WELLESZ, Egon
b Vienna, 21 October 1885
d Oxford, 9 November 1974, aged eighty-nine

He studied at Vienna University. He was greatly influenced by Mahler, Strauss and Schoenberg, and had a special interest in baroque and eighteenth-century opera and Byzantine music. He was largely instrumental in introducing contemporary British composers to the Continent. In 1933 he was elected a director of the International Musicological Society. He was made professor of musical history at Vienna University, and in 1932 was given an honorary doctorate by Oxford University. He settled in England after the Anschluss of 1938; was made a fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, and appointed lecturer in musical history in 1943. He was made a member of the Royal Danish Academy in 1946, awarded a CBE in 1957 and won other honours. In 1972 he suffered a stroke from which he died two years later.

1905 (20)

Sinfonischer Prolog, for orchestra

1911 (26)

Vorfruhling, for orchestra

1914 (29)

Suite for orchestra

1921 (36)

Die Prinzessin Girnara, opera (revised 928)

1924 (39)

Das Wunder der Diana, ballet

Persisches Ballett

Alkestis, opera

Die Nachtlichen, ballet

1926 (41)

Achilles auf Skyros, ballet

Der Opferung des Gefangenen, opera

1928 (43)

Scherz, List und Rache, opera

1929 (4)

Festlicher Marsch, for orchestra

1931 (46)

Die Bakchantinnen, opera

1934 (49)

Piano Concerto

1936-8 (51-3)

Prosperos Beschworungen, for orchestra

1945 (60)

Symphony No 1

1948 (63)

Symphony No 2

1951 (66)

Symphony No 3

Incognita, opera

1952 (67)

Symphony No 4

1956 (71)

Symphony No 5

1961 (76)

Violin Concerto

1964 (79)

Music for strings

1965 (80)

Symphony No 6

1967-8 (82-3)

Symphony No 7

1969 (84)

Divertimento for chamber orchestra

Symphonic Epiloge for orchestra

1970 (85)

Symphony No 8

1971 (86)

Symphony No 9

Wellesz also wrote much choral and solo vocal music- chamber and instrumental works; and many books and essays on music.

See also MusicWeb articles on Wellesz