University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

The romantic loner: a conductor’s guide to the choral-orchestral works of Sir William Walton

(USC Thesis Other)

The romantic loner: a conductor’s guide to the choral-orchestral works of Sir William Walton

PDF

Download a page range

Download transcript

Copy asset link

Request this asset

Transcript (if available)

Content THE ROMANTIC LONER:
A CONDUCTOR’S GUIDE TO THE CHORAL-ORCHESTRAL WORKS OF
SIR WILLIAM WALTON
By
Troy Alexander Quinn
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE THORNTON SCHOOL OF MUSIC
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF MUSIC ARTS
MAY 2014
Copyright 2014 Troy Alexander Quinn
For my parents...
ii
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I would like to thank my family for their undying love and support in
pursuit of my dreams. I am most grateful to them for their constant sacrifice and belief in my
talents. My heartfelt gratitude to my doctoral advisor, Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe, for his
unwavering faith in me and inspirational commitment to music. I would also like to recognize
the other members of my committee, Dr. Nick Strimple and Dr. Cristian Grases, for their
outstanding guidance, wisdom, and dedication to their craft. My sincere thanks also to Pr. Larry
Livingston for his ability to inspire students to become better musicians. To my mentors and
colleagues at Providence, you have shaped me into who I am today, I am eternally grateful. To
my teacher in New York, the great Mark Oswald, I am forever indebted to you for your teaching,
musicianship, and kindness. Lastly, I would like to thank my friends and colleagues for their
tremendous support and unending love.
iii
Table of Contents
Dedication ii
Acknowledgments iii
List of Tables vi
List of Musical Examples vii
Abstract x
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: Biography and Overview of Works 3
Early Years and Formal Beginnings 3
The Sitwell Era 5
The Self-Taught Genius 7
The War Years: Film Composer 12
New Works, New Title, and A New Muse 16
La Mortella and the Final Years 20
General Characteristics of Walton’s Music 23
Chapter 2: Early Works 25
Belshazzar’ s Feast
Historical Perspective 25
Musical Aspects 26
Conducting Considerations 44
In Honour of the City of London
Historical Perspective 52
Musical Aspects 53
Conducting Considerations 68
Chapter 3: Middle Works 73
Coronation Te Deum
Historical Perspective 73
Musical Aspects 74
Conducting Considerations 80
Gloria
Historical Perspective 84
Musical Aspects 85
Conducting Considerations 100
iv
Chapter 4: Late and Unpublished Works 107
The Twelve
Historical Perspective 107
Musical Aspects 108
Conducting Considerations 120
“The Forsaken Merman”
Historical Perspective 126
Musical Aspects 127
Conducting Considerations 129
Conclusion 132
Bibliography 133
Appendices 135
Appendix A: Complete List of Instrumental Works 135
Appendix B: Complete List of Choral and V ocal Works 139
v
List of Tables
Table 1 Overall Form of Belshazzar’ s Feast 29
Table 2 Overall Form of In Honour of the City of London 62
Table 3 Overall Form of Coronation Te Deum 75
Table 4 Overall Form of Gloria 86
Table 5 Overall Form of The Twelve 109
vi
List of Musical Examples
Example 2.1 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 15-27 27
Example 2.2 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 87-90 28
Example 2.3 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 377-385 31-32
Example 2.4 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 421-425 34
Example 2.5 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 703-709 37
Example 2.6 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 784-790 39
Example 2.7 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 819-832 41-42
Example 2.8 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 1-2 44
Example 2.9 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 89-93 45
Example 2.10 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 148-154 46
Example 2.11 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, m. 389 48
Example 2.12 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 869-877 50
Example 2.13 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 1-13 54-56
Example 2.14 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 79-83 58
Example 2.15 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 197-201 60
Example 2.16 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 378-383 64
Example 2.17 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 441-450 66-67
Example 2.18 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 60-68 69
Example 2.19 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 257-258 71
Example 3.1 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 1-10 77
Example 3.2 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 71-77 78
vii
Example 3.3 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 189-199 79
Example 3.4 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 47-55 81
Example 3.5 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 246-252 82
Example 3.6 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 1-5 88
Example 3.7 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 49-57 90
Example 3.8 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 182-192 92-93
Example 3.9 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 457-461 95
Example 3.10 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 482-487 97
Example 3.11 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 488-491 99
Example 3.12 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 36-41 101
Example 3.13 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 177-181 103
Example 3.14 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 468-474 105
Example 4.1 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 1-8 111
Example 4.2 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 18-23 113
Example 4.3 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 140-153 115-116
Example 4.4 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 202-223 118-119
Example 4.5 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 24-28 121
Example 4.6 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 160-165 123
Example 4.7 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 291-297 125
Example 4.8 William Walton, “The Forsaken Merman,” double chorus entrance 128
Example 4.9 William Walton, “The Forsaken Merman,” 7/8 meter 129
Example 4.10 William Walton, “The Forsaken Merman,” mixed meter opening 130
viii
All published musical examples were reproduced with kind permission by
© Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
All musical examples from “The Forsaken Merman” were reproduced with kind permission by
The William Walton Trust.
ix
Abstract
Sir William Walton (1902-1983) is one of the most celebrated British composers in
history, writing prolifically for orchestra, film, ballet, and opera. While Walton penned only
twenty choral compositions totaling no more than two hours, the quality is such that he is
counted among the choral giants of the twentieth century. Catapulting to fame with the premiere
of his orchestral work Façade, Walton’s choral-orchestral works remain largely unknown.
Certainly Belshazzar’ s Feast has attained a permanent place in the choral-orchestral canon,
making the case for further study of Walton’s remaining choral-orchestral works. This
dissertation examines the six choral works that were written for orchestral accompaniment with
specific consideration to the technicalities and challenges that are present for the conductor in
each piece.
The study commences with a biographical outline of the composer, beginning with his
youth and tracing his varied career until his death. The first chapter includes biographical
information and a brief overview of Walton’s works as an introductory discussion to his music.
The second chapter provides a guide for the conductor in the works of Belshazzar’ s Feast and In
Honour of the City of London. The chapter includes a historical perspective, musical analysis,
and conducting considerations for performance on the two works. The third chapter offers further
insight into the choral-orchestral works Coronation Te Deum and Gloria. In-depth musical
analysis, historical background information, and considerations for the conductor are discussed
throughout the chapter. The fourth and final chapter focuses on Walton’s The Twelve and his
unpublished choral-orchestral work “The Forsaken Merman.” Again, the discussion centers
around historical background, musical analysis and examples as well as specific directions for
x
the conductor. Appendices, including complete choral, vocal, and instrumental works, help to
provide a broader context of Walton’s musical output. Six in total, Walton’s choral-orchestral
works are discussed in detail as a significant contribution to the world of classical music.
xi
Introduction
William Walton is among the most celebrated composers in history, yet with the
exception of Belshazzar’ s Feast, few are familiar with his choral-orchestral output. Largely self-
taught, Walton emerged as a composer of great repute with his massive oratorio Belshazzar’ s
Feast and instrumental works such as his First Symphony and Viola Concerto. His compositions
explore a vast array of genres; including ballet, opera, choral, instrumental, film, jazz, and song.
While producing only a handful of choral-orchestral music, the quality is such that it has been
considered a major contribution to the world of concert music. This dissertation focuses on the
six choral-orchestral works of William Walton as a means to understanding his musical language
and elevating Walton’s reputation as a composer of varied and special talents.
Chapter One commences with a biographical account of the composer and touches upon
his compositions, which are traced from childhood until his death. The second chapter discusses
Walton’s most well known work Walton’s Belshazzar’ s Feast and In Honour of the City of
London. Historical background gives the reader perspective as to how the compositions began,
starting from their infancy. Specific musical analysis of excerpts provides a theoretical
background in understanding Walton’s compositional style and techniques. Conducting
considerations and suggestions are discussed as a guide for the conductor when performing these
works. This format continues into the third chapter as the focus shifts toward discussion of
Walton’s Coronation Te Deum and Gloria. Chapter Four takes an in-depth look at Walton’s last
choral-orchestral work, The Twelve, and his unpublished work “The Forsaken Merman.” A
listing of Walton’s complete works has been included in the appendices to highlight the
1
composer’s career and provide a valuable research tool. This dissertation provides a basic outline
and analysis for those who wish to perform Sir William Walton’s choral-orchestral literature.
2
Chapter 1: Biography and Overview of Works
Early Years and Formal Beginnings
William Turner Walton was born on March 29, 1902 in Oldham, Lancashire, England.
From his earliest beginnings, music was a vital part of Walton’s life. Both his parents were
singing teachers and trained musicians. Music reigned supreme in the typically post-Victorian
Walton family and young William’s musical gift was soon apparent.
1
He learned to play the
piano and organ and had violin lessons until his father stopped all three because of poor
practicing. Walton was a mediocre pianist and an even worse violinist. “I could never organize
my fingers properly and it sounded so awful.”
2
Walton’s older brother, Noel, described the
composer as basically shy, with a combination of reserve and impatience--“a very bad pianist
who thumped out Stravinsky scores and that sort of thing.”
3
The patriarch of the family, Charles
Walton, was determined to prevent his son from entering the profession of music, mostly due to
his own ill-fortune as a musician. Yet, he decided to let William audition at the Christ Church
Cathedral Choir School in Oxford after spotting an advertisement in the local paper. Walton’s
mother accompanied the young William on the trip where his musical prowess and acute ear
impressed Dr. Thomas Strong, the Dean of Christ Church, and was accepted as a boarder at
Oxford.
3
1
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music (London: Robert Hale Limited, 1984), 22.
2
This direct quotation from William Walton is from the 1981 television profile At the Haunted End of the Day.
3
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 22.
From 1912-1918, William attended the choir school and was a regular treble soloist
during services. But the outbreak of the war in 1914 hit the Walton family hard, reducing the
number of singing pupils of Charles Walton and, at one point, making it expedient to bring his
son home.
4
Contemplating bringing young William back to Oldham, it was Dr. Strong himself
who paid the balance of school fees and convinced Walton’s father to keep the young boy at
Christ Church. It was Dr. Strong more than anyone else who prepared Walton’s path as a
composer.
5
One Sunday while Dr. Strong was directing the choir, William, then fifteen years of
age, urged his teacher to take a look at a stack of composition manuscripts that he had prepared.
Hubert Hastings Parry, who happened to be visiting Strong this particular Sunday and who had a
keen eye for talent, voiced his approval over the young Walton’s manuscripts exclaiming,
“There’s a lot in this chap, you must keep your eye on him!”
6
Walton himself understated his
account of why he began to compose: “I thought I must make myself interesting somehow or
when my voice breaks, I’ll be sent back to Oldham. What can I do? Write music, so I did.”
7

One of Walton’s earliest compositions written in 1916, A Litany, showcases the young
Walton’s flair for romantic progressions and surprising harmonic shifts. The unaccompanied
choral work is an astoundingly well-developed example of his characteristic bitter-sweet
romanticism.
8
In 1918, Walton began to compose his first major work, the Piano Quartet,
dedicating it to his beloved mentor Dr. Strong. Later that year, at the age of sixteen, Walton
passed the first part of his Bachelor examination at New College, Oxford. Although Walton had
4
4
Ibid, 22-23.
5
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989), 10.
6
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire (Woodbridge: The Boydel Press, 2001), 6.
7
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 7.
8
Ibid, 8.
passed the first part of examinations, he failed the official matriculation examination, and after a
final unsuccessful attempt in December of 1919, he was sent down for a couple of terms.
9
The
unrelenting Walton redeemed himself in 1920 by passing the final examination under the
presiding eyes of Sir Hugh Allen, Percy Buck, and Ralph Vaughan Williams.
10
Walton had met
many famous and influential people at Oxford, though none would prove more important than
his friendship with the Sitwells.
The Sitwell Era
While at Oxford in 1919, the young Walton was introduced to Sacheverell Sitwell and his
brother Osbert. The Sitwells were a “well-to-do” socialite family that took particular interest in
nurturing young artists and developing their creative genius. Sacheverell and Osbert became fast
friends with Walton. Taken with his musical aptitude, the three would organize concerts and give
impromptu performances of music, including Walton’s own Piano Quartet.
During this time, Walton was also introduced to the eldest daughter of the Sitwells, Edith. An
aspiring poet, Walton developed a significant professional relationship with Edith and would
later go on to set her poetry in his popular orchestral work with speaker entitled Façade. Walton
benefited greatly from his association with the Sitwells, meeting artists and writers such as T. S.
Elliot and Ezra Pound, attending concerts of contemporary music, and therefore cultivating his
artistic muse.
5
9
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 27.
10
Ibid.
“The Sitwell brothers’ next move was to convince Walton’s father of the advantages of
their patronage.”
11
Charles Walton decided to make a visit to the Sitwells, only to find an elderly
aunt of the family who reassured him that William knew what he was doing. And so Walton
came to live with the Sitwells in Chelsea as an “adoptive” brother of sorts. Musically speaking,
Walton was essentially self-educated, never attending a major conservatory in England. “The
Sitwells claimed the credit for keeping Walton from entering either the Royal College of Music
or the Royal Academy of Music.”
12
Their financial support and artistic cultivation of young
Walton allowed him to pursue his studies privately, untroubled by the hassle of academic
guidelines or menial work outside music to earn a living. It was the Sitwells who first brought
Walton to Italy and Sicily; a place where he would later spend the majority of his life composing
on the island of Ischia. He and his friends returned to Italy many times during the ensuing years,
inspired by the Renaissance beauty of the country and warm demeanor of its inhabitants. Walton
also enjoyed the company of several composers, Dutch-born Bernard Van Dieren and Constance
Lambert both took great interest in Walton’s early successes. Lambert made a perfect companion
for the gifted young composer from Oldham, who shared his enthusiasm for composition.
13

Walton’s only substantial work before 1920 was his String Quartet written in 1919.
Mostly an exercise in technique, it was performed in 1921 and perceived as a relative failure for
the young composer, but his association with the Sitwells proved to be fruitful as his
collaboration with Edith catapulted him to fame with his orchestral work based on
6
11
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire, 13.
12
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 19.
13
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 36.
her poems entitled Façade. The idea of reading poems over orchestral music had become
popular during the Victorian era and was warmly encouraged by both Osbert and Sacheverell
Sitwell. Premiered in 1923, Façade was originally intended as a private recitation of Edith’s
poems, with musical accompaniment, before an invited audience.
14
At first glance, Sitwell’s
poetry seems nonsensical, but closer evaluation shows references to turn-of-the-century
England.
15
The initial reaction was mixed, but subsequent performances solidified Walton’s
genius and permanent place in English music.

