||
1951 | Vocal | Song: Fain Would I Change That Note | Voice and piano | |||
1951 | Choral | Music When Soft Voices Die | Choir | |||
1951 | Chamber | Three Dance Variations | Harpsichord and piano | Prima Facie PFCD048 | ||
1951 | Choral | Twelfth Night: An Entertainment | Tenor, chorus and chamber orchestra | |||
1952 | Keyboard | Epigrams | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 | ||
1952 | Opera | The Blind Beggar's Daughter | Voices and orchestra | Ballad opera for children, revised 1964 | ||
1952 | Vocal | Three Songs of Ben Jonson | Voice and piano | Lyrita SRCD343 Naxos 8571378 Chandos CHAN8830 | ||
1952 | Chamber | Trio for oboe, bassoon and piano | Oboe, bassoon, piano | MSR Classics MS1597 | ||
1953 | Orchestral | Concertino No. 1 | Piano and orchestra | |||
1954 | Orchestral | Symphony No. 1 | Full orchestra | Lyrita SRCD252 | ||
1954 | Vocal | Song: My True Love Hath My Heart | Voice and piano | |||
1954 | Vocal | Song: Introspection: If You Go Deep Into the Heart | Voice and piano | |||
1954 | Vocal | Song: Far-darting Apollo | Voice and piano | |||
1954 | Vocal | Lament: Where Are Those Dazzling Hills | Voice and piano | |||
1954 | Vocal | There is a Garden in her face | Voice and piano | Words by Thomas Campion | ||
1955 | Keyboard | Toccata for organ | Organ | |||
1955 | Vocal | Song: When Daffodils Begin To Peer | Voice and piano | |||
1955 | Keyboard | Carillon for organ | Organ | |||
1955 | Choral | In Praise of Mary | Soprano, chorus and orchestra | Heritage HTGCD151 | ||
1956 | Choral | O Love How Deep How Broad How High | Choir and organ | |||
1956 | Choral | It Was a Lover and His Lass | Unaccompanied choir | |||
1956 | Choral | Praise the Lord O My Soul | Choir and organ | |||
1956 | Opera | If The Cap Fits | Voices and orchestra | |||
1956 | Vocal | Though Cause for Suspicion Appears | Voice and piano | from Thomas Linley's The duenna, words by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, music arr. by Geoffrey Bush | ||
1957 | Orchestral | Symphony No. 2 (The Guildford) | Full orchestra | Lyrita SRCD252 | ||
1957 | Orchestral | Matthew Locke Suite ("Psyche") | Piano and string orchestra | Lyrita SRCD341 | ||
1958 | Orchestral | Concerto for Light Orchestra | Full orchestra | Lyrita SRCD341 | ||
1958 | Vocal | Softly Lulling, Sweetly Thrilling | Voice and piano | from James Hook's Wilmore Castle, words by Houlton, music arr. Bush | ||
1958 | Vocal | By The Beer As Brown As a Berry | Voice and piano | from J. F. Lampe's Dragon of Wantley, words by Henry Carey, music arr. Bush. | ||
1959 | Vocal | The Little Nut Tree | Voice and piano | |||
1959 | Vocal | Songs of Wonder | Voice and piano | Chandos CHAN8830 | Alt. version with strings accompaniment | |
1960 | Chamber | Dialogue for oboe and piano | Oboe and piano | |||
1961 | Choral | Four Simple Songs: The Sweet Season | Unaccompanied choir | Lyrita SRCD343 | ||
1961 | Vocal | A Lover's Progress | Tenor, clarinet and oboe | |||
1961 | Choral | Spring, The Sweet Spring | Unaccompanied choir | |||
1961 | Keyboard | Whydah Variations | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 | ||
1961 | Vocal | Song: It Was A Lover And His Lass | Voice and piano | Two Pianists TP1039077 | ||
1961 | Choral | How Should I Your True Love Know? | Unaccompanied choir | |||
1962 | Chamber | Homage to Matthew Locke | 3 trumpets, 3 trombones | |||
1962 | Chamber | Air and Round-O | Clarinet, French horn, flute, oboe | Arranged from Homage to Matthew Locke | ||
1962 | Orchestral | Concerto for trumpet, piano & strings | Trumpet, piano, string orchestra | Lyrita REAM1131 | ||
1962 | Vocal | Song: I Saw a Peacock | Voice and piano | |||
1963 | Choral | Two Latin hymns: O Salutaris hostia; Tantum ergo | Unaccompanied choir | |||
1963 | Chamber | Wind Quintet | Bassoon, clarinet, flute, French horn, oboe | |||
1964 | Orchestral | Finale for a Concert | Full orchestra | Lyrita SRCD341 | ||
