Composer Benjamin Britten once wrote that hearing William Walton’s music was a “great
turning point in his musical life.” We’ll trace the arc of Walton’s life and his associations with
the greatest artists of his time, including Heifetz, Hindemith, Olivier, and Beecham. Bill features
Walton’s love of different musical genres; Film music from Henry V, the poem Façade set to
music performed by the London Mozart Players narrated by Prunella Scales (Sybil from BBC’s
Fawlty Towers), the orchestral march Crown Imperial, the cantata Belshazzar’s Feast, and his
viola concerto, which is studied and performed by all serious violists. This is a week steeped in
British music of the 20th century.
Walton, William
Playlist
Episode 1
Walton, William: “Spitfire” Prelude (excerpt)
Academy of St. Martin In the Fields/Marriner
Walton: Battle Of Britain Suite
Chandos 8870
1:22
Walton, William: A Litany
St. Paul’s Cathedral Choir/Scott
The English Anthem, Vol. 7
Hyperion 67087
3:55
Walton, William:String Quartet No. 1, I (Moderato)
Gabrieli Quartet
Walton: String Quartets
Chan 8944
8:31
Walton, William: Portsmouth Point
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomson
Walton: Orchestral Works
Chan 8968
6:01
Walton, William: Façade:
Hornpipe
En Famille
Mariner Man
Long Steel
Grass
Through Gilded Trellises,Tango – Pasodoble
London Mozart Players/Glover; Scales & West, narrator
Façade
ASV 679
10:50
Walton, William: Viola Concerto in A Minor, I & II
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Previn; Kennedy, viola
Violin Concerto • Viola Concerto
EMI 49628
13:05
Walton, William: Escape Me Never Suite:
I. Prelude and Venetian Idyll
Academy of St. Martin In the Fields/Marriner
Walton: Battle of Britain Suite
Chan 8870
3:42
Walton, William: The First Shoot, I. Giocoso
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomson
Walton: Orchestral Works
Chan 8968
1:38
Episode 2
Walton, William: Viola Concerto in A Minor, I (excerpt)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Previn; Kennedy, viola
Sir William Walton Symphonies 1 & 2
EMI 49628
00:46
Walton, William: Viola Concerto in A Minor, III
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Previn; Kennedy, viola
Sir William Walton: Symphonies 1 & 2
EMI 49628
12:40
Walton, William: Belshazzar’s Feast:
Thus spake Isaiah
If I forget thee;
Babylon was a great city ;
Babylon Belshazzar the King;
Praise ye the god of gold
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Litton;
Terfel, bass baritone
William Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast/Suite from Henry V/Crown Imperial
London 448134
21:22
Walton, William: Belshazzar’s Feast:
Thus in Babylon, the mighty city
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Litton;
Terfel, bass baritone
William Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast/Suite from Henry V/Crown Imperial
London 448134
6:17
Walton, William: Belshazzar’s Feast:
The trumpeters and pipers
Then sing aloud to God our strength
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra & Chorus/Litton;
Terfel, bass baritone
William Walton: Belshazzar’s Feast/Suite from Henry V/Crown Imperial
London 448134
5:04
Cash, Johnny: Belshazzar
Johnny Cash & the Carter Sisters
The Best of Johnny Cash TV show
Columbia
2:37
Walton, William: Façade:
Lullaby for Jumbo
Black Mrs. Behemoth
London Mozart Players/Glover; Scales & West, narrator
Façade
ASV 679
3:27
Episode 3
Walton, William: Symphony #1, III (excerpt)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Previn
Symphony No. 1; Orb & Sceptre; Crown Imperial
Telarc 80125
2:28
Walton, William: Symphony #1, I. and II.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Previn
Symphony No. 1; Orb & Sceptre; Crown Imperial
Telarc 80125
20:26
Walton, William: Symphony #1, IV.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Previn
Symphony No. 1; Orb & Sceptre; Crown Imperial
Telarc 80125
12:53
Walton, William: Crown Imperial
Philharmonia Orchestra/Willcocks
Walton: Crown Imperial · Fanfares
Chandos 8998
6:36
Walton, William: Concerto in B Minor for Violin and Orchestra, I.
Philharmonia Orchestra/Walton; Heifetz, violin
Façade
RCA 61754
10:00
Walton, William: Façade:
Polka
London Mozart Players/Glover; Scales & West, narrator
Façade
ASV 679
1:14
Episode 4
Walton, William: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in B Minor, I (excerpt)
Philharmonia Orchestra/Walton; Heifetz, violin
Violin Concertos
RCA 61754
:27
Walton, William: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in B Minor, I (excerpt)
Philharmonia Orchestra/Walton; Heifetz, violin
Violin Concertos
RCA 61754
:52
Walton, William: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in B Minor, II & III
Philharmonia Orchestra/Walton; Heifetz, violin
Violin Concertos
RCA 61754
17:21
Walton, William: Battle of Britain Suite: Spitfire;
Prelude and Fugue
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields/Marriner
Walton: Battle of Britain Suite
Chandos 8870
8:34
Walton, William: Film Music from Henry V
Prelude: The Globe
Touch her soft lips and part
Agincourt Song
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Davis
The Battle of Britain (Suite)
EMI 47944
10:32
Walton, William: Film Music from Henry V
Passacaglia/The Death of Falstaff
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra/Walton
Walton conducts Walton
Bridge 9133
2:56
Walton, William: Troilus and Cressida: Act II Interlude
“From Isle to Isle Chill Waters”
Davis: London Philharmonic Orchestra
The Battle of Britain (Suite)
EMI 47944
7:01
Walton, William: Façade: Popular Song
London Mozart Players/Glover; Scales & West, narrator
Façade
ASV 679
2:05
Episode 5
Walton, William: Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, I.
Boston Symphony Orchestra/Munch; Piatigorsky, cello
Cello Concertos
RCA 61498
8:13
Walton, William: Partita for Orchestra
I. Toccata
II. Pastorale Siciliana
III. Giga Burlesca
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomson
Cello Concerto – Partita – Improvisation on An Impromptu of Benjamin Britten
– Passacaglia for Solo Cello
Chan 8959
17:28
Walton, William: Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten;
Lento and Vivo
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomson
Cello Concerto – Partita – Improvisation on An Impromptu of Benjamin Britten
– Passacaglia for Solo Cello
Chan 8959
7:53
Walton, William: Symphony No. 2, III.
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomson
Walton: Symphony No. 2
Chan 8772
9:23
Walton, William: Sonata for violin and piano: II. (excerpt) & Variation I.
Marianne Thorsen, violin; Ian Brown, piano
Walton – Chamber Music
Hyperion 67340
2:33
Walton, William: Music for Children, III.
London Philharmonic Orchestra/Thomson
Walton: Orchestral Works
Chan 8968
1:26
Walton, William: Façade:
Scotch Rhapsody
Foxtrot, “Old Sir Faulk”
Sir Beelzebub
London Mozart Players/Glover; Scales & West, nar.
Façade
ASV 679
3:52