The Self-Taught Genius
Walton essentially taught himself orchestration by trial and error. His piano skills were
poor and he played no other instruments, training only as a choirboy. Yet, his innate sense for
color and flair for the dramatic lent itself to orchestral works. Between 1923 and 1927, Walton
was casting about to find his true idiom and sampling every new experience, striking out at
random and borrowing something here, rejecting something there, as a self-taught man must.
16

Jazz became a major influence in classical music, with the rise of Gershwin and American
popular music. Walton dabbled in the idiom writing A Fantasia Concertante for two pianos, jazz
band, and orchestra, but wrote little else of consequence until his 1925 overture Portsmouth
Point. His brief foray into atonality and jazz were merely exercises for the self-taught Walton,
looking to find his true compositional voice, he turned to tuneful melody and lush romanticism.
7
14
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire, 28.
15
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 27.
16
Ibid, 39-39.
The principal theme from Portsmouth Point came to Walton while traveling in London,
subsequently finishing the work while in Spain, accompanied by the Sitwells.
17
Constance
Lambert referred to the piece as “brilliant” and praised the percussive rhythms, no doubt
influenced by his travels to Spain. Walton’s next composition, Siesta, showed even more clearly
what kind of composer Walton was--lyrical, romantic, and conservative, tapping springs of
individual melody without which such a composer becomes merely a carbon copy.
18
Walton was
on the verge of another major accomplishment, a finer work with technical prowess and
emotional depth, his Viola Concerto.
Towards the end of 1928, the English conductor and impresario Sir Thomas Beecham
suggested to Walton that he should write a viola concerto for the virtuoso violist Lionel Tertis.
Walton agreed and sent the manuscript to Tertis for review. After refusing to play the premiere of
the work, Paul Hindemith agreed to perform the piece, simply because he liked it.
19
“All
Walton’s technical fingerprints are there: the melodic exploitation of conjunct motion and wide
intervals, sustained notes and looping arabesques, falling cadences, major-minor diatonic
harmony which gives the music its bitter-sweet flavor, and the syncopated and irregular rhythmic
patterns that jerk the music forward.”
20
The first performance at the Henry Wood Promenade
concerts was a resounding success, despite rehearsals that were full of mistakes and errors.
Although the concerto was soon recognized as a masterpiece, Walton continued to revise it,
8
17
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 54.
18
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 42.
19
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 63.
20
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 50-51.
thinning the orchestration and agonizing over notes in 1961. This was a hallmark of Walton’s
compositional process; slow, painstaking work that proved fruitful in the end.
While Walton’s musical career was gaining momentum, his relationship with the Sitwell
brothers waned. Sacheverelle had married and Walton was now becoming a bit too independent
for Osbert’s taste. Walton’s love of the female sex and immense musical successes began to drive
a wedge through the cosy threesome. Walton was a musical joker of the highest order and also
had a certain toughness of fiber that enabled him to combat the irrational and aggressive element
in Osbert’s nature.
21
Like true relatives who have their squabbles, Walton remained loyal to his
“adoptive” family, he continued to vacation with the Sitwells and credited them for his musical
triumphs.
The year 1931 represented another great success for Walton, whose Belshazzar’ s Feast, a
bold, theatrical cantata on the subject of the fall of Babylon, received its first performance at the
Leeds Triennial Festival that year under the direction of Sir Malcolm Sargent.
22
Written during a
period of depression and solitude in the composer’s life, Osbert described the process as “slow,
like a dumb white calf, bless him.”
23
Shortly before working on Belshazzar’ s Feast, Walton
began a romance with the young Baroness Imma Doernberg. Smitten with her charm and vitality,
the romance soon turned to love. The Baroness was the late widow of the German Baron Hans-
Karl von Doernberg. Burdened by poor health, Walton took to her aid, even requesting money on
her behalf from his old friend, poet Siegfried Sassoon. Imma’s ill health caused Walton much
anguish throughout their courtship, but came during a period of growing fame and indisputable
9
21
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 44-45.
22
Ibid, 63.
23
Letter from Amalfi dated January 17, 1930 (Washington State University Library).
success for the composer. At twenty-nine years old, Walton was on a creative high, one that
would turn to the symphonic form for his next artistic achievement.
A fastidious and slow-paced writer, Walton took several years to complete his First
Symphony. He finished the first movement and Scherzo of the symphony in 1933. Working on
the slow movement later that year and completing the finale around 1935, Walton was still
having trouble completing the middle movement. He rang up his old friend Lambert who
suggested a fugue, but Walton reportedly responded by saying he didn’t know how to write one.
Walton then researched the Grove dictionary entry on fugue and gained the technique to write the
main fugue subject.
24
The first complete performance was premiered by the British Broadcasting
Corporation Symphony Orchestra in November of 1935. With its soaring melodies and
melancholic feel, the symphony was an instant hit. “Walton undoubtedly recognized that he had
created a major work of striking power and originality, but instead of instantly dreaming up some
other huge heroic concept, he sensibly resumed composing in a more relaxed, unpressurized
atmosphere.”
25
During the composition of his First Symphony, Walton’s relationship with his beloved
Imma changed drastically. Imma’s health affected both Walton and his composing and by 1934,
the romance was esentially over. A few days after the premiere, Imma left Walton for a doctor
she had been receiving treatment from, claiming she left Walton because he was impotent. But in
a life charmed with good fortune, Walton’s love affair with Imma was only to give way to
another happier one.
26
10
24
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 80.
25
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 78.
26
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire, 134.
The new woman in Walton’s life was Alice Wimborne, the wife of Ivor Churchill Guest,
know as Lord Wimborne, and a first cousin to Winston Churchill. Lord Wimborne was
understanding of his wife’s male companions and apparently got along well with Walton. More
than any other woman, Alice had an extremely beneficial influence on the susceptible young
Walton, to the extent of disciplining his composing and steering him away from wrong social
influences.
27
Despite the differences in their age, Walton 22 years her junior, the relationship
blossomed and Walton credited Alice for providing the inspiration he needed to finish his First
Symphony. However, Osbert did not take kindly to Walton’s new relationship. “As the
Wimbornes were friends of Osbert’s, he regarded Walton’s behavior as an act of betrayal and
effectively severed their relationship from that time.”
28
The fifteen-year friendship with the
Sitwells had finally run its course.
The 1930’s were a booming period for Walton. He had completed his First Symphony
and was selected to provide the music for the coronation of King George VI in 1937. Full of
enthusiasm for what he viewed as a noteworthy assignment, Walton completed his Crown
Imperial March in fourteen days.
29
Another commission came to Walton when the organizers of
the 1937 Leeds Festival invited him to compose a choral work to celebrate the event.
30
He
entitled the work In Honour of the City of London, a cantata based on a text by Scottish poet
William Dunbar. The piece won immediate acclaim with audiences and solidified Walton’s
reputation as a composer who could write for both the voice and orchestra.
11
27
Ibid, 135.
28
Ibid, 136.
29
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 81.
30
Ibid.
In 1936, Walton had been introduced to the virtuoso violinist Jascha Heifetz, who asked
Walton to write a concerto for him.
31
Throughout the creative process, Walton encountered many
periods of self-doubt, fearing that the final movement would not be technically demanding
enough for the virtuosic playing of Heifetz. Yet again, he turned to his female companion for
inspiration. “Although written for Heifetz and dedicated to him, the concerto was inspired by
Alice Wimborne, whose friendship and love had brought about the completion of the symphony
three years earlier.”
32
The unforgettable romantic theme in the opening and lush romantic
harmonies endeared the piece to audiences and to Heifetz himself. Walton was not present for the
premiere of the piece by the Cleveland Orchestra in 1941, as the outbreak of war would propel
the composer into another realm of music.
The War Years: Film Composer
The fourteen films for which Walton supplied a musical score can be broadly placed into
three groups: those starring Elisabeth Bergner, the war-time propaganda films, and the films
either directed by or associated with Sir Laurence Olivier.
33
The first four of the films were made
by the Hungarian director Paul Czinner, who was married to the actress Elisabeth Bergner.
Walton’s first film in 1934, Escape Me Never, came remarkably quick to Walton, writing five to
ten minutes of music a day without much difficulty.
34
His next film, in 1936, was his first
12
31
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire, 164.
32
Ibid.
33
Stephen Lloyd, “Film Music.” In William Walton: Music and Literature, ed. Stewart Craggs, 109-131 (Aldershot:
Ashgate Publishing Limited, 1999).
34
Ibid.
Shakespeare score and one that would begin a lifelong collaboration with the revered English
actor and director, Sir Laurence Olivier. The film version of As you like it had been suggested by
Sir James Barrie, who in turn recommended Walton to score the film since he has composed the
music for his last play The Boy David. Olivier played his first leading role in the film and Walton
scored the music to which he received positive reviews. A Stolen Life was the last of the Czinner/
Walton collaborations. The film required a much more substantial score, full of extensive
sequences and ferocious playing. Walton’s last film before the war was based on the 1905
George Bernard Shaw play entitled Major Barbara. Having the orchestrations talents of Roy
Douglas, a music assistant to Ralph Vaughan Williams, Walton was able to expedite the writing
process by jotting down music for Douglas to later orchestrate. The film score turned out to be
well-received, with some affecting love music, but Walton’s manuscript was lost sometime after
the war.
35
Walton’s experience in film music would be his lasting contribution to the war effort.
At the outbreak of the war, Walton enlisted as an ambulance driver for the local Air Raid
Precautions center outside Rugby. Around the end of 1940, Walton was drafted for service in the
armed forces, but Jack Beddington, Director of the Films Division of the Ministry of
Information, subsequently pleaded passionately for his exemption and succeeded in having him
officially attached to the MOI as a composer.
36
Walton was exempted from military service in
order to compose music for films deemed to be of national importance.
37
His first assignment
was not to compose film music but to arrange the works of J. S. Bach for the Sadler’s Wells
ballet company’s new work The Wise Virgins. Among the compositions Walton arranged for the
13
35
Ibid.
36
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 93.
37
Humphrey Burton and Maureen Murray, William Walton: The Romantic Loner A Centenary Portrait Album
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002), 86.
ballet was the pastorale aria “Sheep may safely graze.” The work was a product of the
beginnings of war, a spiritual reflection that had exquisite craftsmanship and beauty.
The first war film that Walton worked on was the propagandist film Next of Kin. Walton
dashed off thirty minutes of music in three weeks for the film about espionage and security,
utilizing military march themes. Approximately at the same time, he also began writing
incidental music for the stage play Macbeth, starring John Gielgud. Gielgud was apparently
impressed with Walton’s ability to take his direction and implement the music at exactly the right
place. Walton wrote the music in eight days making the deadline by the skin of his teeth.”
38

During this time Walton was permanently living with his beloved Alice as Lord Wimborne had
died in 1939.
In 1942, Walton was made a civilian advisor to the Army Film Unit where he was
commissioned to compose music for two war films, The Foreman Went to France and The First
of the Few. Set during the fall of France, the first film contains some beautiful French-flavored
tunes.
39
The First of the Few chronicled the inspiring subject R. J. Mitchell, who designed the
Spitfire aircraft while suffering from an incurable disease. The stirring prelude and noble
fanfares were later combined into a concert work entitled Prelude and Fugue (The Spitfire).
40

That same year, Walton was approached to compose music for a substantial BBC radio feature,
Christopher Columbus, marking the 450th anniversary of his discovery of the New World. Once
again, Laurence Olivier was chosen to lead the formidable cast performed with the BBC
Symphony Orchestra. It was Walton’s first and last excursion into radio music.
14
38
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 114.
39
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 97.
40
Ibid, 98.
Most of Walton’s work for film was purely professional and garnered little attention
outside the cinema world. However, his next three film commissions, Henry V , Hamlet, and
Richard III, earned Walton a permanent place in film composition with some of the most
memorable scores ever written. Dallas Bower, originally an associate producer on Walton’s
earlier film As you like it, conceived the idea of creating a film version of Shakespeare’s classic
Henry V . Once again, Laurence Olivier was set to star in the title role and take on an additional
responsibility as director. Walton drew on several sources to create the necessary period music.
“He borrowed melodies from the Fitzwilliam Virginal Book for the opening scene at the Globe
Theatre, and upon the advice of his colleague Ralph Vaughan Williams, used two French tunes,
Reveillez-vous, Piccars, and the Agincourt Song, as a call-to-arms in the battle scene and joyous
choral finale.”
41
Walton was quite proud of the final product. At one point, the film was shown to
Walton, innocent of all music. When he later saw the completed film, Walton said to Olivier,
“Well my boy, I’m very glad you showed it to me, because I must tell you I did think it was
terribly dull without the music.”
42
A concert suite consisting of four movements was arranged by
Sir Malcolm Sargent in 1945, featuring chorus and orchestra.
43

Walton’ s score for Hamlet exuded the same dramatic sense as Henry V . Containing over
fifty minutes of music, Walton explored the leitmotif technique and utilized fugue subjects in the
music. Musical director Muir Mathieson praised Walton’s film score for its ingenuity, claiming
that “William Walton was now the most famous name in all of film music.”
44
Richard III was
15
41
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire, 197.
42
Interview with John Amis in Portrait of Walton, BBC Radio, broadcast on June 4, 1977.
43
Subsequently, the Scottish conductor Muir Mathieson arranged a purely orchestral suite in five movements in
1963.
44
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 117.
Walton’s last Shakespearean film score collaboration with Sir Laurence Olivier. By this time,
Walton’s association with Olivier and his own views on film composing were well documented.
The composer stated,
A close and delicate collaboration is essential for the film must be served, but music must
not be asked to do what it should not or cannot. A film composer must have confidence in
his director or collaboration will break down. In my three major Shakespearean films I
have been particularly blessed in working with a director who knew precisely what he
wanted at any given point, not only in quantity but in kind. Laurence Olivier understands
the composer’s problems. He has a genius for thinking up ways of adding to them, or
increasing those that already exist, but he never demands the impossible, and his
challenges have invariably led me to be grateful in the end.
45
New Works, New Title, and A New Muse

