Faber & Faber

Selected Letters of William Walton: Malcolm Hayes

Synopsis:

From his early years as a chorister at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford to his old age on the Italian island of Ischia, Walton was a tireless correspondent. Spontaneous and naturally fluent, his letters build up a detailed and absorbing self-portrait. Among the remarkable gallery of friends and colleagues to whom he wrote, several were themselves famous names also: Osbert Sitwell, Siegfried Sassoon, Laurence Olivier, Benjamin Britten, Yehudi Menuhin. Walton's letter-writing style was practical, often revealing, and always entertaining, with a roguishness that veered in the direction of jealousy and resentment towards composers whom he perceived as rivals.

This selection contains plentiful new information about the often long and difficult creation of his musical works, notably his opera Troilus and Cressida. Much is also revealed of Walton's long- and short-term liaisons with the women in his life. The letters, many published here for the first time, have been annotated throughout, and the book includes previously unpublished photographs of the composer and his circle. This is a book to be savoured by all who love Walton's music, with its unique blend - like the letters themselves - of individual flair, English romanticism, and Italian warmth.

Tags:

Categorised as:

Music, Stage & Screen

Sub-categories:

Classical Music

Genres & Themes:

Composers; Letters