Nonsense through megaphones
Walton falls in with a rather alternative crowd: the Sitwell siblings.
William Walton composed music for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and King George VI, pieces of pomp and circumstance which we’ll likely here again during this weekend’s coronation of King Charles III. But Walton grew up far from Buckingham Palace and the world of the Windsors, in the northern working-class town of Oldham, seemingly destined to work at the cotton mill. Even when he escaped to Oxford and then London, making high-society friends such as the Sitwells, his early music was intense and avant-garde - not at all suitable for a royal affair. So how did Walton become the royal composer of choice? This week, we’ll find out.
In today’s programme, we hear how Walton fell in with the notoriously avant-garde Sitwell siblings and made his name in high society as a rather ‘alternative’ composer…
Façade: 2. En famille
English Opera Group Ensemble
Edith Sitwell, narrator
Anthony Collins, conductor
Portsmouth Point
London Philharmonic Orchestra
William Walton, conductor
Siesta
London Philharmonic Orchestra
William Walton, conductor
Sinfonia Concertante: I. Maestoso - Allegro spiritoso, II. Andante comodo
London Symphony Orchestra
William Walton, conductor
Façade: 5. Through Gilded Trellises, 7. Lullaby for Jumbo, 13. Country Dance
English Opera Group Ensemble
Edith Sitwell, narrator
Anthony Collins, conductor
Façade: 16. Valse, 17. Jodelling Song, 18. Scotch Rhapsody, 20. Fox-Trot "Old Sir Faulk"
English Opera Group Ensemble
Edith Sitwell, narrator
Anthony Collins, conductor
Last on
Music Played
-
![]()
William Walton
Facade (No 1, En Famille)
Narrator: Edith Sitwell. Ensemble: English Opera Group. Conductor: Anthony Collins.- Eloquence : 484-268-1.
- Eloquence.
- 4.
-
![]()
William Walton
Portsmouth Point
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: William Walton.- Lyrita : SRCD224.
- Lyrita.
- 1.
-
![]()
William Walton
Siesta
Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: William Walton.- Lyrita : SRCD224.
- Lyrita.
- 2.
-
![]()
William Walton
Sinfonia Concertante (1st & 2nd mvt)
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: William Walton.- Lyrita : SRCD224.
- Lyrita.
- 17.
-
![]()
William Walton
Facade (Nos 5, 7, 11 & 12)
Narrator: Edith Sitwell. Ensemble: English Opera Group. Conductor: Anthony Collins.- Eloquence : 484-268-1.
- Eloquence.
- 6.
-
![]()
William Walton
Facade (Nos 16, 17, 18 & 20)
Narrator: Edith Sitwell. Ensemble: English Opera Group. Conductor: Anthony Collins.- Eloquence : 484-268-1.
- Eloquence.
- 18.
Broadcast
- Tue 2 May 2023 12:00Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio 3
Vaughan Williams Today
Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.
Beethoven Unleashed – the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.