By 1947, Alice’s poor health had taken its toll on Walton. He worked feverishly to
complete Hamlet during her long illness that year, but she eventually succumbed to cancer of the
bronchus in the spring of 1948. Walton’s muse was gone but before she died, Alice had planted
the seeds of encouragement for William to write an opera. It would be eight years before Walton
would finish that musical undertaking.
Continuing to compose smaller works, Walton completed his Sonata for Violin and Piano
for the famous violinist Yehudi Menuhin. Walton, in desperate need of funds at the time to pay
for Alice’s medical bills, convinced Menuhin’s wife to commission a sonata from him and in
1949 it was premiered in Zurich, Switzerland.
At the invitation of the British Council, Walton traveled to Buenos Aires on a promotional
tour after the death of Alice in 1948. There, he met the most influential woman of his life, Susana
16
45
James Limbacher, Film Music: From Violins to Video (New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1974), 128-131.
Gil Passo. The daughter of a prominent lawyer, Susana was working as a social secretary of the
British Council in Argentina when the two met at a press conference. Walton proposed the next
day and for three weeks persisted until Susana agreed. His proposal was an uncharacteristically
bold gesture for a man who was known to spend several months contemplating a single
recalcitrant phrase, but the two fell in love and good fortune smiled upon Walton once again.
46

Susana and William were very fond of Italy and decided to make a home there, choosing the
island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples. Walton had traveled there some time ago with the Sitwells
and always longed for a home outside London. Ischia would be Walton’s paradise until the end
of his days.
Still concentrating on smaller works, Walton was again asked to provide the music for the
coronation ceremony, this time for Queen Elizabeth II. He completed the march, entitled Orb
and Sceptre, in 1953. Sir William McKie, Westminster Abbey organist and Director of Music for
the Coronation Service, also persuaded Walton to write a new Te Deum for the Coronation at the
Abbey.
47
Walton obliged and was quite pleased with both works. In 1951, Walton received the
substantial news that he was chosen to be Knighted. Sir William had ascended to the thrones of
British royalty, a national composer of prominence who experienced immense popularity during
his lifetime.
Much of the next decade was occupied by the slow and painstaking process of composing
an opera. With the immense operatic success of Britten’s Peter Grimes, Walton had for many
years wanted to write a work of this kind.
48
In 1947, the BBC music director Victor Hely-
17
46
Humphrey Burton and Maureen Murray, William Walton: The Romantic Loner A Centenary Portrait Album, 104.
47
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 126.
48
Ibid, 129.
Hutchison essentially commissioned Walton to write an opera. It was the late Alice Wimborne
who persuaded Christopher Hassell to write the libretto for Walton, helping the poet choose the
subject Troilus and Cressida.
49
Conceived in three acts, the opera drew its libretto from
Chaucer’s epic poem Troilus and Criseyde and from Shakespeare’s play Troilus and Cressida. It
wasn’t until Walton settled on the island of Ischia with his new bride that he started work in
earnest on his new opera. As with other major works of Walton, the gestation of his opera was
slow and wrought with frustrating disappointments.
50
Walton tried to acquire the young German
soprano Elizabeth Schwarzkopf as his Cressida, only to be turned down in the end due to her
lack of interest and immense distaste for singing in English. Walton had also procrastinated on
writing the famed love duet between the two main characters for over a year. Combating the
many changes in the libretto by Hassell, Walton finally finished the work in the summer of 1954,
seven and a half years after its initial inception.
The first performance of Troilus and Cressida took place at the Royal Opera House,
Covent Garden, on December 3, 1954, and this being Walton’s first opera, patrons undoubtedly
looked forward to a gala occasion.
51
The major cause of frustration for Walton was Sir Malcolm
Sargent, conductor of the opera, who took it upon himself to make last minute changes and cuts.
Despite this, the night proved to be a resounding success for Walton and productions of the opera
were mounted in America and throughout Europe for the next two years.
Free from the stress and angst of writing his opera, Walton enjoyed a fruitful period of
composing for the next five years. In 1955, Walton was one of ten composers invited to write
18
49
Ibid.
50
Ibid, 131.
51
Ibid., 133.
works for the fortieth anniversary season of the Cleveland Orchestra. The result was the
orchestral work Partita. The next year he was commissioned to write an overture for the
Johannesburg Festival in South Africa. Full of African melodies and exotic percussion
instruments, Walton’s Johannesburg Festival Overture was premiered by the South African
Broadcasting Corporation Symphony Orchestra with Sir Malcolm Sargent again at the helm.
That same year, Walton was invited to compose a cello concerto by the Russian-American cellist
Gregor Piatigorsky, a close friend of Jascha Heifetz, who commissioned the Violin Concerto two
decades earlier.
52
Walton completed his Cello Concerto within a few months, uncharacteristically
quick for a man of such exacting nature. Days before the London premiere, Walton and his wife
Susana were involved in a car accident that left the couple with several broken bones. Happily,
they made a swift recovery and while ensconced in the hospital bed, Sir William heard the first
London performance of his Cello Concerto over the BBC radio.
53

In 1959, Walton flung his energies into composing his Second Symphony that was
commissioned by the Liverpool Philharmonic Society. Progress was slow and painful. Walton
was unhappy about the limited rehearsals and time constraints on the composition. Less raw in
its emotions and more tightly organized than its predecessor, the Second Symphony is cast in
three movements instead of the standard four.
54
The reception was initially lukewarm from critics
and audiences, but Walton thought it superior to his First Symphony. A painstaking perfectionist,
Walton carried out several revisions to many of his works after his Second Symphony. He would
also turn to choral works and one more opera before his final years.
19
52
Humphrey Burton and Maureen Murray, William Walton: The Romantic Loner A Centenary Portrait Album, 126.
53
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 140.
54
Humphrey Burton and Maureen Murray, William Walton: The Romantic Loner A Centenary Portrait Album, 127.
La Mortella and the Final Years
Although a British citizen, Walton had made Ischia his home for the last several years of
his life. In 1961, the Waltons began building their final home on their beloved isle of Ischia. La
Mortella, literally meaning “the myrtle,” provided William with a peaceful retreat in which to
compose his later works. “He enjoyed great happiness on the isle of Ischia, which provided the
tranquility and seclusion he needed for his work.”
55
Russell Page, a noted garden designer,
planned the five house villa layout, complete with gushing fountains and enchanting botanical
gardens. The boy from Oldham had come a long way from home. He would spend his final years
in La Mortella, far removed from the London bustle.
For the next decade, Walton turned to writing some significant choral works, though none
reached the popularity of Belshazzar’ s Feast. During the latter part of 1960, Walton composed
his Gloria, commissioned to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Huddersfield Choral Society.
His next composition was an anthem called The Twelve. Originally written for chorus and organ,
Walton later arranged it for orchestral forces. Walton himself conducted the premiere of the
orchestral version of The Twelve, celebrating the 900th anniversary of the foundation of
Westminster Abbey. During the same year it was discovered that Sir William had acquired cancer
of the lung. Despite the success of the operation, Walton would never be the same, requiring
radiation treatment and alteration of his diet.
Still active in his later years, Walton took on the challenge of writing a second opera
entitled The Bear. Based on Chekov’s three vaudevilles, Walton chose professional writer Paul
20
55
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 170.
Dehn to pen the libretto. The unique one act work is scored for small chamber orchestra,
requiring only three singers. Walton completed the opera in 1967, premiering it at the Aldeburgh
Festival with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by James Lockhart. A year later, Walton
returned to the world of film composing after a gap of nearly fourteen years with a commission
to write what was his penultimate film score, The Battle of Britain.
56
He completed the score in
1969, but United Artists producers were unhappy with the final product, claiming there was not
enough music to release on an LP and that they were going to hire Ron Goodman to re-score the
film. Outraged by the insulting act, Olivier, who was starring in the film, threatened to have his
name removed from the credits unless Walton’s music was reinstated. In the end, United Artists
only used five minutes of Walton’s music during the final battle scene. As a result of the
unsavory episode, Walton threatened to never again write film music, but the passionate
dedication he had for the art led him to produce one final score for Laurence Olivier’s film
version of the National Theatre’s production of Chekov’s The Three Sisters.
57
Spring 1971 brought a rare opportunity for Walton to travel with the London Symphony
Orchestra on their tour to Russia. The first part of the tour included performances of Walton’s
First Symphony, conducted by Andre Previn. More celebrations of Walton took place in 1972,
his seventieth birthday year. Extending over six months, Walton’s works were constantly played
throughout England. The prime minister of the day, Edward Heath, arranged a party for the
composer at 10 Downing Street, attended by the Queen Mother.
58
While Walton’s fame reached
its zenith during the end of his life, composing became an ever more painful process. Slowed by
21
56
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire, 245.
57
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 154-155.
58
Humphrey Burton and Maureen Murray, William Walton: The Romantic Loner A Centenary Portrait Album, 154.
poor eyesight, Sir William planned to write a third symphony, sending Andre Previn the first few
measures of music. The remainder of Walton’s compositions during the 1970’s were mostly
choral pieces and a handful of fanfares. Jubilate Deo was written for the English Bach Festival
and the choral motet Cantico del Sol was commissioned by Lady Mayer for the 1974 Cork
International Choral Festival. Walton also penned a Fanfare for the inauguration of the National
Theatre in 1976. Walton continued to spend the majority of his time in Ischia, editing his own
works and basking in the glory of his home La Mortella.
Walton’s last commission came from the legendary cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, whom
he had met several years earlier at the Aldeburgh Festival. Prologo e Fantasia for orchestra and
Passacaglia for solo cello were premiered by Rostropovich and the National Symphony
Orchestra in 1982, three weeks before Walton’s 80th birthday. As part of the birthday
celebrations, the BBC interviewed Walton at his home in Ischia. Walton acknowledged his good
fortune and those who played a significant role in his life; the Sitwells, Constant Lambert, and
his beloved Susana. With his revered place in music, Walton said, “it was now time to let the
music speak for itself.”
59
Walton’s death came suddenly, just after he completed an orchestral coda for his Five
Bagatelles. On March 5th, 1983, Sir William awoke complaining of breathlessness. Susana
called the doctor who was in the middle of prescribing a prescription when Walton shook with a
slight tremor and died instantly.
60
The journey of a young boy from Oldham ended as a national
treasure on the isle of Ischia. Walton’s body was cremated and his ashes preserved in “William’s
Rock” on his beloved Ischia. Susana composed its inscription: “Sing a song of praise, beloved
22
59
Ibid.
60
Ibid, 157.
and revered master. This rock holds his ashes, the garden he surveys. Russell Page designed,
together we happily brought it to life.”
61
Like all memorable composers, Walton’s music is instantly recognizable. He admitted
that composing was a difficult and arduous process, yet Walton wrote something everyday, even
if it was only a few bars. Achieving great recognition at a young age, he was among the last of
the major composers whose music appealed directly to the public at large.
62
Self critical and
brash until the end, Walton confessed in a rare moment of self-reflection that he could have done
better, musically speaking.
63
Luckily for the world, his quest for perfectionism led to a body of
work as rich as its maker.
General Characteristics of Walton’s Music
Filled with rhythmic variety and progressive harmonies, Walton’s choral-orchestral
compositions rely heavily on the hemiola device and pinning duple against triple. As a master
orchestrator, his works encompass the full range of orchestral forces which he uses to support the
underlying text and display the range of the orchestra. The idea of a motive that permeates the
work in various forms is a hallmark of Walton’s compositions. Undulating and disjunct vocal
writing is evident in many of the choral melodies, providing a challenge for the chorus. Most
evident is Walton’s use of polyrhythms, usually portrayed by both the chorus and orchestra. His
fondness for jazz is also evident in syncopated rhythms and added seconds and ninth chords.
23
61
Ibid.
62
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire, 266.
63
Ibid.
What is perhaps most shocking is that Walton was generally self-taught; he never studied
composition formally nor did he teach during his life. Sir Walton’s compositional output is a
tribute to his uncanny and natural ability to elevate music to new heights.
24
Chapter 2: Early Works
Belshazzar’ s Feast
Historical Background
Belshazzar’ s Feast first began as a BBC commission in 1929. Edward Clark, one of the
BBC program planners, wrote to Walton asking if he would consider writing a piece for a
broadcast that would include choral and orchestral forces. Walton settled on the subject of King
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon with his old friend Osbert Sitwell penning the libretto. “Osbert
skillfully paired down chapter five of the Book of Daniel into a workable text, prefacing this
with the prophesy of Isaiah and paraphrasing Psalm 137 for the lament of the Israelites and
Psalm 81 for the hymn of praise that brings the work to a jubilant close.”
64
Like most of Walton’s
works, progress was slow. Early in 1930, it was announced that Belshazzar’ s Feast had grown
too large for a broadcast commission and so the Leeds Festival picked up the commission with
the promise that Walton would write something else for the BBC, though he never fulfilled that
promise. Written for baritone soloist, chorus, large orchestra, and organ, it was festival director
Thomas Beecham that suggested the extra “brass bands.”
65
While it was reported that the choir
had difficulty learning the choral parts with the work’s irregular meters and vocal undulations,
ultimately Belshazzar’ s Feast was well-received by the chorus and instrumental musicians.
The work was premiered on October 8, 1931 by the Leeds Festival Chorus and the
London Symphony Orchestra, with Dennis Noble as soloist. The critics proclaimed it as a
25
64
Ibid, 101.
65
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 58.
landmark in British choral music, and the greatest work since Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius.
66

Despite its Biblical source of inspiration, Belshazzar’ s Feast is not in any sense a religious work
but might properly be classified as a Biblical epic, presented with the same kind of savoir faire
that Walton presented in his more imaginative film scores.
67
Walton reworked several passages in
the following years, most notably in the final twelve measures. The composer also recorded the
work twice, in 1943 and 1959.

