List of compositions by William Walton

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This is a list of compositions by William Walton sorted by genre, date of composition, title, and scoring.

GenreDateTitleScoringNotes
Opera1947–1954 Troilus and Cressida soloists, chorus and orchestrain 3 acts; libretto by Christopher Hassall after Geoffrey Chaucer; revised 1963 and 1976
Opera1967 The Bear , An Extravaganzasoloists and small orchestrain 1 act; libretto by Paul Dehn and the composer based on the play by Anton Chekhov
Ballet1935 The First Shoot orchestralibretto by Osbert Sitwell; choreography by Frederick Ashton; part of a revue Follow the Sun presented by Charles B. Cochran
Ballet1940 The Wise Virgins orchestrain 1 act based on music by Johann Sebastian Bach; choreography by Frederick Ashton
Ballet1943 The Quest orchestrain 5 scenes; libretto by Doris Langley Moore after Edmund Spenser; choreography by Frederick Ashton
Ballet Varii Capricci orchestrafree transcription of 5 Bagatelles for guitar; choreography by Frederick Ashton
Film score1934 Escape Me Never (1935)directed by Paul Czinner
Film score1936 As You Like It (1936)directed by Paul Czinner
Film score1937 Dreaming Lips (1937)directed by Paul Czinner
Film score1938 Stolen Life (1939)directed by Paul Czinner
Film score1941 Major Barbara (1941)directed by Gabriel Pascal
Film score1941 The Next of Kin (1942)directed by Thorold Dickinson
Film score1942 The Foreman Went to France (1942)directed by Charles Frend
Film score1942 The First of the Few (1942)directed by and starring Leslie Howard; also known as Spitfire
Film score1942 Went the Day Well? (1942)directed by Alberto Cavalcanti
Film score1944 Henry V (1944)directed by and starring Laurence Olivier
Film score1947 Hamlet (1948)directed by and starring Laurence Olivier
Film score1955 Richard III (1955)directed by and starring Laurence Olivier
Film score1969 Battle of Britain (1969)directed by Guy Hamilton
Apart from the "Battle in the Air" sequence, the score was dropped before the film was released, and replaced with one by Ron Goodwin.
Film score1969 Three Sisters (1970)directed by Laurence Olivier
Incidental music1925A Son of Heavenlost; for the play by Lytton Strachey
Incidental music1936The Boy Davidlost; for the 1936 play by J. M. Barrie
Incidental music1942 Christopher Columbus for the radio play by Louis MacNeice starring Laurence Olivier
Incidental music1942Macbethfor the play by William Shakespeare
Incidental music1959March for "A History of the English-Speaking Peoples"composed for a projected ABC film series based on Winston Churchill's A History of the English-Speaking Peoples
Incidental music1962 Granada Prelude, Call Signs and End Music for Granada Television broadcasts
Incidental music1977Title Music for the BBC Television Shakespeare Series
Orchestral1921Dr. Syntax, Pedagogic Overtureorchestralost
Orchestral Façade, Suite No. 1 orchestraorchestrated 1926
Orchestral Façade, Suite No. 2 orchestraorchestrated 1938
Orchestral1924–1925 Portsmouth Point , Overtureorchestraalso for piano 4-hands
Orchestral1926 Siesta small orchestrarevised 1962; version for piano 4-hands 1928
Orchestral1932–1935 Symphony No. 1 in B minororchestra
Orchestral1937 Crown Imperial , A Coronation Marchorchestracomposed for the coronation of George VI; also for piano solo
OrchestralMusic for Children, Suiteorchestraorchestration of Duets for Children for piano 4-hands
music used for the 1949 ballet Devoirs des Vacances with libretto by Boris Kochno and produced at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris
Orchestral1940 Scapino , A Comedy Overtureorchestrarevised 1949
Orchestral1940 The Wise Virgins , Suite from the Balletorchestrabased on music by Johann Sebastian Bach
Orchestral1942 Prelude and Fugue "The Spitfire" orchestrafrom the film score The First of the Few
OrchestralThe Quest, Suite from the Balletorchestraarranged 1961 by Vilém Tauský
Orchestral1944string orchestrafrom the film score Henry V
Orchestral Suite from Henry V orchestraarranged 1963 by Muir Mathieson from the film score Henry V
Orchestral1945Memorial Fanfare for Henry Wood orchestra
OrchestralSonatastring orchestraorchestration of String Quartet in A minor