1964 | Orchestral | Two fragments from The Merchant of Venice: Fanfare and March, the Prince of Morocco | Full orchestra | |||
1964 | Choral | Tell Me Where is Fancy Bred | Choir, soprano, tenor, cello | |||
1964 | Vocal | Greek Love Songs | Baritone and piano | Lyrita SRCD343 Chandos CHAN8830 | ||
1965 | Keyboard | Sonatina No. 1 | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 | ||
1965 | Choral | Cantata Piccola | Baritone, choir, piano and strings | |||
1967 | Opera | The Equation - Musical drama | Voices and orchestra | |||
1967 | Orchestral | Music for Orchestra | Full orchestra | Lyrita SRCD252 | ||
1969 | Choral | A Menagerie | Choir | |||
1969 | Choral | Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis | Choir and organ | OxRecs OXCD130 | ||
1969 | Choral | Missa Brevis (Salisburiensis) | Choir, organ | short Communion service | ||
1970 | Vocal | Five Medieval Lyrics | Voice and piano | Lyrita SRCD343 | ||
1970 | Choral | Seven Limericks | Two-part Choir and small orchestra | Words chiefly from Edward Lear. London, Novello | ||
1971 | Choral | A Nice Derangement of Epitaphs | Choir | |||
1972 | Opera | Lord Arthur Savile's Crime | Voices and orchestra | Lyrita REAM1131 | ||
1973 | Orchestral | Concertino No. 2 | Piano & chamber orchestra | |||
1974 | Choral | Three Songs: Dafydd in Love | Baritone, choir, piano | |||
1976 | Vocal | Song cycle: A Little Love Music | Soprano and tenor voices | Chandos CHAN8830 | ||
1977 | Choral | Gabriel of High Degree | Choir and organ | |||
1977 | Choral | Advent Carol: Twas in the Year that King Uzziah Died | Choir and organ | |||
1978 | Choral | "Phantoms" | Choir and small orchestra | |||
1978 | Choral | Holy Innocents | Choir, percussion and piano | |||
1979 | Vocal | Sigh No More, Ladies | Voice and piano | Collect CHAN6653 | ||
1981 | Vocal | Stevie Smith songs | Tenor, piano, cello, oboe | Lyrita SRCD343 | ||
1981 | Keyboard | Trumpet March | Organ | Priory PRDVD8 Priory PRCD6006 | ||
1982 | Vocal | Cuisine Provençale | Soprano and piano | Naxos 8571378 | ||
1982 | Choral | Daystar in Winter | Choir and organ | |||
1982 | Chamber | Pavanes and Galliards wind quintet | ||||
1984 | Vocal | Love for Such a Cherry Lip | soprano and piano | Naxos 8571378 | ||
1984 | Choral | Two Legends | Choir, organ, piano | |||
1984 | Vocal | Venus and Adonis | Piano and voice | |||
1985 | Vocal | Mirabile Misterium (A Great and Mighty Wonder) | Voice and piano | Naxos 8571378 | Alt. version with strings, harpsichord and piano accompaniment | |
1986 | Chamber | Tributes | Clarinet and piano | |||
1987 | Vocal | Four Chaucer Settings | Voice, oboe and piano | |||
1987 | Orchestral | Music for Orchestra | ||||
1988 | Opera | Love's Labours Lost | ||||
1988 | Opera | The Cat Who Went to Heaven | Voices, chorus, wind orchestra and piano | |||
1989 | Orchestral | Consort music | String orchestra | Naxos 8555068 | Dedicated to Roderick Swanston | |
1989 | Vocal | Songs of the Zodiac | Voice and piano | |||
1990 | Vocal | Cradle Song | Soprano and piano | |||
1990 | Vocal | Yesterday | Soprano and piano | Naxos 8571378 | ||
1990 | Keyboard | Suite Champêtre | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 | ||
1991 | Choral | A Little Triptych for a Birthday | Choir | |||
1994 | Vocal | Song cycle: Archy at the Zoo | Soprano and piano | Naxos 8571378 | ||
n.d. | Vocal | The End of Love | Baritone and piano | Lyrita SRCD343 Chandos CHAN8830 | ||
n.d. | Choral | I Saw Three Ships (carol) | Choir and organ | |||
n.d. | Orchestral | Overture: The Miller and his Men | Chamber orchestra | |||
n.d. | Vocal | Three Songs from The Ballad Operas | Baritone and orchestra | |||
n.d. | Choral | Castle Gordon | Choir | |||
n.d. | Vocal | Merciless Beauty | Baritone and piano | Lyrita SRCD343 | ||
n.d. | Choral | Psalm 24 | Choir | |||