Musical Aspects
Filled with fierce percussion and high dynamics, the music fits into three main sections
divided by the dramatic recitative of the soloist.
68
The opening of the work intones three
trombones in unison providing a prologue to a men’s chorus that leads way to one of the main
themes of the cantata. Characteristic of Walton’s style, the germ or motive that is initially used
resurfaces throughout the work. The listener first hears the main theme in the bass and cello at
mm. 16-22
69
(see Example 2.1).
26
66
Ibid, 59.
67
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 227.
68
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 228.
69
As measure numbers are not contained in the orchestral score, measure numbers in this document are used
according to the new edition (2007) Oxford vocal score of Belshazzar’s Feast.
Example 2.1 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 15-27, main theme in low strings.
27
Walton certainly expands upon this idea of a motto theme or leitmotif throughout the
work. Vastly important to Walton’s compositions, hemiola syncopation dominate the rhythmic
profile of the work, usually pinning two against three in 3/4 time. Walton sets the lament of the
captive Jews in a languorous contrapuntal flurry of weeping intervals, including a minor sixth.
The interval of a minor second and Neopolitan relationships also play a prominent role in the
work. At measure 88, Walton writes an F7 chord, followed by an E9 chord, while the bass
remains constant in order to create this half step relationship
70
(see Example 2.2).
Example 2.2 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 87-90, half step relationship.

The entrance of the baritone soloist is supported by a syncopated rhythm in the bass while a
pedal E provides harmonic stability at measure 101. Walton’s influence from jazz is also
illustrated in this section with his displacement of beats and added second and ninth chords. At
measure 131, the double chorus intones the “...O Jerusalem” text, settling in the key of E-flat.
The recapitulation of the first section then appears before a coda marked Meno mosso poco a
28
70
Lynn Sams Luce, "William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast: A Conductor's Analysis for Performance" (doctoral
thesis, University of Miami, 1995.), 127-129.
poco e con rubato segues into the second section of the work. “Divided into three main sections,
each of the sections is further divided into a tripartite division, namely A, B, and A prime”
71
(see
Table 1).
Table 1. Overall Form of Belshazzar’ s Feast
Measures Section Tonal Center Text Characteristics
1-216 I d “Thus spake Isaiah” predominately 3/4
and 4/4 meter,
hemiola
217-218 recitative chromatic “Babylon was a great
city”
triplets, chromatic
219-643 II D “In Babylon” predominately mixed
meter, tempo changes
644-657 recitative none “And in that same
hour”
triplets, tritone
658-1130 III F “Then sing aloud” polyrhythms, tempo
changes, large
dynamic shifts
29
71
Ibid, 135.
The second section begins with King Belshazzar’s recitative. Belshazzar extols the city of
riches and revelry, and the unaccompanied declamation answered by the chorus describes the
joys of the feast.
72
Hemiola is once again employed in measures 258-259 on the text
“...Jerusalem.” Rhythmic and harmonic dissonance are hallmarks of this section as the sacrilege
of drinking from the stolen vessels of the temple is intoned by the chorus. Walton utilizes his
signature marches in the second section of the work, accenting the text and giving phrase
structure. This is prefaced by an a cappella setting of “...praise ye the God of gold,” in which
Walton uses homophony in a distant G major to set up his praise march. Beginning in measure
380, Example 2.3 demonstrates Walton’s praise march in the typical English coronation style,
complete with dotted rhythms and noble accents.

30
72
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 228.
Example 2.3 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 377-385, coronation march theme.
31
Example 2.3 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 377-385 (cont.)
32
Walton’s clever use of percussion is particularly stirring in the following section as his
orchestration conjures up the various Gods represented by particular instruments. In measures
407-411, percussive wood instruments are used for the God of Wood, while slapstick provides a
bit more levity for the God of Stone. Most notable is the rhythmic profile he dictates for each
deity as the God of Iron is portrayed with a syncopation ending in two accented eighth notes, an
octave apart in measure 400. The God of Brass is represented by a volley of fanfares in measures
421-425 containing a displaced downbeat and a flurry of sixteenth notes (see Example 2.4).
33
Example 2.4 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 421-425, brass fanfares.
34
“Irregular rhythmic patterns, jagged rhythms, and displaced accents are some of the attributes of
Walton’s composition during this section that appear to be in direct conflict with the lyricism that
characterizes Walton’s melodies.”
73
After a brief orchestral interlude (measures 487-497), the music of the first section is
heard again at the words “...thus is Babylon,” the main theme now transformed as a four note
descending variation. This begins a fury of dissonance and harmonic uncertainty between the
echos of the semi-chorus and double chorus at measure 557. Clashing seconds, along with
tritones, dominate the harmony during Walton’s setting of the “...false Gods.” The same
intervallic profile is heard again when the choir woefully exclaims the text “...crying” in measure
600. The return of the baritone soloist signals the death of King Belshazzar. “Walton’s choice in
instrumentation forms a foreboding accompaniment for the handwriting scene, using
contrabassoon, harps, piano, castanets, gong, tenor drum, cymbals, and bass drum.”
74
The second
section closes with the choir shouting the word “...slain” while the baritone soloist pronounces
the kingdom has been divided at measure 657, depicted by the interval of a tritone.
A lengthy orchestral prelude, beginning at measure 658, introduces the final section of
Belshazzar’ s Feast in which the Israelites respond to the death of Belshazzar and the downfall of
Babylon. At measure 684, a hymn of praise is sung by the choir as the key center rapidly travels
through E-flat major, B-flat major, and A minor, further illustrating the Neopolitan relationship
Walton so prominently uses throughout the work. The evident text painting on the melismatic
text “...joyful” is indicative of Walton’s dramatic choral writing. In measures 707-709, the
ascending melodic figure on “...blow the trumpet” further demonstrates his ability to set text
35
73
Lynn Sams Luce, "William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast: A Conductor's Analysis for Performance," 70.
74
Ibid, 211.
appropriately as the word blow ascends while a high trumpet fanfare accompanies the choir (see
Example 2.5).
36
Example 2.5 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm.703-709, text painting.
37
The choir is then divided when describing the fall of Babylon. The descending lonesome
motive on the word “...fallen” is another example of text painting in measure 735. Walton also
creates a Neopolitan relationship by cadencing on C, B, and B-flat. He then arrives back at C in
measure 751 as the choir closes with a forte piano “...alleluia.”
The fugal section in a 12/4 meter is arguably Walton’s most imaginative in the whole
work. Indicative of Walton’s writing, the rhythmic tension is created by writing duple rhythm
within the triplet pulse of the 12/4 meter beginning in measure 784. The bass ostinato, beginning
at measure 784, switches between both duple and triple, exhibiting an uneasiness which is
appropriate for the text “...weep.” Example 2.6 illustrates the duple versus triple rhythm.
38
Example 2.6 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 784-790, duple versus triple rhythm.
39
The fugal material developed by Walton revolves around the circle of fifths. Running
eighth notes continue in the accompaniment over the bass ostinato as the section comes to an end
in the key center of D.
The lengthy a cappella section that begins in measure 867 is sung by the two semi-choirs.
Primarily in 12/4, the compound meter allows Walton to explore both duple and triple rhythm
within the same bar. The dotted quarter note figure that is prevalent slowly dissipates as the choir
ends with an A major triad in second inversion. This gives way to a short orchestral prelude that
is based on previous material, now in the form of eighth notes. The interval of a minor seventh is
introduced as the soprano and tenor voices exclaim “...sing.” Walton then uses the inversion of
this interval, a major second, to create an appoggiatura in m. 824 that eventually resolves to an E
natural in the soprano voice (see Example 2.7).
40
Example 2.7 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 819-832, appoggiatura in soprano voice.
41
Example 2.7 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 819-832 (cont.)
42
The busy “...alleluia” section displays Walton’s ability to transform from simple to
complex. Aided by the use of hemiolas, Walton varies the treatments of the double chorus’
exclamations. “Instead of two dotted quarter notes, Walton uses groups of six dotted eighth notes
beginning in measure 957, creating a duple rhythm within the 9/8 meter.”
75
The orchestra
maintains the triplet pulse as Walton writes straight eighth notes within the 9/8 compound meter
before arriving at C major. At measure 982, Walton then reverses the process as the choir now
takes up the triplet rhythm with three dotted quarter notes as the orchestra portrays the complex
duple rhythm. This resolves into a triumphant song of adoration for a stately, slow-moving
chorus.
76
The penultimate section of choral music is set in a curious 4/2 meter while the orchestra’s
metric profile is 4 bars of 9/8. This creates the ultimate juxtaposition of two-against-three which
is further complicated by the arrival of a hemiola as the bass plays a dotted quarter note tied to an
eighth note within the 9/8 bar. The use of appoggiatura is seen again in the soprano and tenor
voices, this time resolving to G from A in measures 1059 and 1064. Walton sets the final
“...alleluias” consistently with a dotted quarter note rest followed by two quarter notes into the
downbeat. The double choir intones this homophonically before antiphonal “...alleluias” become
the dominant musical landscape. The Molto resoluto allows Walton one last hemiola device for
the voices before the orchestra’s dramatic coda ends the work.
43
75
Ibid, 241.
76
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 228-229.
Conducting Considerations
Certainly the most rhythmically diverse composition of Walton’s choral-orchestral works,
Belshazzar’ s Feast, presents numerous challenges even for the most seasoned conductor. The
very first note of the piece needs special consideration as the trombones play a pick-up sixteenth
note in a Maestoso tempo. A prepatory three and four beat provides a steady tempo and the space
needed to play the unison note precisely (see Example 2.8).
Example 2.8 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 1-2, opening prepatory beat for
trombones.
The first entrance of the choir utilizes men’s voices in a narrative a cappella section. The
introduction of triplets first arrive here in measure 6, necessitating a gesture that can be
distinguished from duple. The unique marking of Inquietamente (Anxiously) requires the
conductor to provide a gradual accelerando throughout the section. The 5/4 bar at measure 56
can be divided as 3+2 before demonstrating the new tempo on the downbeat of the subsequent
bar. The eighth note remains constant from 3/4 to 3/8 to 4/4, therefore requiring the conductor to
demonstrate a three pattern, one pattern, and four pattern. Measure 73s a cappella choral section
can be entirely conducted in two, despite the 3/4 time signature. Walton’s use of hemiola is
44
consistent throughout the twelve-measure phrase. The fermata at measure 91 requires the
conductor to stop on the third beat pulse, holding the note before prepping the downbeat in A
tempo (see Example 2.9).
Example 2.9 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 87-93, fermata hold.
45
The entrance of the baritone soloist at measure 101 is engulfed in a syncopated rhythm
that is also reflected in the orchestra. The conductor here must have total confidence over the
rhythm and diminish the size of the macro beat in order to create a more effective syncopation
off the beat. The choir is then divided into two choruses for the “...O Jerusalem” section,
requiring a strong cue to chorus one at measure 131. The return of musical material from the
beginning of the work, this time in a slightly slower tempo, requires the conductor to “think”
subdivided eighth notes while conducting in three (see Example 2.10).
Example 2.10 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 148-154, return of opening material in
slow three.
Characteristic of Walton’s use of fermata, there is usually a tempo change following the
measure in which the conductor needs to set up the new tempo with a prepatory beat off of the
fermata. This is the case in measure 161 where there is a fermata on beats three and four. The
conductor should hold beat three with the left hand while beat four is held with the right hand.
The next action should consist of stopping on beat four before the prepatory gesture to the
downbeat is made in the new tempo of Più mosso. Dashing between 3/4, 4/4, and 5/4 (grouped as
3+2), the brisk tempo at measure 162 is gradually slowed by the arrival of an a cappella choral
46
section in three. The conductor must reflect Walton’s direction by demonstrating a rallentando
throughout, leading to the close of the primary section of music.
The recitative that begins the second section offers the conductor a bit of a respite. After
the freely intoned recit, the conductor must be ready to show beats one and two to the orchestra
in the Allegro molto tempo at measure 219. Meter changes every few bars ensue while the
various dynamic changes require quick action on the part of the conductor. After the choir sings
their rage against the stolen sacred vessels, Walton marks a Poco allargando in 3/4 time, but to
be conducted in two until measure 349. The complex rhythmic profile can be executed precisely
if the conductor demonstrates a clear upbeat in which the choir can place the syncopation as
Walton has written two dotted quarter notes within the two pattern. The real challenge comes at
measure 347 with the Allargando molto before returning to A tempo subito. The author would
suggest conducting measures 347 and 348 in a slow three before the quick three recommended
by the composer. The 3/8 bars interspersed at measures 350 and 352 are clearly to be conducted
in a brisk one pattern. At measure 363, a brief passage in 2/2 for the baritone soloist and 4/2 for
the choir, conducted in either a slow four or subdivided eight, leads way to an orchestral fanfare
in 4/4 time beginning in measure 380.
Contrapuntal entrances off strong beats are commonplace in the next section of music.
These syncopated, jazz rhythms may be executed clearly with a gesture of syncopation, again
diminishing the downbeat by creating a bigger rebound (see Example 2.11).
47
Example 2.11 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, m. 389, gesture of syncopation.
The entrance of the second chorus at measure 450 creates the need for antiphonal cueing until a
homophonic ritardando at measure 466. Walton then sets a new tempo for the conductor, full of
rubato and further tempo changes. For the conductor, the primary task is to judge the tempi
correctly, the tendency is to pile everything into the work’s final chorus of jubilation, which is its
most vulnerable point.
77
If taken too fast, the dotted eighth, thirty-second note passages cannot
be sounded by the orchestra. Care must be taken in following the composer’s tempo markings.
The return of musical material in measures 497 again requires the conductor to show
beats one and two in the Allegro molto tempo. A barrage of mixed meter ensues in the same
fashion when Walton again recapitulates the two-against-three idea in measure 618. In 3/4 but
conducted in two, a clear gesture is needed on the upbeat in order for the choir to place the dotted
quarter note precisely. Switching into a slow three pattern at measure 628, the gesture of
syncopation is again suggested, this time off the second beat. Walton augments the phrasing this
time by adding a few measures in the A tempo subito section. The conductor must demonstrate
the accent profile at measures 638 and 639, which is, in essence, a triplet rhythm within four. The
48
77
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 61.
recitative that follows in a lugubrious subdivided four, signals the end of the second section and
the death of Belshazzar.
The opening of the final section of music moves from a Lento tempo to Allegro giocoso.
The last beat in measure 661 must be held with a prepatory beat to one in the new tempo. Of the
utmost importance is the fanfare rhythm Walton sets in the brass beginning at measure 710.
Execution of this requires a short and crisp downbeat consisting of a slight hold at the top. This
figure continues until the Poco più mosso when a steady, smaller three pattern is needed to
accommodate the tempo. Walton’s setting of “...Babylon is fallen” again uses antiphonal choral
exclamations, requiring the conductor to visually cue as appropriate.
Walton’s skillful use of metric modulation is seen in the next section where the composer
moves from 3/4 into the unusual compound meter of 12/4, creating a compound triple meter. The
author would suggest conducting the 3/4 in three until measure 780, at which time a one pattern
would be appropriate as Walton moves into the triplet rhythm. Moreover, this sets up the 12/4
smoothly as the conductor only needs to switch to a large four pattern. Within the 12/4 bars,
dotted quarter notes imply the struggle of two, challenging the conductor to feel the duple for
rhythmic accuracy. This continues for some time until Walton switches to 6/4, to be conducted in
a two pattern, before returning to the expansive 12/4 measures with modal implications to be
conducted in four (see Example 2.12).
49
Example 2.12 William Walton, Belshazzar’ s Feast, mm. 869-877, 12/4 meter conducted in four.
The Allegro 9/8 section marks the beginning of the jubilant “...alleluia.” Walton’s
consistent use of notes off a fast second beat requires the conductor to show both beats one and
two, allowing for demonstration of the tempo. Measure 920 calls for this technical ability as do
most of Walton’s introductions to fast tempi. The “...alleluia” proper combines the added
difficulty of conducting duple against triple as the orchestra is still in 9/8 while the six dotted
eighth notes in the choir imply a duple subdivision conducted in three. Walton then switches the
pattern by writing the triplets in the choir and duplets in the orchestra. This comes to a head at
measure 1015 when another metric change occurs. The compound meter of four 9/8 bars is
represented in the orchestra while the chorus is set in 4/2. For the conductor, this means a four
pattern is necessary now as the 9/8 is equal to the new half note, hence the L’istesso tempo
marking. The challenge for the choir is placing the eighth note division correctly as the orchestra
is playing triplets and the tendency is to place it as a triplet rather than a duplet eighth note.
50
Walton’s final rhythmic play for the conductor occurs in measure 1071 as the mixed meter
between 6/8 and 9/8 creates a hemiola syncopation intoned by the chorus.
The finale of Belshazzar’ s Feast requires the same gestural acrobatics seen throughout the
piece. Closing in a flurry of mixed meter, the Molto risoluto measure requires the conductor to
hold the last beat of the choir while prepping the new tempo in the upbeat. The brief orchestral
postlude, beginning in measure 1110, includes grace notes to be placed before the downbeat. The
final measures, to be conducted in three, are Walton’s precious direction. A fitting close to a work
whose grandeur and blazing dramatics create a formidable challenge for the conductor and
ensemble. Walton’s biographer, Michael Kennedy, puts it best: “No one surpasses Walton as a
conductor of his music, and his two recordings of Belshazzar’s Feast remain as examples to other
conductors in the matter not only of tempos, but of dramatic emphasis and interpretation.”
78
51
78
Ibid.
In Honour of the City of London
Historical Background
The 1930’s brought numerous success for Walton. Commissioned to write a coronation
march for King George IV in 1937, Walton inscribed the piece with a quotation from the William
Dunbar poem In Honour of the City of London. This led to Walton’s setting of six verses of the
poem for a new cantata commissioned in 1936 for the Leeds Triennial Festival. “The Scottish
poet William Dunbar came to England in 1501 as part of an ambassadorial delegation sent by
King James IV of Scotland to negotiate a political settlement with Henry VII of England.”
79