OrchestralHamlet and Ophelia, Poemorchestraadapted 1967 by Muir Mathieson from the film score Hamlet
OrchestralHamlet: Funeral Marchorchestraarranged 1967 by Muir Mathieson from the film score Hamlet
Orchestral1953 The National Anthem orchestraalso an Introduction for brass and percussion
Orchestral1953 Orb and Sceptre , Coronation Marchorchestracomposed for the coronation of Elizabeth II
Orchestral1953 Variations on an Elizabethan Theme
Variation VI: Finale, Fuga à la gigue
string orchestrabased on Sellinger's Round by William Byrd
jointly composed with Benjamin Britten, Lennox Berkeley, Arthur Oldham, Humphrey Searle and Michael Tippett
Orchestral1955 God Save the Queen orchestraarrangement
Orchestral1955 The Star-Spangled Banner orchestraarrangement
Orchestra1955A Winter Journeyorchestraarranged by Edward Watson from the film score Richard III
OrchestralRichard III: A Shakespeare Suiteorchestraarranged 1963 by Muir Mathieson from the film score Richard III
Orchestral1956 Johannesburg Festival Overture orchestra
Orchestral1957 Partita for Orchestra
  1. Toccata
  2. Pastorale Siciliana
  3. Giga Burlesca
orchestra
Orchestral1959–1960 Symphony No. 2 orchestracommissioned by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society
Orchestral1962 Prelude "Granada" orchestracomposed as Granada Prelude, Call Signs and End Music for Granada Television broadcasts
Orchestral1962–1963 Variations on a Theme by Hindemith orchestratheme taken from movement II of Paul Hindemith's Cello Concerto (1940)
Orchestral1968 Capriccio burlesco orchestra
Orchestral1969 Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten orchestratheme taken from movement III of Benjamin Britten's Piano Concerto
Orchestral1975–1976 Varii Capricci orchestrafree transcription of 5 Bagatelles for guitar; used as ballet 1983
Orchestral1982 Prologo e Fantasia orchestra
Concertante1926–1927 Sinfonia Concertante piano and orchestrarevised 1943; arranged 1928 for 2 pianos
Concertante1928–1929 Viola Concerto viola and orchestrarevised 1961; written for Lionel Tertis but premiered by Paul Hindemith
Concertante1938–1939 Violin Concerto violin and orchestrawritten for Jascha Heifetz; orchestration revised 1943
Concertante1956 Cello Concerto cello and orchestrawritten for Gregor Piatigorsky
Brass ensemble1947Fanfare for a Great Occasionbrass and percussionarranged 1962 by Malcolm Sargent from the film score Hamlet
Brass ensemble1979Introduction to the National Anthem , A Fanfarebrass (
Brass ensemble1959A Queen's Fanfarebrass (
Brass ensemble1973Anniversary Fanfarebrass (
Brass ensemble1974Fanfare for the Nationalbrass, timpani and percussionfor the Royal National Theatre
Brass ensemble1975Roaring Fanfarebrass (
Brass ensemble1979Medleybrass band
Brass ensemble1979Salute for Sir Robert Mayer on His 100th Anniversarybrass (12 trumpets) and percussion
Brass ensembleThe First Shootbrass band
Brass ensemble1981A Birthday Fanfarebrass (composed as a 70th birthday present for Karl-Friedrich Still, Walton's neighbour in Ischia
Chamber music Piano Quartet violin, viola, cello and pianorevised 1921 and 1974–1975
Chamber music1919–1922String Quartet No. 1
Chamber music1922–1923Toccata in A minorviolin and piano
Chamber music1944–1947 String Quartet in A minor orchestrated 1971 as Sonata for String Orchestra
Chamber music1948–1950violin and piano
Chamber music1949Sonataviolin and pianorevised 1950; written for Yehudi Menuhin and Louis Kentner
Chamber music1970Tema (per variazioni)celloalso Theme for Variations; part of Music for a Prince (14 contributors)
Chamber music1970–1971guitarwritten for Julian Bream and dedicated to Malcolm Arnold
orchestrated as Varii Capricci
Chamber music1980Passacagliacello2 versions; written for Mstislav Rostropovich
Chamber music1982Duettinooboe and violin
Keyboard1916Chorale Prelude on Wheatleyorgan
Keyboard1917Valse in C minorpiano
Keyboard1936Theme for Improvisationorgan
Keyboard1940Tunes for my Niecepiano
Keyboard1940Duets for Childrenpiano 4-handsorchestrated 1941 as Music for Children
Keyboard1949Galop Finalpianocomposed as a 'finale' for the ballet Devoirs des Vacances (see Music for Children)
orchestrated by Christopher Palmer
Keyboard1925 Portsmouth Point piano 4-handsalso for orchestra
