Favourite British Composer

[dyn]

Figured i'd get in on this nationality poll thing as well. Great Britain has produced an embarrassment of musical riches. It may be rather silly to run such a poll considering not only that these composers represent many different styles and time periods, but that even within the work of each composer there is great variance (sacred and secular music; instrumental, vocal and stage works). If your favourite composer doesn't appear on the list i can remedy that (if you'll vote for them) but i've also left out those who were not native-born Britons such as Handel, Ferrabosco and Pepusch.

For me, as a keyboard player i will have to go with Byrd, although John Bull is a close second and might be first if more of his music had survived. Both of them, i feel, can stand alongside Sweelinck, Frescobaldi and Froberger at the highest point of instrumental music.

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

For me, as a keyboard player i will have to go with Byrd, although John Bull is a close second and might be first if more of his music had survived. Both of them, i feel, can stand alongside Sweelinck, Frescobaldi and Froberger at the highest point of instrumental music.

I went with Byrd too. Possibly the first real keyboard genius, and a figure of great influence via Sweelinck -> North German organ composers -> Bach.

[DavidW]

Vaughan Williams.

[DavidW]

Actually I don't understand why Elgar, Holst, Vaughan Williams, Simpson, Bax, Arnold etc don't appear in the poll.  Did I miss something?

[Sammy]

Actually I don't understand why Elgar, Holst, Vaughan Williams, Simpson, Bax, Arnold etc don't appear in the poll.  Did I miss something?

Although dyn didn't say it, this must be a poll of early/baroque British composers.

[kyjo]

Well this is disappointing.....the poll title should definitely be changed!

[Beorn]

Purcell, easy.

[Mirror Image]

My vote goes to RVW. Whether he's on the poll or not.

[dyn]

Actually I don't understand why Elgar, Holst, Vaughan Williams, Simpson, Bax, Arnold etc don't appear in the poll.  Did I miss something?

With so many British composers of note, i had to be somewhat selective.

I can add Vaughan Williams if you'd like, since it seems that at least two people would like to vote for him.

[DavidW]

You were selective in the wrong way, you omitted composers that are performed more often than what is on your list.  Thank you for adding Vaughan Williams, at the very least you should also add Elgar.  Music didn't end with the death of Bach.

[kyjo]

If you're going to add RVW, then why not add: Parry, Stanford, Elgar, Britten, Foulds, Arnold, Walton, Alwyn, Rubbra, Rawsthorne, Moeran, Bax, Bliss, Holst, Arnell, Bantock, Brian, Bridge, Peter Maxwell Davies, Delius, Dyson, Finzi, Ireland, George Lloyd, Colin and David Matthews, Cyril Scott, Simpson, Sullivan, Tippett, among many other fine and distinguished British composers?

[DavidW]

You know Kyjo it would be fun to have a favorite 20th-21st century British composers who are not RVW or Elgar thread.

[DavidW]

Although dyn didn't say it, this must be a poll of early/baroque British composers.

In that spirit Tallis for me.

[kyjo]

You know Kyjo it would be fun to have a favorite 20th-21st century British composers who are not RVW or Elgar thread.

It would be indeed. If dyn decides not to add more non-Renaissance/Baroque composers to this poll, I'll start my own.

[dyn]

If you're going to add RVW, then why not add: Parry, Stanford, Elgar, Britten, Foulds, Arnold, Walton, Alwyn, Rubbra, Rawsthorne, Moeran, Bax, Bliss, Holst, Arnell, Bantock, Brian, Bridge, Peter Maxwell Davies, Delius, Dyson, Finzi, Ireland, George Lloyd, Colin and David Matthews, Cyril Scott, Simpson, Sullivan, Tippett, among many other fine and distinguished British composers?

I think you may be starting to understand the point this thread was trying to make

[kyjo]

I think you may be starting to understand the point this thread was trying to make

Yes, there are so many great British composers. A poll with all those composers plus the ones you have already included would appear quite unwieldy!

[DavidW]

I think you may be starting to understand the point this thread was trying to make

Not really.  Take Weelkles who appears on your poll.  There are only currently 92 recordings available on arkivmusic.  Take Walton... he has 433 recordings currently available.  And he probably has even more oop recordings.  I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that Walton is performed more frequently as well.  Ultimately he is a more popular composer.

I'm not saying that means that Walton is better than Weelkles.  But I am saying that he is more popular and deserves a place on the poll, while I doubt many would miss poor Weelkles. 

You are not discerning, you are biased towards a particular period.  But at least you are not saying that Brahms is rubbish.

[dyn]

Yes, there are so many great British composers. A poll with all those composers plus the ones you have already included would appear quite unwieldy!

... or perhaps not. Ah well.

You were selective in the wrong way, you omitted composers that are performed more often than what is on your list.  Thank you for adding Vaughan Williams, at the very least you should also add Elgar.  Music didn't end with the death of Bach.

That's true, i can already think of several important post-Purcell British composers omitted from my initial list, such as Thomas Arne, William Boyce, George Pinto and William Sterndale Bennett. I don't know how John Field would feel about being described as a "British" composer, but he may belong as well.

Not really.  Take Weelkles who appears on your poll.  There are only currently 92 recordings available on arkivmusic.  Take Walton... he has 433 recordings currently available.  And he probably has even more oop recordings.  I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that Walton is performed more frequently as well.  Ultimately he is a more popular composer.

Frequency of performance does not necessarily correspond with quality of work, however. Paul McCartney and Karl Jenkins are among the most performed and recorded British composers living today, yet i've seen few people on this forum express strong favour towards their music. I was under the impression I could rely on people forming judgments about music irrespective of how "popular" it is.

[Sammy]

Frequency of performance does not necessarily correspond with quality of work, however. Paul McCartney and Karl Jenkins are among the most performed and recorded British composers living today, yet i've seen few people on this forum express strong favour towards their music. I was under the impression I could rely on people forming judgments about music irrespective of how "popular" it is.

You definitely overestimated our abilities.

[Sammy]

You are not discerning, you are biased towards a particular period. 

But that's okay.  After all, this is The Polling Station where anything goes.