Fresh from the immense success of Belshazzar’ s Feast, festival organizers hoped for a successor
to the great choral-orchestral work.
The unforgiving nature of Dunbar’s wordy poem combined with Walton’s disjunct vocal
lines gave the choir a significant challenge as it prepared to premiere the work. The cantata was
premiered at the Leeds Festival on October 6, 1939, given by the 280 strong Festival Chorus and
the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent.
80
The first performance
in London followed later that year with Sir Walton conducting and was met with a mixed
reaction. In Honour of the City of London has been largely ignored since its inception, but
Walton himself was quite pleased with the composition and believed it was a valiant successor to
his Belshazzar’ s Feast.
52
79
Timothy Brown, ed. William Walton Edition: Choral Works with Orchestra, Volume 5 (Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2009), vii.
80
Ibid, ix.
Musical Aspects
Centered mostly around the key center of E, the form of the work is through-composed.
There are, however, some common motives, usually disguised by rhythmic variance. The
opening bars begin with a stirring homophonic iteration of the text followed by rising and falling
sixteenth notes (measure 7) in the strings that lead to the first canon of the composition between
the female and male voices beginning at measure 12 (see Example 2.13).
53
Example 2.13 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 1-13, rhythmic variation
and opening canon in chorus.
54
Example 2.13 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 1-13 (cont.)
55
Example 2.13 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 1-13 (cont.)
56
Unique to the work, Walton begins each new verse or section in a different rhythm. The
second verse begins at measure 81, is in 9/8 time, and introduces two new motives based on a
dotted rhythm and a rippling arpeggio
81
(see Example 2.14).
57
81
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 233.
Example 2.14 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 79-83, new motives in
chorus and arpeggiated strings.
58
Walton’s use of chromaticism is also prominent, highlighted in the choral voices. Verse
two begins on F in measure 81, while Walton transposes up a half-step to F-sharp in measure 86.
The third verse is primarily homophonic and emphasizes the importance of the interval of a third.
Example 2.15 illustrates the climactic build of voices and orchestration as both the sopranos and
tenors are divided into thirds while the brass doubles the voices at measures 200-201.
59
Example 2.15 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 197-201, use of triadic
harmony.
60
Walton, who was known for his exceptional orchestrations, displays his craftsmanship in
the orchestral interlude between verses three and four. In measure 241, arpeggiating harps give
way to tremolo violins while the woodwinds intone triplets that foreshadow the eighth note/
quarter note triplet rhythm to come in verse four. Textually, the fourth section of the piece
describes the mighty Thames river (see Table 2). Beginning at measure 257, Walton uses a four
part women’s chorus to create smooth flowing melodic lines. The composer also notes that this
section of music should be performed by a separate semi-chorus if possible.
82
The use of solo
violin in this section also underscores the brief B tonal center before the men’s voices join the
women in unaccompanied eight-part harmony at measure 285.
61
82
William Walton, In Honour of the City of London (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009), 51.
Table 2. Overall Form of In Honour of the City of London
Measures Section Tonal Center Text Characteristics
1-67 I E “London” predominately 4/4
meter, hemiola
68-134 II E “Gladdith anon” predominately 6/8
meter, dynamic shifts
135-256 III E “Gemme of all joy” predominately 9/8
meter
257-293 IV E “Above all ryvers” predominately 4/2
meter, women’s
voices, piano
dynamic
294-370 V E “Upon thy lusty
Brigge”
brisk tempo,
predominately forte
dynamic
371-450 VI E “Strong be thy wallis” mixed meter, thick
orchestration,
dynamic shifts
62
Starting at measure 294, another brief orchestral interlude ushers in the fifth verse in E
major with Dunbar’s text describing London Bridge and Tower. Walton adds the snare drum to
depict the militaristic feel of old London along with a jaunty theme in E major intoned by the
basses. Walton juxtaposes this by creating a sturdy ground bass and harsh brass chords for the
final stanza. Beginning at measure 379, Example 2.16 illustrates the militaristic block chords in
3/2 time while the chorus intones the text in a near unison homophony.

63
Example 2.16 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 378-383, block chords.
64
“Walton’s rhythmic devices are also significant in this work, with the use of triplets
representing the surface of the river while the glissandi of strings and harp evoke the sound of
jubilant bells.”
83
Walton’s homophonic writing is just as exhilarating, playing between duple and
triple time until the final few measures of the work where all the compositional elements come to
a forceful climax. Example 2.17 demonstrates Walton’s ability to use orchestration as a
soundscape, creating the depicting waves in the violin triplets (measure 443) while
simultaneously conjuring battle sounds with the syncopation in the brass and woodwinds found
in measures 442-444.
65
83
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 233.
Example 2.17 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 441-450, use of
orchestration depicting a battle.
66
Example 2.17 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 441-450 (cont.)
67
Conducting Considerations
It was Walton’s complete obsession over the interpretation of his own works that
eventually propelled him into conducting. Filled with rhythmic traps and several meter changes,
Walton’s In Honour of the City of London presents a difficult preparation for the conductor.
Furthermore, the wordy text and disjunct melodies demand an array of gestures for both the
chorus and orchestra. Walton was also meticulous about his markings and articulations, notating
metronome tempi and orchestral timbres with great frequency.
The obvious preparation for the conductor is to master the meter changes combined with
tempo changes. A prime example of this is measure 5 where the music is in a Maestoso 4/2
before switching to a Vivo 4/4 in measure 6. The author suggests stopping on the fourth beat of
measure 6 and setting up the new tempo by prepping a beat on the and of four, which will be in
the new tempo (see Example 2.13). While there are several basic meter changes from 3/4 to 2/4
to 4/4, the next tempo change beings with an Allargando molto at measure 62. Walton also
notates that measures 66-67 should remain constant with respect to the eighth note. The author
suggests cutting off on the and of three, before continuing in equivalent eighth notes in the A
tempo (See Example 2.18).
68
Example 2.18 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 60-68, tempo and meter
changes.
69
The following measures present a slight challenge because of the meter switches between
9/8, 5/8, and 6/8. Extra care must be taken when denoting the grouping of the eighth notes in the
gesture as Walton uses displaced accents to disguise the beat.
Walton’s rhythmic precision is another aspect of the composition that the conductor must
execute. Measure 257 demands exact precision with respect to the eighth note triplets in the flute
and upper divisi strings, which is juxtaposed with quarter note triplets in the lower divisi strings,
clarinets, and harp (see Example 2.19).
70
Example 2.19 William Walton, In Honour of the City of London, mm. 257-258, triplet figures.
71
Perhaps the greatest challenge in this work is the final few measures. Switching between
9/4 and 6/4, the conductor must then account for the final quarter note that the choir sings by
dictating a clear upbeat so that the choir can place the final quarter note before the orchestra
exclaims their last two quarter notes (see Example 2.17).

72
Chapter 3: Middle Works
Coronation Te Deum
Historical Background
The genesis of the Coronation Te Deum dates back to 1943 when Sir Henry Wood invited
Walton to compose a work for the fiftieth season of the Promenade concerts. Walton agreed to
set a Te Deum for chorus and orchestra, however pressure to complete his film score, Henry V ,
was mounting and Walton abandoned the work until 1952. He returned to the Te Deum setting
the same year he was commissioned to write the composition that would conclude the coronation
service of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953.
84
It was Sir William McKie, organist of Westminster
Abbey and director of music for the ceremony, who approached Walton to compose the
Coronation Te Deum, which required royal approval. The Coronation Te Deum, to be performed
by the specially assembled choir and orchestra, was to come at the point of the ceremony when
the Queen prepared to process out of the Abbey to greet her subjects.
85
Walton scored the
majestic work for two mixed choruses, two semi-choruses, boys’ voices, organ, orchestra, and
military brass. Walton’s correspondence with McKie revealed that Walton did have strict
liturgical guidelines to follow, including the lack of an “...Amen” at the conclusion of the Te
Deum.
86
He was also aware that the Queen’s trumpeters and extra musicians would be available
for the ceremony, allowing Walton to compose for massive choral and orchestral forces. Walton
73
84
Timothy Brown, ed. William Walton Edition: Choral Works with Orchestra, Volume 5, x.
85
Ibid.
86
Ibid, xi.
did compose the work so that the extra military brass could be dispensable for subsequent
performances.
The premiere of the work took place on June 2, 1953 in Westminster Abbey and was met
with an exuberant response. “The Coronation Te Deum made a stirring climax to a program of
music that by unanimous acclaim was a triumph in performance.”
87
The piece received many
subsequent performances throughout London, including one by the BBC Symphony Orchestra
under Sir Malcolm Sargent. The work was also performed at Sir Laurence Olivier’s memorial
service at Westminster Abbey in 1989. An appropriate balance of pomp and circumstance, the
work is considered by many to be one of the finest composed for a ceremonial occasion.
Musical Aspects
“Of the composers that wrote music for the coronation ceremony, Walton was the only
one born in the twentieth century.”
88
This is certainly reflected in his harmonic progressions and
constant key changes. Walton’s orchestration reflected the stately event with its bold use of
timbres and rhythms. The piece is divided into three sections and is in a loose ABA form. (see
Table 3).
74
87
Ibid, xii.
88
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 231.
Table 3. Overall Form of Coronation Te Deum
Measures Section Tonal Center Text Characteristics
1-125 A D, E-flat, a-flat “We praise thee” opening 3/4 meter
and contrasting 6/4
3/2 meter, chorus and
orchestra
predominately
antiphonal
126-140 orchestral
interlude
g, D, A none fast tempo, brass
fanfare
141-182 B g, D, A “Thou art the King of
Glory”
predominately 4/4
meter, harmonically
unstable
183-259 A D “O Lord, save thy
people”
opening 3/4 meter
and contrasting 6/4
3/2, 9/4 meter,
antiphonal, hemiola
75
The first section consists of a long antiphonal opening between the orchestra and chorus,
while the organ echos the boisterous praises of “...O Lord save the people.” The piece begins and
ends in D major and utilizes an important rhythmic device found throughout Walton’s works,
namely syncopation. Example 3.1 demonstrates Walton’s opening syncopated motive, conducted
in one and intoned by the chorus at measure 6.
76
Example 3.1 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 1-10, syncopated choral opening.
77
The second antiphonal section occurs between the two mixed choirs, ushering in the key
of E-flat at measure 37. The interval of a third is of prime importance in this composition as the
orchestra, particularly the woodwinds, are in triadic harmony. Furthermore, the notion of the
trinity is evident when the semi-chorus exclaims the word “...holy” as it is divided in thirds,
mostly in root position (see Example 3.2).
Example 3.2 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 71-77, use of triadic harmony.
The next section of music, at measure 126, is ushered in by a fanfare of extra brass in a
Vivo tempo, complete with full orchestra until the triplet rhythm is brought to a grand pause at
measure 140. Walton sets the subsequent music in several different key centers; D major, E-flat
major, and A major. The recapitulation of the A section motive is clearly seen in measures
191-195, this time in the key of B-flat minor (see Example 3.3).
78
Example 3.3 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 189-199, opening choral motive
transposed.
79
Further strengthening the case of the trinitarian idea is the coda Walton writes based on
triadic harmony found in measure 235. In a restrained six-part harmony, Walton sets quieter
choral evensong passages that lead to the final incandescent “...let me never be confounded.”
89