n.d. | Keyboard | Novelette | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 | ||
n.d. | Keyboard | Sonatina | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 | ||
n.d. | Keyboard | Matthew's Tunes | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 | ||
n.d. | Keyboard | Rudi's Blues | Piano | Ismeron JMSCD3 |
Musical composition can refer to an original piece or work of music, either vocal or instrumental, the structure of a musical piece or to the process of creating or writing a new piece of music. People who create new compositions are called composers. Composers of primarily songs are usually called songwriters; with songs, the person who writes lyrics for a song is the lyricist. In many cultures, including Western classical music, the act of composing typically includes the creation of music notation, such as a sheet music "score", which is then performed by the composer or by other musicians. In popular music and traditional music, songwriting may involve the creation of a basic outline of the song, called the lead sheet, which sets out the melody, lyrics and chord progression. In classical music, orchestration is typically done by the composer, but in musical theatre and in pop music, songwriters may hire an arranger to do the orchestration. In some cases, a pop or traditional songwriter may not use written notation at all and instead compose the song in their mind and then play, sing or record it from memory. In jazz and popular music, notable sound recordings by influential performers are given the weight that written or printed scores play in classical music.
Alan Dudley Bush was a British composer, pianist, conductor, teacher and political activist. A committed communist, his uncompromising political beliefs were often reflected in his music. He composed prolifically across a range of genres, but struggled through his lifetime for recognition from the British musical establishment, which largely ignored his works.
John Nicholson Ireland was an English composer and teacher of music. The majority of his output consists of piano miniatures and of songs with piano. His best-known works include the short instrumental or orchestral work "The Holy Boy", a setting of the poem "Sea-Fever" by John Masefield, a formerly much-played Piano Concerto, the hymn tune Love Unknown and the choral motet "Greater Love Hath No Man".
Sir William Sterndale Bennett was an English composer, pianist, conductor and music educator. At the age of ten Bennett was admitted to the London Royal Academy of Music (RAM), where he remained for ten years. By the age of twenty, he had begun to make a reputation as a concert pianist, and his compositions received high praise. Among those impressed by Bennett was the German composer Felix Mendelssohn, who invited him to Leipzig. There Bennett became friendly with Robert Schumann, who shared Mendelssohn's admiration for his compositions. Bennett spent three winters composing and performing in Leipzig.
Stephen Cuthbert Vivian Dodgson was a British composer and broadcaster. Dodgson's prolific musical output covered most genres, ranging from opera and large-scale orchestral music to chamber and instrumental music, as well as choral works and song. Three instruments to which he dedicated particular attention were the guitar, harpsichord and recorder. He wrote in a mainly tonal, although sometimes unconventional, idiom. Some of his works use unusual combinations of instruments.
Humphrey Searle was an English composer and writer on music. His music combines aspects of late Romanticism and modernist serialism, particularly reminiscent of his primary influences, Franz Liszt, Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern, who was briefly his teacher. As a writer on music, Searle published texts on numerous topics; he was an authority on the music of Franz Liszt, and created the initial cataloguing system for his works.