Keyboard1926Valse from Façade pianoconcert arrangement by the composer
Keyboard Siesta piano 4-handsoriginal for orchestra; arranged 1928 by the composer
Keyboard1931Choral Prelude 'Herzlich thut mich verlangen'pianofree arrangement of Johann Sebastian Bach's organ prelude, BWV 727
Keyboard1934Balletpianofrom the film score Escape Me Never
Keyboard1937 Crown Imperial pianooriginal for orchestra; arranged by the composer
Keyboard1944Lai and Rondet de carolpianolost
Keyboard1963organfrom the film score Richard III
Vocal1916Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred?soprano, tenor, 3 violins and piano
soprano, tenor and piano
words by William Shakespeare
Vocal1918voice and pianowords by Algernon Charles Swinburne
Vocal1920Tritonsvoice and pianowords by William Drummond of Hawthornden
Vocal1920The Passionate Shepherdtenor and 10 instrumentswords by Christopher Marlowe; lost
Vocal1921–1926reciter and chamber ensemblewords by Edith Sitwell
Vocalreciter and chamber ensemblewords by Edith Sitwell; revision 1977 of 8 discarded items from original Façade
Vocal1932voice and pianowords by Edith Sitwell; original 1924 version Bucolic Comedies (lost); arranged from Façade
Vocal1936Under the Greenwood Treevoice (or unison voices) and pianowords by William Shakespeare; from the 1936 film score As You Like It
Vocal1942Beatriz's Songvoice and string quartet (or piano)words by Louis MacNeice; from the 1942 radio play Christopher Columbus
Vocal1960 Anon in Love
  1. Fain Would I Change That Note
  2. O Stay, Sweet Love
  3. Lady, When I Behold the Roses
  4. My Love in Her Attire
  5. I Gave Her Cakes and I Gave Her Ale
  6. To Couple Is a Custom
tenor and guitar
tenor, string orchestra, harp and percussion
anonymous 16th- and 17th-century lyrics; written for Peter Pears and Julian Bream
orchestrated 1971
Vocal1962 A Song for the Lord Mayor's Table , Song Cycle
  1. The Lord Mayor's Table
  2. Glide Gently
  3. Wapping Old Stairs
  4. Holy Thursday
  5. The Contrast
  6. Rhyme
soprano and piano (or orchestra)premiered by Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Gerald Moore
1. words by Thomas Jordan (1612?–1685)
2. words by William Wordsworth
3. words by "Arley" (1787)
4. words by William Blake
5. words by Charles Morris (1745–1838)
6. words by anonymous
Choral1916The Forsaken Merman, Cantatasoprano, tenor, double female chorus and orchestrawords by Matthew Arnold
Choral1916A Litany, Motetmixed chorus a cappella words by Phineas Fletcher; 3 versions; revised 1930
Choral1931 Belshazzar's Feast baritone, mixed chorus and orchestraBiblical words selected by Osbert Sitwell; revised 1948
Choral1931Make We Joy Now in This Fest, Old English Carolmixed chorus a cappella
Choral1936Under the Greenwood Treeunison voices (or solo voice) and pianowords by William Shakespeare; from the 1936 film score As You Like It
Choral1937 In Honour of the City of London mixed chorus and orchestrawords by William Dunbar
Choral1938Set Me as a Seal upon Thine Heart, An Anthemmixed chorus a cappellaBiblical words from the Song of Solomon
Choral1946Where Does the Uttered Music Go?mixed chorus a cappellawords by John Masefield; written for a memorial service for Henry Wood
Choral1949–1950Put Off the Serpent Girdle, Part-Songfemale chorus a cappellawords by Christopher Hassall and Paul Dehn
Choral1952 Coronation Te Deum mixed chorus, orchestra and organcomposed for the coronation of Elizabeth II
Choral1961Gloriaalto, tenor, bass, double mixed chorus and orchestra
Choral1961What Cheer?, A Christmas Carolmixed chorus a cappella
Choral1964–1965The Twelve, An Anthem for the Feast of Any Apostlemixed chorus and organ (or orchestra)words by W. H. Auden
Choral1966Missa Brevisdouble mixed chorus and organ (in "Gloria" only)
Choral1970All This Time, Carolmixed chorus a cappella16th-century words
Choral1971–1972Jubilate Deodouble mixed chorus and organ
Choral1974Cantico del Sole, Motetmixed chorus a cappellawords by St. Francis of Assisi in translation by S. Wright
ChoralMagnificat and Nunc Dimittissoprano, alto, tenor, bass, mixed chorus and organrevised 1976
Choral1977Antiphonmixed chorus and organ
Choral1977King Herod and the Cock, Carolmixed chorus a cappella

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