While the listener might expect a rousing fanfare finale to the piece, Walton constructs just the
opposite, ending in a hushed resolution in the key of D major. Walton uses fewer dissonances
than in most of his other choral works, emphasizing seventh chords and diatonic harmony in root
position or first inversion. The interpolations of brass and organ throughout the piece also give it
an exalted reverence, worthy enough for the royal occasion it was composed for.
Conducting Considerations
The conducting technicalities of the Coronation Te Deum appear to be straightforward.
Walton’s tempo marking of Allegro vigoroso in 3/4 makes it possible to conduct the work in one,
though the rhythmic integrity is somewhat sacrificed if conducted in one throughout. Walton’s
meter changes are always proportional, for example measure 60 is in 6/4 with a brief meter
change to 2/2, the half note now equal to the previous dotted half note. Two versus three is a
prominent rhythmic device used in nearly all of Walton’s music, particularly in the Coronation
Te Deum. Syncopation is often used, usually intoned by the choir before the orchestra responds
antiphonally. Measures 49-52 in Example 3.4 illustrate the hemiola found in the choral parts.
80
89
Ibid, 232.
Example 3.4 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 47-55, syncopated rhythm.
The author suggests conducting the macro beat rather than the hemiola so that the power of the
syncopation is not lost by conducting it.
The pitch and range of the Coronation Te Deum also has conducting implications.
Gesture needs to be varied between the grandiose brass fanfares and the quiet subdued choral
evensongs. Measures 240-245 present this exact challenge with a subito forte dynamic coming
from a pianissimo dynamic. The last quarter note requires a preparation of forte coming from the
measure of pianissimo. Walton’s gift for rhythmic variance also requires the conductor to employ
the gesture of syncopation at various times throughout the composition. The pick-up triplet
fanfare motive of measure 251 demands that the conductor de-emphasize the gesture for the rest
on beat one before striking the second beat as to elicit the rhythmic precision of the triplet
sixteenth notes in the trumpet and trombone (see Example 3.5).
81
Example 3.5 William Walton, Coronation Te Deum, mm. 246-252, gesture of syncopation.
82
The quasi-recitative in block harmony requires rhythmic precision as well, de-
emphasizing rests so that cueing on off beats may occur with accuracy in measures 240-245. The
success of the composition lies largely on the ability of the conductor to fluidly connect the
proportional transitions and demonstrate syncopated rhythms.
83
Gloria
Historical Background
To celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Huddersfield Choral Society and the thirtieth
year of Sir Malcolm Sargent’s music directorship, Sir William was commissioned to write a
Gloria for the notable public event in 1961.
90
“Walton had already enjoyed an association with
the Huddersfield Choral Society, for it was this choir that he conducted in 1943 with the
Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in the first recording of Belshazzar’ s Feast.”
91

Before starting the composition, Walton discovered that the premiere of his Gloria would
be paired with Elgar’s massive oratorio The Dream of Gerontius. Walton essentially adopted the
same orchestration as Elgar’s Gerontius, adding solo parts for alto, tenor, and baritone. Calling
for massive orchestral forces, Walton scored the work for three flutes, including piccolo, three
oboes, english horn, three clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets,
three trombones, tuba, timpani, large percussion, harp, strings, optional organ, and double
chorus. Substantial alterations to the work made the compositional process slow. Walton
amended and rewrote the vocal parts several times, settling on the idea of a double chorus. By
the end of the summer of 1961, Walton completed the vocal scores and continued with minor
alterations until its premiere.
Sir Malcolm Sargent conducted the first performance of the Gloria with the Huddersfield
Chorus and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on November 24, 1961. Given that the choir and
84
90
At approximately the same time, Walton received another proposition to compose a biblical oratorio about Moses
and the Pharaoh. Osbert Sitwell had begun to write the libretto, but Walton thought better of it, claiming it was
diffuse and decided to invest his full energies on his Gloria.
91
Timothy Brown, ed. William Walton Edition: Choral Works with Orchestra, Volume 5, xii.
orchestra had met for the first time only on the day of the concert, as was customary then, and
that the rehearsal was less than productive, it was remarkable that the premiere was a resounding
success.
92
Walton was dissatisfied; blaming Sargent for insufficient rehearsal time with the
chorus, further straining his relationship with the conductor. Walton would eventually conduct
the work in America the following year, making his premiere with the Roger Wagner Chorale
and the Los Angeles Philharmonic in June of 1962. Walton’s Gloria was somewhat neglected in
its earliest days, overshadowed by the premiere of works such as Poulenc’s Gloria and Britten’s
War Requiem, it has found unquestionable success as the years have progressed.
Musical Aspects
Gloria is Walton’s most extended choral work aside from Belshazzar’ s Feast. Nearly
twenty minutes in length, it covers huge expanses of sound and tonality with particular emphasis
on the interval of a seventh. Dissonance is ensured by the use of block harmony, not unlike the
Coronation Te Deum. Chords that are reiterated emphatically are those containing seconds,
sevenths, and ninths.
93
Though it has no real liturgical function, it does employ the text of the
Gloria divided into eleven sections (see Table 4).
85
92
Ibid, xiv.
93
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 216.
Table 4. Overall Form of Gloria
Measures Section Tonal Center Text Characteristics
1-44 I D “Gloria in excelsis
deo”
12/8 and 4/4 meter,
polyrhythms, forte
dynamic
45-87 II C “Et in terra pax” 2/4 meter, antiphonal
chorus, piano
dynamic
88-111 III D “Laudamus te” predominately 6/8
meter, dynamic shifts
112-162 IV B “Glorificamus te” 6/8 and 9/8 meter
changes, fugal
material
163-210 V g “Gratias agimus” pedal point,
polyrhythms
211-256 VI D “Deus Pater
omnipotens”
quick 3/4 meter,
opening material,
triplets
257-289 VII none “Domine Fili
unigenite
mixed meter, piano
dynamic, mostly
chorus
290-334 VIII none “miserere nobis” quick 2/2 meter, tenor
soloist
335-414 IX none “Qui tollis peccata
mundi”
slow 3/2 and 4/2
meter, tempo
changes, dynamic
shift
415-485 X D, A, f “Quoniam tu solus
sanctus”
mixed meter, thick
orchestration
486-538 XI C, D “cum Sancto Spiritu predominately in 2/2
and 6/8 meter,
polymeters
86
The opening Maestoso section sets the tone of an imposing composition. “Walton
indulges his fondness for ceremonial brass in numerous places, following the first fourteen-bar
orchestral prelude with an upward thrusting motive for trumpets and trombones which is also
echoed at the start of the penultimate section.”
94
Example 3.6 demonstrates the pentatonic motto-
phrase intoned by the trumpets and trombones, initiated in measure 1 and repeated in measure 4.
87
94
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 229.
Example 3.6 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 1-5, pentatonic theme in trumpets and trombones.
88
The swirling choral entrance in D major at measure 15 is underscored by sixteenth notes
in the orchestra, building to a climax in C major which ushers in the second section of the work
on the text “...et in terra pax.” Beginning at measure 49, Walton’s canonic writing is clearly seen
between the low and high choral voices, while a descending figure for flute and oboe echo in the
background (see Example 3.7).
89
Example 3.7 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 49-57, canonic writing between low and high voices.
90
The voices finally settle on an unaccompanied choral unison in measure 87 before the
return of D major and the swirling 6/8 opening music. The fourth section of music demonstrates
Walton’s jazz influence as he sets a rather elaborate contrapuntal “...glorificamus” that appears to
be quasi fugal beginning at measure 89. Typical of Walton’s writing, he alternates meters quite
frequently, vacillating between 9/8 and 6/8. Measure 165 brings the arrival of the “...gratias” and
an oscillating pedal point while the voices echo each other in a dotted rhythm. Leading to an
elaborate climax at “...dominus deus,” the brass motto theme from the introduction provides the
basis of melodic material, beginning at measure 187 in the choral voices
95
(see Example 3.8).
91
95
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 216.
Example 3.8 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 182-192, opening brass motive in choral parts.
92
Example 3.8 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 182-192 (cont.)
93
The next section of music, measures 187- 210, introduce a striking contrast in mood as
the semi-chorus intones an unaccompanied chant-like motive on the text “...domine.” The
utterance of “...Jesus Christ” is represented by the male voices in measures 262-272, followed by
agitated homophonic chords that contain fully diminished sevenths and added seconds. Walton’s
liberal harmonies are followed by the entrance of the soloist on the text “...miserere.” After a
long desperate cry from the tenor soloist at measure 321, the chorus replies with a hushed
homophonic prayer. Walton represents the textual anguish through orchestral trills, tremolos, and
glissandi. The “...quonium” section of the work is introduced by the trombone motive, now
slightly altered at measure 429. Eight-part interjections gradually coalesce into blazing block
chords of affirmation in the “...tu solus” section
96
(see Example 3.9).
94
96
Neil Tierney, William Walton His Life and Music, 230.
Example 3.9 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 457-461, choral block chords.
95
Finally, Walton appropriately broadens the tempo in preparation for a choral unison that
exalts “God the Father.” Example 3.10 illustrates the grand choral unison writing that leads into
the penultimate section of the work.
96
Example 3.10 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 482-487, grand choral unison writing.
97
Returning to C major in a broad tempo, Walton sets the “...cum sancto spiritu” section at
measure 473 with string tremolos and triplet percussion, led by the omnipresent timpani. The
bass provides a steady swinging rhythm like the tolling of a great bell.
97
The choir, in a divided
unison between high and low voices in measure 489, contains a variation of the main motive first
heard in the trombones (see Example 3.11).
98
97
Ibid.
Example 3.11 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 488-491, variation of main motive in choral voices.
99
Walton composes a pseudo coda in 6/8 that touches the key of D major in measure 506.
The choir exclaims “...gloria” in thematic material that is based on the first entrance of the choir,
comprised of a two sixteenth, eighth note rhythm. At measure 508, the composer expands the
final “...gloria in excelsis deo” to include a brief “...Amen,” which Walton sets to an eight-part
chorus in dramatic counterpoint before a final homophonic exclamation ends the work.
Conducting Considerations
Walton’s Gloria contains numerous challenges for the conductor; chief among them are
polymeters, rhythmic articulations, and multiple tempi changes. The opening triplet syncopation
in 4/4 is the basis for much of the melodic and rhythmic material heard throughout the work. The
conductor must consider a strong upbeat for the syncopation to happen naturally off the beat (see
Example 3.6.) The 6/8 meter at measure 13 allows for the previous quarter note to be equivalent
to the dotted quarter note, underlining the need for a larger two beat as to allow for the extra
eighth notes. The issue of text stress is of prominent importance in the main figure as there is a
grace note on the “...ri” of “...gloria.” This has gestural implications as the conductor must
display the correct articulation with a sharp movement and in the correct rhythm, making the
grace note the value of a sixteenth note. Walton’s setting of text is often wordy and awkward,
creating difficult maneuvering for the choral voices.
The second section of the work employs the common rhythmic device of syncopation in
6/8 time, consisting of an eighth note rest followed by two quarter notes and an eighth note found
in measures 38-41 (see Example 3.12).
100
Example 3.12 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 36-41, orchestral syncopation.
101
Walton also alternates meters frequently, switching between 6/8 and 9/8. Measures
177-178 present a particular challenge as polymeters are evident in the bass instruments and
harp, set to 4/4, while the rest of the orchestra and choir is in 12/8 (see Example 3.13).
102
Example 3.13 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 177-181, polymeters.
103
Walton creates the effect of tension by juxtaposing duple and triple time. He again repeats
this sequence by setting the next measure, 178, in 3/4 and 9/8, requiring the conductor to feel
duple in the right hand while maintaining the sense of triplet in the left hand. The Allegro molto
section at measure 217 is indicative of Walton’s sense of rhythmic play, illustrating a syncopation
by pairing running triplets in the strings against the dotted quarter note in the men’s voices. Set in
a brisk 3/4 time, the author suggests a controlled one pattern in order for the syncopation to be
effective off the downbeat. The following 7/4 meter, at measure 257, can be conducted as a
2+3+2 bar followed by a 5/4 bar, divided as 3+2. Rhythm is not the only challenge for the
conductor in Walton’s Gloria, cueing can also pose a challenge as the numerous forces and
various articulations require a breadth of gesture from the conductor.
Walton writes a significant amount of double dotting in the strings at measure 369,
requiring the gesture to be sharp and clear. There are also numerous accented cues off the macro
beat in 6/4 or 9/4. The author recommends decreasing the size of the prepatory beat and
increasing the rebound to elicit the accented articulation and syncopation. The “...cum santo
spiritu” section of Walton’s Gloria demonstrates a homophonic unison among all voices, while
flourishes of orchestra dance around block chords (see Example 3.14).
104
Example 3.14 William Walton, Gloria, mm. 468-474, choral homophonic unison.
105
Left hand cues are certainly necessary for the orchestral entrances while shaping the
overarching phrase. In measure 485, Walton suggests conducting the Molto allegro in six as
opposed to two. The conductor must feel the subdividing triplet quarter notes the beat before the
actual subdivision. The author also suggests that the last upbeat rebound be small in stature in
order to keep the tempo even when beating in six. Moving back to a slow 2/2 for the final
“...gloria” section, the conductor must navigate between duple and triple as Walton sets the final
“...Amen” in a rousing 6/8 time, complete with sforzandos and forte pianos. Measures 530-538
of the work demonstrate Walton’s compositional prowess as the choir and orchestra continue in
6/8 time while the second violins play sets of quadruplets until the final measure.