Heinz Robert Holliger is a Swiss virtuoso oboist, composer and conductor. Celebrated for his versatility and technique, Holliger is among the most prominent oboists of his generation. His repertoire includes Baroque and Classical pieces, but he has regularly engaged in lesser known pieces of Romantic music, as well as his own compositions. He often performed contemporary works with his wife, the harpist Ursula Holliger; composers such as Berio, Carter, Henze, Krenek, Lutosławski, Martin, Penderecki, Stockhausen and Yun have written works for him. Holliger is a noted composer himself, writing works such as the opera Schneewittchen (1998).
Hyperion Records is a British classical music record label. It was independent until February 2023, when it was acquired by the Universal Music Group. Under Universal, Hyperion is one of the three main classical record labels, alongside Decca and Deutsche Grammophon.
Alexina Diane Louie,, is a Canadian composer of contemporary classical music. She has composed for various instrumental and vocal combinations in a variety of genres. She has fulfilled a number of commissions, and her works, which have been performed internationally, have earned her a number of awards, including the Order of Canada and two Juno Awards.
Light music is a less-serious form of Western classical music, which originated in the 18th and 19th centuries and continues today. Its heyday was in the mid‑20th century. The style is through-composed, usually shorter orchestral pieces and suites designed to appeal to a wider context and audience than more sophisticated forms such as the concerto, the symphony and the opera.
Anthony Edward Payne was an English composer, music critic and musicologist. He is best known for his acclaimed completion of Edward Elgar's third symphony, which subsequently gained wide acceptance into Elgar's oeuvre. Apart from opera, his own works include representatives of most traditional genres, and although he made substantial contributions to orchestral and choral repertoire, he is particularly noted for his chamber music. Many of these chamber works were written for his wife, the soprano Jane Manning, and the new music ensemble Jane's Minstrels, which he founded with Manning in 1988. Initially an unrelenting proponent of modernist music, by the 1980s his compositions had embraced aspects of the late romanticism of England, described by his colleague Susan Bradshaw as "modernized nostalgia". His mature style is thus characterised by a highly individualised combination of modernism and English romanticism, as well as numerology, wide-spaced harmonies, specific intervallic characterisations, and the frequent alternation between strict and fluid rhythmic frameworks.
Geoffrey Bush was a British composer, teacher and music scholar. Largely without formal training in composition, he produced a wide range of compositions across different genres, including many songs and works for choirs. He also edited and arranged the works of other composers. Most of his teaching was within the framework of the Extramural Departments at Oxford University and London University. He was a popular broadcaster on BBC music programmes, and the author of several books.
Kenneth Hesketh is a British composer of contemporary classical music in numerous genres including dance, orchestral, chamber, vocal and solo. He has also composed music for wind and brass bands as well as seasonal music for choir.
Michael John Hurd was a composer, teacher and author, principally known for his dramatic cantatas for schools and for his choral music.
The Ivors Academy is one of the largest professional associations for music writers in Europe. The academy works to support, protect, and campaign for the interests of songwriters, lyricists, and composers. It represents music writers of all genres and has approximately 2000 members.
The Alvarez Chamber Orchestra is a London-based organisation dedicated to the promotion and performance of contemporary classical music. Its Honorary President is Sir Colin Davis.
A Downland Suite is a 1932 composition for brass band in four movements by John Ireland. It has also been arranged for string orchestra and various other instruments.
The following is a list of recordings of the music of the English composer Geoffrey Bush. The list includes discs dedicated to works by Bush, and also general compilations which include one or more of Bush's works. The dates of release do not necessarily reflect the dates of the recordings, some of which were made many years earlier.
Geoffrey Norris is an English musicologist and music critic. His scholarship focuses on Russian composers; in particularly, Norris is a leading scholar on the life and music of Sergei Rachmaninoff, about whom he has written in numerous articles and a 1976 book-length study. He was chief classical music critic of The Daily Telegraph from 1995 to 2009.
Eric Parkin was an English pianist.