Musicweb International Composer Resources
Arthur Butterworth MBE (1923-2014)

Musicweb Pages

Biography by Peter Worsley

Arthur Butterworth Writes: a regular column for Musicweb

Other articles by AB:
•  Arnold Bax - déja vu? a composer’s musings
•  Ancestral Voices - Elgar's Symphony No. 3

List of works

List of Recordings

Photo gallery (including rehearsal sequences for the fifth symphony)
Photograph of AB at 80 with Musicweb's Len Mullenger

A 75th Birthday Tribute by Richard Noble
King Arthur - AB at 85 by Lynne Walker
Symphony No. 2 - A Half Centenary Review by John France
In conversation with Arthur Butterworth by Chris Thomas

Important External Websites
Wikipedia entry

Interview (Youtube)

Reviews

ARTHUR BUTTERWORTH (1923-) Symphony No. 1 (1957) [40:09] RUTH GIPPS (1921-99) Symphony No. 2 (1945) [23:57] Munich SO/Douglas Bostock rec Arco Studios, München, 2-3 December 1998 ClassicO CLASSCD 274 [64:18]

Arthur Butterworth - Symphony no 4 (1970-86) University of Warwick Symphony Orchestra conducted by Colin Touchin Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre 8/12/98) Concert arranged by MusicWeb International on the occasion of Arthur's 75th birthday.

Arthur BUTTERWORTH (b. 1923) CD 1 Symphony No. 4 op. 72 (1986) [43:14] Arthur Butterworth talking about his life and work [27:06] CD 2 Viola Concerto op. 82 (1988-92) [38:57] Symphony No. 1 op. 15 (1957) [34:10] Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola) Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Arthur Butterworth Hallé Orchestra/Sir John Barbirolli (op. 15) rec. Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow, 30-31 May 2008. DDD; Proms, Royal Albert Hall, London, 29 August 1958 (op. 15); Talk: New Cavendish Club, London, 15 April 2008, British Music Society lecture. 2 CDs for price of 1.
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7212 [70:40 + 73:07]

Arthur BUTTERWORTH (b.1923) Symphony No.5, Op.115 (2001-02) [27:58] Three Nocturnes: ‘Northern Summer Nights’, Op.18 (1958) [15:26] The Quiet Tarn, Op.21 (1960) [5:00] The Green Wind, Op.22 (1960) [6:39] Coruscations, Op.127 (2007) [6:02] Gigues, Op.42 (1969) [6:00] Royal Scottish National Orchestra/Arthur Butterworth rec. Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow, 4-5 May 2010. DDD World Premiere Recordings
DUTTON EPOCH CDLX7253 [67:49] Reviews: John France Rob Barnett

Arthur BUTTERWORTH (b. 1923) Three Impressions for Brass Op. 36 Passacaglia on a Theme of Brahms Op. 87
Sinfonia Concertante Op. 111 * Johannes BRAHMS (1833-97) Trans. Butterworth Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Handel Op. 24 Robert Blackburn (baritone); Lesley Howie (tenor horn) * Black Dyke Band/Nicholas J. Childs
Recorded Morley Town Hall, 2001 DDD DOYEN DOYCD130 [61:13]

Arthur BUTTERWORTH (b. 1923) Piano Trio No.1 Op.73 (1983) [21:06] Viola Sonata Op.78 (1986)a [18:26]
Piano Trio No.2 Op.121 (2004) [16:13] The Terroni Piano Trio (John Trusler, violin; Fiona Murphy, cello; Raphael Terroni, piano); Morgan Goff (viola)a rec. All Saints Church, Durham Road, East Finchley, June 2005 DUTTON EPOCH CDLX 7164 [56:06]

ENGLISH BASSOON CONCERTOS Eric FOGG (1903-1939) Bassoon Concerto (1930) John ADDISON (1920-1998) Bassoon Concertino (1998) Peter HOPE (b.1930) Bassoon Concertino (2000) Arthur BUTTERWORTH (b.1923) Summer Music (1985) Graham Salvage (bassoon) Royal Ballet Sinfonia/Gavin Sutherland (Butterworth conducted by composer) Rec 26/27 Feb 2001, Whitfield Street Studios, London ASV CD WHL 2132 [75.21]

(Brass Band) Regionals 2003 Simon DOBSON Lydian Pictures Peter GRAHAM Northern Landscapes Wilfred HEATON (1918-2000) Celestial Prospect Arthur BUTTERWORTH (b. 1923) Passacaglia on a Theme of Brahms Op.87 Judith BINGHAM (b. 1952) Prague Besses O’ The Barn Band – Lynda Nicholson (Dobson) Black Dyke Band – Nicholas J. Childs (Graham and Butterworth) Eikanger Bjørsvik Musikklag – Howard Snell (Heaton) Williams Fairey Band – James Gourlay (Bingham) Recorded Morley Town Hall, July 2002 (Dobson) Pell Hall, Salford, July 2002 (Graham) Studio 7, BBC Manchester, 1996 (Bingham) DDD DOYEN DOYCD143 [57:52]

Ancient Sorceries Richard STEINITZ (b.1938) Hymn to Apollo at Delphi [10:11] Arthur BUTTERWORTH (b.1923) Ancient Sorceries [13:16] Stephen HOUGH (b.1961) Three Grave Songs [6:20] Nicholas MARSHALL (b.1942) Cat & Mouse [12:14] John McCABE (b.1939) Two Latin Elegies [7:43] John GARDNER (b.1917) Six by Four [12:20] John JOUBERT (b.1927) Crabbed Age [14:36] Nicholas Clapton (counter-tenor); John Turner (recorder); Jonathan Price (cello); Ian Thompson (harpsichord) rec. DDD GUILD GMCD 7348 [77:30]

Over the Water: Music for Recorder and String Orchestra Franz REIZENSTEIN (1911–1968) Partita for recorder and string orchestra Op.13b (1939, orch. 1954) [10:00] Gordon CROSSE (b. 1937) Watermusic for recorder and string orchestra (1982, orch. 1988) [10:31] Arthur BUTTERWORTH (b. 1923) Rêverie Rêverie ('Farewell Manchester') op.113a for recorder, harp and string orchestra (2000, orch. 2005) [3:43] Anthony HOPKINS (b. 1921)
Suite for recorder, string orchestra and harp (1952, orch. 2006) [6:07] Francis JACKSON (b. 1917) Moonrise for recorder and string orchestra (1999, orch. 2004) [5:07] Arnold COOKE (1906–2005) Divertimento for recorder and string orchestra (1959) [9:53] Michael HURD (1928–2006) Three-Piece Suite for recorder and string orchestra (2004) [4:39] Anthony HEDGES (b. 1931) Three Miniatures for recorder, strings, harp and percussion (2004, orch. 2005) [7:57] Elis PEHKONEN (b. 1942) Concerto “Over the Water” for recorder and string orchestra (2004) [18:15]
John Turner (recorder) Louise Thomson (harp), Janet Fulton (percussion) Manchester Camerata Ensemble/Philip Mackenzie rec. Hallam Hall, Stockport Grammar School, 13-14 July 2006. DDD This recording is affectionately dedicated to the memory of David Munrow, on the thirtieth anniversary of his death premiere recordings DUTTON EPOCH CDLX7191 [77:09]