106
Chapter 4: Late and Unpublished Works
The Twelve
Historical Background
The concept of composing an anthem for the feast of the Apostles came from Cuthbert
Simpson, Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, who was concerned that not enough suitable
anthems existed for the feast day. Simpson asked W. H. Auden to set the text and sent the
manuscript to Walton in 1965. Auden was an appropriate collaborator since he, like Walton, had
been an undergraduate at Christ Church, and by coincidence rented a house on the isle of Ischia
where he would spend the spring and summer months.
98
Walton claimed the text was a difficult
assignment to set musically. Consisting of three parts, the text describes the Apostles’ work, a
prayer for support, and a meditation on their work.
99
Walton originally scored the work for mixed
double choir and organ premiering it in May of 1965 by the Christ Church Cathedral Choir,
directed by Sidney Watson. Less than a month later, Walton arranged The Twelve for a projected
performance with Watson’s Oxford Bach Choir. However, having been invited to write a new
work to mark Westminster Abbey’s 900th anniversary the following January, Walton asked
Watson if he might offer the Abbey the orchestral version instead, and he obliged.
100

Due to the tight timeline, Walton had very little time to procure new scores, and therefore
added no orchestral interludes or solos as it would necessitate the production of new
107
98
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire, 241.
99
Michael Kennedy, Portrait of Walton, 227.
100
Timothy Brown, ed. William Walton Edition: Choral Works with Orchestra, Volume 5, xv.
manuscripts. Remaining faithful to the organ score, Walton transcribed the piece nearly verbatim.
Sir Walton himself conducted the orchestral premiere of The Twelve, along with the Coronation
Te Deum, performed by the London Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra in January of 1966.
Walton ceased to write another choral-orchestral work after The Twelve, instead concentrating on
smaller choral works and revising his own compositions.
Musical Aspects
Upon its first performance, Martin Cooper of The Daily Telegraph wrote: “Sir William
has written a miniature cantata, complete with introductory recitative, short solo passages and a
big fugal chorus, which debauches into a Belshazzar-like final jubilation.”
101
Only twelve
minutes in length, the work is a tripartite anthem consisting of an introductory recitative of
simple passages, a middle section of contemplative solos that leads into the final fugal section in
5/4 meter (see Table 5). Harmonically speaking, The Twelve is Walton’s most dissonant piece,
full of tritones and intervals of a second. While Walton still remains tonal, he favors transposition
throughout the work, finally settling in the key of B-flat major for the jubilant fugue.
108
101
Ibid.
Table 5. Overall Form of The Twelve
Measures Section Tonal Center Text Characteristics
1-115 A none “Without arms or
charm of culture”
mixed meter, tempo
changes,
harmonically unstable
115-199 B none “O Lord, my God” predominately 3/4
and 2/4 time, soloist
passages, piano
dynamic
200-304 C B-flat “Twelve as the
winds”
mixed meter fugue,
hemiola
109
Walton constructs the opening as a solo recitative for the bass soloist in the key of F
minor. The interval of a minor second is given prominence as the opening chord contains this
harsh clash heard in the brass (see Example 4.1).
110
Example 4.1 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 1-8, minor second interval in brass and opening
recitative.
111
This leads to a pentatonic scale in which the chorus is introduced in quintuplet rhythm.
The chorus enters on the appropriate text “...joy,” while a short interlude follows in 11/8 and 5/8
time. The pentatonic melodic material, in measures 18-20, provides the basis for the “...joy”
motive intoned by the chorus (see Example 4.2).
112
Example 4.2 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 18-23, pentatonic motive intoned by chorus.
113
Walton introduces this melodic motive at the beginning of the composition, which is then
interspersed throughout the work in various forms. Another such example of this is the minor
second interval first heard in the brass. Beginning in measure 90, Walton uses this motive in the
second soprano part while the main longing motive is intoned by the first sopranos. It is also a
prime example of Walton’s text painting as this happens on the word “...tortured.” The mysticism
of the second section, beginning at measure 116, is ushered in by the alto and soprano soloists.
Walton expands upon the trinitarian idea by setting the voices, along with clarinets, in complete
parallel third motion beginning at measure 140 (see Example 4.3).
114
Example 4.3 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 140-153, parallel third motion.
115
Example 4.3 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 140-153 (cont.)
116
Before the beginning of the third section, Walton demonstrates compositional consistency
as he again uses a solo voice, this time the tenor and in the relative key of A-flat major, to mark
the entrance of the fugal section at measure 202. Walton was very uncomfortable writing fugues
in his music, claiming he didn’t know how to write one.
102
Unique to Walton is the fact that this
fugue fluctuates between 5/4 and 3/4 time and explores several key centers, namely B-flat, F, C,
and finally G. The phrasal structure is also noteworthy as Walton sets a thirteen-bar phrase,
divided as six plus seven, not the twelve one would expect, perhaps utilizing an extra bar as
representation for God the father. Beginning with the basses in measure 202, Example 4.4
demonstrates the thirteen-bar phrase structure found in all four choral parts.
117
102
This was noted earlier by the author in Chapter 1.
Example 4.4 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 202-223, thirteen-bar phrase structure.
118
Example 4.4 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 202-223 (cont.)
119
Conducting Considerations
Perhaps Walton’s most complex smaller choral work to conduct, The Twelve contains a
significant amount of recitative, mixed meter, erratic tempo changes, and intricate harmony and
rhythm. The first challenge for the conductor is the opening recitative. This requires the
conductor to silently show the downbeat where there is no accompaniment (see Example 4.1).
The tempo change at measure 24 requires the conductor to prepare the Subito allegro tempo on
the fourth beat, leading into the complex rhythmic structure of 9/8, 11/8, and 5/8 time. Walton
has delineated the groupings fairly clearly. The author would suggest conducting the 11/8 bar at
measure 27 as a three bar, grouped as 4+4+3 (see Example 4.5).
120
Example 4.5 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 24-28, pentatonic motive intoned by chorus.
121
The 5/8 bars that follow are consistently grouped as 2+3 leading to a straightforward
three pattern. Typical of Walton’s writing is his fondness for polymeters, pinning duple against
triple. This is seen again in measure 74 where the voices are in 3/4 time while the orchestra keeps
the triplet eighth note in 9/8. Walton again delineates the 8/8 bars for the conductor as 2+3+3.
The precision of the text is another challenge the conductor faces when performing The
Twelve. The double dotted rhythms in measure 88 have to be held as long as possible before the
subsequent beat. In most instances, the conductor must wait at the top of the conducting plane to
allow for the release of final consonants. The question of rhythm related to fermata is also a
pressing issue for the conductor. Measure 161 contains a fermata over a half note tied to a dotted
quarter note with the contralto soloist intoning recitative on the downbeat. The author suggests
holding the fermata with the left hand for double the amount of time, four beats, before resuming
the downbeat and cutting off the orchestra on the and of one (see Example 4.6). The tenor
recitative can then be conducted freely which then leads into the jubilant fugal finale.
122
Example 4.6 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 160-165, fermata gesture into recitative.
123
The orchestral prelude to the fugue is an exact repetition of the material heard in the
beginning of the piece, now in G-flat major at measure 181. Painstakingly meticulous, Walton
now suggests conducting the 5/8 measures in one when the Veloce tempo marking appears in
measure 188. Though short in duration, the fugal material in 5/4 is some of Walton’s most
creative writing, delving through multiple keys and uneven phrase structures to create an
unorthodox finale. Marked A tempo vivo, the 5/4 bars can be shown in a two pattern, divided as
2+3. The two bars of 2/4 and subsequent two bars of 3/4 can be conducted as a macro four
pattern, making for a six-bar phrase (see Example 4.4). The remaining measures of the fugal
material are seven bars of 3/4 and 5/4. While conducting the 3/4 pattern in one is suggested, the
option of a melded three pattern would be advantageous if tempo or rhythmic precision is
lacking from the voices or orchestra. After all voices have sung the fugal material, Walton marks
Più mosso poco a poco at measure 252 for the homophonic declamations of the choir. This
material can most certainly be conducted in one, making the hemiola in measure 292 more
effective and allowing the conductor to honor the accented downbeat Walton marks in the
subsequent measures (see Example 4.7). Subdivision in three is also a consideration for the final
four measures as the work finishes on a unison B-flat.
124
Example 4.7 William Walton, The Twelve, mm. 291-297, hemiola conducted in one.
125
“The Forsaken Merman”
Historical Background
Among Walton’s earliest compositions is his unpublished cantata “The Forsaken
Merman.” Just fourteen years old, Walton wrote the ambitious score the same year as his first
choral piece, A Litany. The cantata for soprano and tenor soloists, double female chorus, and
orchestra, is a setting of Matthew Arnold’s poem “The Forsaken Merman.” The poem chronicles
the life of a merman who lives with his human wife far beneath the sea. The two bear children
together and seem to enjoy life’s riches until one day the wife hears bells and tells her husband
she must leave. The merman and his children emerge from the sea to seek her out, only to find
she has taken up residence in a new home. The merman calls out to her but she never again
returns to the sea.
Very little has been written about the composition; Walton barely mentions it in any of his
personal letters of correspondence. He did complete the short score in the summer of 1916 with
the intention of performing it.
103
Perhaps due to Walton’s young age, the work was never
considered for publication or performance. Overshadowed by his most famous choral-orchestral
cantata, Belshazzar’ s Feast, “The Forsaken Merman” illustrates Walton’s early penchant for
romantic and dramatic settings of grand works.

126
103
Stephen Lloyd, William Walton Muse of Fire, 5.
Musical Aspects
While the surviving manuscript does exist in rather good form at the Yale Beinecke Rare
Book and Manuscript Library, an orchestral analysis remains difficult as the accompaniment is
not fully orchestrated. Sustained pedal notes in the piano provide the ground work for harmony.
Though not fully fleshed out for orchestra, Walton did assign many chords to specific
instruments as he wrote his plans in the manuscript. The work, written in two parts, opens with
arpeggiated chords in the harp and piano, no doubt representing the turbulent and changing sea.
“The soloist’s opening invocations are set against the alternating time signatures of 2/4 and 6/16,
the latter used to enliven and excite the basic F minor tonality.”
104
The entrance of the double
chorus in echos presents an interesting notational marking. Walton chose to mark nearly all of his
musical terminology in the Italian language, though this example is one of the only times Walton
uses a French marking, namely bouche fermée, to perhaps subconsciously denote his influence of
Debussy and other French impressionist writers (see Example 4.8).

