Favourite English composer?

[healdie]

I think that the English guys get neglected and overlooked by our European brothers the Germans even called England "the land of no music" so c'mon show some love for the Great English composers (or we will start another empire )  and hoist up the red white and blue and vote for your fave  :

[thalbergmad]

Yes, us English do seem to be neglected.

Sterndale Bennett would prob be my fave.

Superior to Schumann and Mendelssohn, but that would not be difficult.

Thal

[retrouvailles]

Why only these choices? This poll is flawed. What about such Brits such as Thomas Adès? Or others such as William Sterndale Bennett as Thal mentioned? Or others such as Richard Rodney Bennett? Or perhaps Arnold Bax (one of my faves)? I could go on all night mentioning composers I'd rather see up there instead of people like Arthur Sullivan or Henry Purcell. Ugh.

[camstrings]

Michael Tippett's Concerto for Double String Orchestra & Fantasia on a Theme of Corelli are great pieces to rank with V Williams' Tallis Fantasia.
Other notable absentees: Britten, Gibbons, Dowland, Tallis, Byrd. 

[mikey6]

Might want to check the VW spelling too.

[retrouvailles]

Also, why is Peter Maxwell Davies up there? I haven't heard anything of value by this guy yet. If anyone knows of a piece of any merit that he wrote, please let me know.

[thalbergmad]

George Formby and Billy Mayerl for me.

Oh, must not forget good old Leon Dudley.

Thal

[jabbz]

for me either a toss up between Birtwhistle or Finnissy at the moment, but saying that, those are really the only two I can think of from the last 350 years that I liked.

[richard black]

Yes, let's toss some more names in. Alan Bush, anyone? Very fine, and a very broad range too, everything from solo pieces to operas and symphonies.

[healdie]

obviously i can't have put every english composer ever up their but there are some valuable ones mentioned that i forgot about therefore i shall add them

[healdie]

Maxwell Davies is the current queens master of music so i think he deserves a mention but i must confess myself not a fan of his work

[tanman]

what about sorabji?

[richard black]

what about sorabji?

I gather he would probably have nutted you for daring to suggest he might be an English composer.

[mikey6]

John Ireland, John Rutter

[thalbergmad]

I gather he would probably have nutted you for daring to suggest he might be a composer.

I'm with you on that one old chap.

Thal

[communist]

Thomas Ades

[arensky]

Of the ones listed, Byrd, with Holst close behind. My favorite English composer is Peter Warlock, although his output is mostly confined to songs and he was half Welsh. One of the really great and underrated composers.