127
104
Alan Cuckston, “The Songs.” In William Walton: Music and Literature, ed. Stewart Craggs, 1-21 (Aldershot:
Ashgate Publishing Limited, 1999).
Example 4.8 William Walton, “The Forsaken Merman,” double chorus entrance, French marking.
The second section of the work begins with whole tone scales in the accompaniment and
Walton’s own marking of “bells as if in the distant.”
105
He then returns to the 6/16 arpeggiated
music of the beginning with the added direction “like waves.”
106
The soloist then describes the
silver bells and ferocious winds, represented by seventh chords, until the voyage of the great
whale in 7/8 time (see Example 4.9).
128
105
This comes from Walton’s unpublished manuscript housed at the Yale Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript
Library.
106
Ibid.
Example 4.9 William Walton, “The Forsaken Merman,” text painting in 7/8 meter.
“The piece ends with a shattering climax as the soprano soloist rises through a crescendo,
con passione, to a top B-flat.”
107
Walton writes fully diminished triads to support the singer as
tremolandi resonate deep below.
Conducting Considerations
Keeping in mind “The Forsaken Merman” has never been performed, the author has
made some suggestions based on the original manuscript. While Walton does not denote a
metronome marking, he clearly states the opening tempo as Allegro con fuoco in a quick 2/4
time. The eighth note remains constant switching to 6/16, again displaying Walton’s fondness for
interplay between duple and triple time (see Example 4.10).
129
107
Alan Cuckston, “The Songs.” In William Walton: Music and Literature, ed. Stewart Craggs, 1-21.
Example 4.10 William Walton, “The Forsaken Merman,” mixed meter opening.
The work is fairly straightforward in its conducting delivery, simple time signatures and
accompaniment guide the soloist until the entrance of the double female choir. Set in 2/4, the
choir is directed to hum the notes with a closed mouth (see Example 4.8). Walton then sets the
following solo passages in 3/4. It would seem consistent to treat the quarter notes as equivalent
when switching between two and three. After the homophonic choral echos, Walton writes a bar
of silence with a fermata. Following the fermata, he sets the accompaniment in 3/8 time,
employing hemiola in the third and fourth bar of the passage. Again the author would suggest
conducting the pattern in one as to naturally elicit the syncopation off the downbeat. The
following orchestral interlude in 2/4 requires the conductor to beat duples with the right hand
while the left hand exudes the triplets found in the bass accompaniment. Even Walton’s earliest
writing illustrates his fondness for juxtaposition of rhythms and harmony.
130
The only mixed meter in the work arrives during the text describing the whale encounter,
where Walton has written these undulating 7/8 passages coming from 2/4 time (see Example
4.9). The eighth note remains constant, but curiously Walton is not consistent in grouping the
subsequent ten bars. The division starts off as 3+2+2, then the sixth bar of 7/8 switches to a
2+3+2 grouping before finishing the mixed meter in the final combination of 2+2+3. As the
merman reflects on the disappearance of his wife, Walton writes the direction “much slower” in
2/4. Still in two, the climactic finale requires the conductor to beat duples in the right hand, while
demonstrating triplets in the left hand. Even at such a tender age, “The Forsaken Merman”
contains many elements of Walton’s compositional style that have come to be hallmarks of his
writing.
131
Conclusion
The preceding chapters have included a descriptive biographical account as well as a
historical and musical analysis for the conductor in the complete choral-orchestral works of Sir
William Walton. A beginning guide for the conductor, the previous pages have attempted to
codify Walton’s major choral-orchestral works into a single document that may prove useful
when preparing to study and perform the repertoire. Walton’s unique musical language and vast
talent over several genres has cemented his reputation as a giant in composition. Historical
background has provided insight into the conceptualization of the works. Further analysis of
these works has demonstrated Walton’s unique compositional voice in which several influences
contributed to his unique output. Finally, technical instructions and suggestions regarding the art
of conducting these works have been provided as a framework for interpretation and scholarly
informed conducting.
A man of exacting nature and great genius, William Walton displayed a vast array of
compositional gifts. His ever-growing popularity is evident as his works are performed regularly
throughout the world’s greatest concert halls and stages. While most of his compositions are in
great demand, this study provides a closer look at those works that have been lesser known in a
genre which combines two great art forms; words and music.
132
Bibliography
Brown, Timothy, ed. William Walton Edition: Choral Works with Orchestra, Volume 5. Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 2009.
Burton, Humphrey and Maureen Murray. William Walton: The Romantic Loner A Centenary
Portrait Album. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Craggs, Stewart. William Walton: A Source Book. Aldershot: Scolar Press, 1993.
Cuckston, Alan. “The Songs.” In William Walton: Music and Literature. Edited by Stewart
Craggs, 1-21. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 1999.
Howes, Frank. The Musical Pilgrim: The Music of William Walton, Volume 1. London: Oxford
University Press, 1942.
_____________. The Musical Pilgrim: The Music of William Walton, Volume 2. London: Oxford
University Press, 1942.
_____________. The Music of William Walton. London: Oxford University Press, 1974.
Kennedy, Michael. Portrait of Walton. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Limbacher, James. Film Music: From Violins to Video. New Jersey: Scarecrow Press, 1974.
Lloyd, Stephen. William Walton Muse of Fire. Woodbridge: The Boydel Press, 2001.
Lloyd, Stephen. “Film Music.” In William Walton: Music and Literature. Edited by Stewart
Craggs, 109-131. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 1999.
Luce, Lynn Sams. “William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast: A Conductor's Analysis for
Performance." Doctoral thesis, University of Miami, 1995.
Tierney, Neil. William Walton His Life and Music. London: Robert Hale Limited, 1984.
Walton, Susana. William Walton Behind the Facade. London: Oxford University Press, 1988.
133
Walton, William. Belshazzar’ s Feast: Vocal Score. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
_____________. Belshazzar’ s Feast. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1957.
_____________. Coronation Te Deum. Edited by Timothy Brown. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2009.
_____________. Gloria. Edited by Timothy Brown. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
_____________. In Honour of the City of London. Edited by Timothy Brown. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 2009.
_____________. “The Forsaken Merman.” Score, 1916. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript
Library, Yale University.
_____________. The Twelve. Edited by Timothy Brown. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
134
Appendix A: Complete List of Instrumental Works
*Complied by the author and arranged by genre, listed alphabetically within each section, all
published works available through Oxford University Press.
Ballets
Dr. Syntax (lost)
Façade
The First Shoot
The Quest
Siesta-Pas de Deux
Varii Capricci
The Triumph of Neptune (lost)
The Wise Virgins
Brass Works
Anniversary Fanfare
A Birthday Fanfare
Fanfare for a Great Occasion from Hamlet (arr. Sir Malcolm Sargent)
Fanfare for the National
Fanfares for the Red Army
Introduction to the National Anthem
March for History of the English-Speaking Peoples
A Queen’ s Fanfare
Roaring Fanfare
Salute to Sir Robert Mayer on his 100th Birthday
Chamber Works
“Duettino” for oboe and piano (unpublished)
Quartet for violin, viola, cello, and piano
Sonata for violin and piano
String Quartet for two violins, viola, and cello
String Quartet in A minor for two violins, viola, and cello
“Toccata in A minor” for violin and piano (unpublished)
Two Pieces for violin and piano
Film Music
As You Like It
The Battle of Britain
Dreaming Lips
Escape Me Never
The First of the Few
135
The Forman Went to France
Hamlet
Henry V
Major Barbara
The Next of Kin
Richard III
Stolen Life
Three Sisters
Went the Day Well?
Incidental Music
The Boy David (lost)
Christopher Columbus
Granada Preludes, Call Signs and End Music
“Macbeth” (unpublished)
A Son of Heaven (lost)
Title Music for BBC TV Shakespeare Series
Keyboard Works
Ballet from Escape Me Never (arr. for piano William Walton)
Chorale Prelude on Herzlich thut mich verlangen for piano
“Choral Prelude on Wheatley” for organ (unpublished)
Crown Imperial (arr. for piano William Walton)
Duets for Children for piano duet
Gallop Finale for piano
Lai and Rondet de Carol (lost)
Portsmouth Point (arr. for piano duet William Walton)
Siesta (arr. for piano duet)
Sinfonia Concertante (arr. for two pianos William Walton)
Theme for Improvisation for organ
Three Pieces for Organ from Richard III
Tunes for my Niece for piano
Valse from Façade (arr. for piano) William Walton
“Valse in C minor” for piano (unpublished)
Operas
The Bear
Troilus and Cressida
Orchestral Works (including arrangements)
As You Like It Suite (arr. Carl Davis)
The Battle of Britain Suite (arr. Colin Matthews)
Capriccio Burlesco
136
Cello Concerto
Christopher Columbus Suite (arr. Christopher Palmer)
Crown Imperial
Escape Me Never Suite (arr. Christopher Palmer)
Façade, Suite No. 1
Façade, Suite No. 2
Fanfare and March from Macbeth (arr. Christopher Palmer)
Fantasia Concertante (lost)
The First Shoot (arr. for orchestra Christopher Palmer, arr. for brass William Walton)
Funeral March from Hamlet (arr. Muir Mathieson)
Hamlet and Ophelia from Hamlet (arr. Muir Mathieson)
Improvisations on an Impromptu of Benjamin Britten
Johannesburg Festival Orchestra
Major Barbara, A Shavian Sequence from Major Barbara (arr. Christopher Palmer)
“Memorial Fanfare for Henry Wood” (unpublished)
Music for Children
National Anthem
Orb and Sceptre
Partita
Portsmouth Point
Prelude from Richard III (arr. Muir Mathieson)
Prologo e Fantasia
The Quest Suite (arr. Vilem Tausky)
Richard III Suite (arr. Christopher Palmer)
Richard III Suite (arr. Muir Mathieson)
Scapino
A Shakespeare Scenario from Hamlet (arr. Christopher Palmer)
Siesta
Sinfonia Concertante
Sonata for Strings
Spitfire Prelude and Fugue from The First of the Few
“The Star-Spangled Banner” (unpublished)
Suite from Henry V (arr. Muir Mathieson)
Suite from Henry V (arr. Malcolm Sargent)
Symphony No. 1
Symphony No. 2
Troilus and Cressida Suite (arr. Christopher Palmer)
Two Pieces for Strings from Henry V
Variations on a Theme by Hindemith
Variations on an Elizabethan Theme (“Sellinger’s Theme”)
Varii Capricci
Viola Concerto
Violin Concerto
137
A Wartime Sketchbook (arr. Christopher Palmer)
A Winter Journey from Richard III (arr. Edward Watson)
The Wise Virgins Suite
Works for Instrumental Solos
Five Bagatelles for guitar
Passacaglia for cello
Theme (for Variations) for cello

138
Appendix B: Complete List of Choral and Vocal Works
*Complied by the author and arranged by genre, listed alphabetically within each section, all
published works available through Oxford University Press.
Choral and Orchestral Works
Belshazzar’ s Feast
Coronation Te Deum
“The Forsaken Merman” (unpublished)
Gloria
In Honour of the City of London
The Twelve (or organ)

Unaccompanied Choral Works
All This Time for mixed chorus
Cantico del Sol for mixed chorus
King Herod and the Cock for mixed chorus
A Litany for mixed chorus
Make We Joy Now In This Fest for mixed chorus
Put Off the Serpent Girdle for female chorus
Set Me as a Seal upon Thine Heart for mixed chorus
Under the Greenwood Tree for unison voices
What Cheer? for mixed chorus
Where Does the Uttered Music Go? for mixed chorus
Accompanied Choral Works
Antiphon for mixed chorus and organ
Jubilate Deo for double mixed chorus and organ
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis for mixed chorus and organ
Missa Brevis for double mixed chorus and organ
Vocal Works
Anon. In Love for tenor and guitar or small orchestra
Beatriz’ s Song from Christopher Columbus for voice and strings or guitar (arr. Hector Quine)
“Bucolic Comedies” from Façade for voice and chamber ensemble (unpublished)
Façade: An Entertainment for reciter and chamber ensemble
Façade: A Further Entertainment for reciter and chamber ensemble
“The Passionate Shepherd” for tenor and chamber ensemble (unpublished)
A Song for the Lord Mayor’ s Table for soprano and piano or orchestra
Tell Me Where Is Fancy Bred? for soprano and tenor voices, three violins, and piano (lost)
Three Songs for voice and piano
Three Solo Songs from Troilus and Cressida for voice and orchestra
139
Tritons for voice and piano
Under the Greenwood Tree for voice and piano
The Winds for voice and piano (lost)
140

Abstract (if available)

Abstract Sir William Walton (1902-1983) is one of the most celebrated British composers in history, writing prolifically for orchestra, film, ballet, and opera. While Walton penned only twenty choral compositions totaling no more than two hours, the quality is such that he is counted among the choral giants of the twentieth century. Catapulting to fame with the premiere of his orchestral work Façade, Walton’s choral‐orchestral works remain largely unknown. Certainly Belshazzar’s Feast has attained a permanent place in the choral‐orchestral canon, making the case for further study of Walton’s remaining choral‐orchestral works. This dissertation examines the six choral works that were written for orchestral accompaniment with specific consideration to the technicalities and challenges that are present for the conductor in each piece. ❧ The study commences with a biographical outline of the composer, beginning with his youth and tracing his varied career until his death. The first chapter includes biographical information and a brief overview of Walton’s works as an introductory discussion to his music. The second chapter provides a guide for the conductor in the works of Belshazzar’s Feast and In Honour of the City of London. The chapter includes a historical perspective, musical analysis, and conducting considerations for performance on the two works. The third chapter offers further insight into the choral‐orchestral works Coronation Te Deum and Gloria. In‐depth musical analysis, historical background information, and considerations for the conductor are discussed throughout the chapter. The fourth and final chapter focuses on Walton’s The Twelve and his unpublished choral‐orchestral work “The Forsaken Merman.” Again, the discussion centers around historical background, musical analysis and examples as well as specific directions for the conductor. Appendices, including complete choral, vocal, and instrumental works, help to provide a broader context of Walton’s musical output. Six in total, Walton’s choral‐orchestral works are discussed in detail as a significant contribution to the world of classical music.

Linked assets

University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Conceptually similar

PDF

A companion guide to Nick Strimple’s Choral Music in the Nineteenth Century: a research and repertoire guide for nineteenth century small form choral works for mixed voices

PDF

A survey of the unaccompanied choral music of Wolfram Buchenberg

PDF

The sacred choral works of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

PDF

The influence of the Australian landscape and indigenous Aboriginal music and traditions on Australian choral music: a study of choral works by nine Australian composers

PDF

Karol Szymanowski and his Stabat Mater

PDF

An analysis of two choral compositions with strings by Tarik O'Regan

PDF

Music in worship in the Churches of Christ and choral music performance in Church of Christ affiliated colleges and universities

PDF

The influence of African-American harmonizing on the 'American' choral works of Frederick Delius

PDF

Charles C. Hirt at the University of Southern California: significant contributions and an enduring legacy

PDF

A conductor’s guide to the original organ version of Antonín Dvořák’s Mass in D major, opus 86, including a critical comparison of the published editions

PDF

A conductor’s guide to select choral works composed by Hyo-Won Woo between 2012 and 2018

PDF

Refined gold from along the Royal Highway: musical training at the California Missions as a model for present-day pedagogy

PDF

A study of Nick Strimple’s compositional life with an emphasis on his work Pentecost

PDF

Choral music in film

PDF

The Antiochian Orthodox Church of North America: vocal music and choral practice

PDF

Fortuna desperata: a study of symbolism

PDF

The development of Taiwanese choral music in the twenty-first century

PDF

Sing on: The life, pedagogy, and contributions to choral music of Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe

PDF

Leon Levitch's Song of Dreams: the testimony of a survivor

PDF

Moorland Elegies / Lageda Laulud for choir and strings by Tõnu Kõrvits: a conductor's guide

Asset Metadata

Creator Quinn, Troy Alexander (author)

Core Title The romantic loner: a conductor’s guide to the choral-orchestral works of Sir William Walton

School Thornton School of Music

Degree Doctor of Musical Arts

Degree Program Choral Music

Publication Date 04/02/2014

Defense Date 03/14/2014

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag choral,conductor,guide,OAI-PMH Harvest,orchestral,Walton,William

Format application/pdf (imt)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Scheibe, Jo-Michael (committee chair), Grases, Cristian F. (committee member), Strimple, Nick L. (committee member)

Creator Email troyquin@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-373887

Unique identifier UC11295240

Identifier etd-QuinnTroyA-2319.pdf (filename),usctheses-c3-373887 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-QuinnTroyA-2319.pdf

Dmrecord 373887

Document Type Dissertation

Format application/pdf (imt)

Rights Quinn, Troy Alexander

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA