This article, Classical music of the United Kingdom, includes a history of the form and discussion of its most notable composers and musicians. Composed music in the UK is traceable back to at least the 13th century and has influenced the wider European development of classical music through individuals ranging from Simon Tunsted, in the fourteenth century, to Benjamin Britten, in the 20th. Well known composers such as Edward Elgar, Vaughan Williams and George Frideric Handel were all from, or did significant work in, the British Isles. The United Kingdom also has a history of orchestras and venues, with the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts having provided an annual music programme of international status, from 1895 to the present. A composer is a person who writes music. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh, OM (November 22, 1913 – December 4, 1976) was a British composer, conductor and pianist. ... Sir Edward Elgar Sir Edward Elgar, 1st Baronet, OM, GCVO (2 June 1857 â€“ 23 February 1934) was an English composer. ... Ralph Vaughan Williams (October 12, 1872 – August 26, 1958) was an influential British composer. ... George Frideric Handel (German Georg Friedrich Händel), (February 23, 1685 – April 14, 1759) was a German Baroque music composer who lived much of his life in Great Britain, a leading composer of concerti grossi, operas and oratorios. ... The British Isles consist of Great Britain, Ireland and a number of much smaller surrounding islands. ... An orchestra is a musical ensemble used most often in classical music. ... A Promenade concert in the Royal Albert Hall, 2004. ...

Music before 1500

The earliest surviving piece of composed music in the UK is the setting of the folk song "Sumer Is Icumen In" ("Summer is a-coming in"), sometimes known as the Reading rota because the manuscript comes from Reading Abbey, although it was not necessarily written there. Its composer is anonymous, possibly W. de Wycombe, and it is estimated to date from around 1260. It is notable for its elaborate six-part structure which is virtually unique for such an early piece. Sumer Is Icumen In is a traditional English round, and possibly the oldest such example of counterpoint in existence. ... Reading Abbey Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in Reading, Berkshire, founded by Henry I in 1121 for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors and successors. // History... W. de Wycombe (Wicumbe, and perhaps Whichbury) (late 13th century) was an English composer and copyist of the Medieval era. ... Events End of the reign of Emperor Go-Fukakusa of Japan Emperor Kameyama ascends to the throne of Japan September 3 - Mongols defeated by Mameluks at Battle of Ain Jalut Samogatians and Curonians defeats Teutonic knights in Battle of Durbe Births Maximus Planudes, Byzantine grammarian and theologian Deaths Monarchs/Presidents...

In the fourteenth century, the Franciscan friar Simon Tunsted is believed to have been one of the music theorists who influenced the "Ars Nova"—the movement which freed European music from its earlier restricted styles. He is generally credited with the authorship of "Quatuor Principalia Musicae": a treatise on musical composition. The Order of Friars Minor and other Franciscan movements are disciples of Saint Francis of Assisi. ... The ars nova was a stylistic period in music of the Late Middle Ages, centered in France, which encompassed the period from the publication of the Roman de Fauvel (1310 and 1314) until the death of Machaut (1377). ...

In the fifteenth century, John Dunstable (or Dunstaple, as it is sometimes spelt) was England's most celebrated composer. Nearly all his manuscript music in England was lost during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, but some of his works have been reconstructed from copies found in continental Europe, particularly in Italy. The existence of these copies is testament to his widespread fame within Europe. He may have been the first composer to provide liturgical music with an instrumental accompaniment^[1] John Dunstable or Dunstaple (c. ... The Dissolution of the Monasteries (referred to by Roman Catholic writers as the Suppression of the Monasteries) was the formal process, taking place between 1538 and 1541, by which King Henry VIII confiscated the property of the Roman Catholic monastic institutions in England and took them to himself, as the...

John Hothby (ca. 1410–1487), was an English Carmelite monk, who travelled widely and left little composed music but wrote several theoretical treatises (eg La Calliopea legale), and is credited with introducing innovations to the mediaeval pitch system. These allowed the introduction of additional chromatic pitches into the scales (what we would think of as the black notes of the piano keyboard). The Order of Our Lady of Mt. ... The chromatic scale is any musical scale that contains more than one consecutive half-step (in other words two adjacent pairs of scale degrees or members which are separated by a semitone). ...

Several aspects of English medieval music led to trends throughout Europe. The treatment of thirds and sixths as consonances seems to have arisen earlier in England than elsewhere, and the practice of fauxbourdon developed in England. Also, the neumatic notation of Sarum chant eventually developed into the square-note notation still used in the Liber usualis and other compendia of Gregorian chant. The earliest evidence of choral polyphony (as opposed to solo ensemble polyphony) is from the Old Hall manuscript (1420, although most of its music was composed before 1400), where there is occasional divisi. In music, a consonance (Latin consonare, sounding together) is a harmony, chord, or interval considered stable, as opposed to a dissonance, which is considered unstable. ... Faux bourdon (also commonly fauxbourdon) - French for wrong buzz - is a technique of musical harmonisation used in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. ... Neumes are the basic elements of Western and Eastern systems of musical notation prior to the invention of staff notation. ... The Liber usualis is a book of commonly-used Gregorian chants compiled by the monks of the Abbey of Solesmes in France. ... Gregorian chant is also known as plainchant or plainsong and is a form of monophonic, unaccompanied singing, which was developed in the Catholic church, mainly during the period 800-1000. ... Polyphony is a musical texture consisting of several independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice (monophony) or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords (homophony). ... Events May 21 - Treaty of Troyes. ... Events Henry IV quells baron rebellion and executes The Earls of Kent, Huntingdon and Salisbury for their attempt to have Richard II of England restored as King Jean Froissart writes the Chronicles Medici family becomes powerful in Florence, Italy Births December 25 - John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley, Lord Lieutenant of...

Music of the 16th and early 17th centuries

Henry VIII of England played various instruments himself and owned a collection of 78 recorders.

In the early 16th century, Henry VIII was a keen patron of music. He played various instruments himself and an inventory, taken after his death in 1547, reveals that he owned a large collection, including 78 recorders. He is sometimes credited with compositions, including the part-song Passetyme With Good Companye but, although it is likely that he learnt the rudiments of composition, no music has been unequivocally attributed to him. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2024x2945, 621 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2024x2945, 621 KB) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ... Events January 16 - Grand Duke Ivan IV of Muscovy becomes the first Tsar of Russia. ... Various recorders The recorder is a flute-like woodwind musical instrument. ...

The 16th century was the period of composition of some of Europe's greatest polyphonic choral music and, in Britain, the works of Thomas Tallis stand amongst the best. His Spem In Alium is a magnificent motet for 40 independent voices—an amazing polyphonic tour-de-force which is almost without parallel. His legacy also includes the harmonised versions of the plainsong responses of the English church service, still in use by the Church of England. Thomas Tallis Thomas Tallis (c 1505–23 November 1585) was an English composer. ... Spem in Alium is a forty-part motet by Thomas Tallis, composed for eight choirs of five voices each. ... In Western music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions. ... Broadly speaking, plainsong is the name given to the body of traditional songs used in the liturgies of the Catholic Church. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ...

During this period, music printing (technically more complex than the printing of text) became possible. Although Britain was not leading the music printing revolution, a collection of songs was published in England in 1530 and A forme of Prayers (with music) was published in Edinburgh in 1564. Elizabeth I granted the monopoly of music publishing to Tallis and his pupil William Byrd which has ensured that their works were widely distributed and have survived in various editions, but arguably limited the potential for music publishing in Britain. Byrd wrote church music and instrumental music for viols and keyboard, as well as being one of the founders of madrigal composition. Events June 25 - Augsburg confession presented to Charles V of Holy Roman Empire. ... Edinburgh (pronounced ), Dùn Èideann () in Scottish Gaelic, is the second-largest city in Scotland and its capital city. ... colonizing the New World September 10 — The Battle of Kawanakajima Ottoman Turks invade Malta Modern pencil becomes common in England Conquistadors crossed the Pacific Spanish founded a colony in the Philippines Births February 15 - Galileo Galilei, Italian astronomer and physicist (died 1642) February 26 - Christopher Marlowe, English poet and dramatist... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... William Byrd William Byrd (1540? – July 4, 1623) was one of the most celebrated English composers in the Renaissance. ... Various sizes of viol, from Michael Praetorius Syntagma musicum (1618) The viol or viola da gamba is a family of musical instruments and is related to and descending from the vihuela and rebec. ... A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument played with a musical keyboard. ... A madrigal is a setting for 4–6 voices of a secular text, often in Italian. ...

The English madrigal (based on a form of music imported from Italy) reached its peak with composers such as Thomas Morley, John Dowland, Orlando Gibbons, Thomas Campian, and Thomas Tomkins. A collection of 29 madrigals, edited by Thomas Morley and entitled The Triumphs of Oriana was published in 1603 in honour of Queen Elizabeth. Thomas Morley (1557 or 1558 – October 1602) was an English composer, theorist, editor and organist of the Renaissance, and the foremost member of the English Madrigal School. ... John Dowland (pronounced to rhyme with Roland) (1563 – February 20, 1626) was an English, possibly Irish-born composer, singer, and lutenist. ... Orlando Gibbons Orlando Gibbons (baptised December 25, 1583 – June 5, 1625) was an English composer and organist of the late Tudor and early Jacobean periods. ... Thomas Campion, sometimes Campian (February 12, 1567 – March 1, 1620) was an English composer, poet and physician. ... Thomas Tomkins (1572 – June 9, 1656) was a Welsh-born composer of the late Tudor and early Stuart period. ... One of the books that Thomas Morley, a Renaissance composer, printed and put together was The Triumphs of Oriana. ... King James I of England/VII of Scotland, the first monarch to rule the Kingdoms of England and Scotland at the same time Events March - Samuel de Champlain, French explorer, sails to Canada March 24 - Elizabeth I of England dies and is succeeded by her cousin King James I of... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 – 24 March 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ...

Music would have been used in the theatre of the time, including within the plays of William Shakespeare. In addition there were masques, a form of lavish musical play where the story was communicated in song but was otherwise quite different in form to an opera ^[2]. Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment which flourished in 16th and early 17th century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy. ...

The Civil War and Commonwealth period (1642-1660)

During the Commonwealth period conditions were hard for professional musicians: the royal court was in exile, the theatres were closed, and church music was prohibited. Many church or collegiate choirs were disbanded and their organs removed or silenced. A choir or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. ... The Casavant pipe organ at Notre-Dame de Montréal Basilica, Montreal The organ is one of the oldest musical instruments in the western musical tradition, with a rich history connected with the Christian religion and civic ceremony. ...

There was however no Puritan ban on secular music. Indeed Cromwell had the organ from Magdalen College, Oxford set up at Hampton Court Palace and employed an organist and other musicians. Musical entertainment was provided at official receptions, and at the wedding of Cromwell's daughter. The Puritans were members of a group of English Protestants seeking further reforms or even separation from the established church during the Reformation. ... This article concerns secularity, that is, being secular, in various senses. ... Unfinished portrait miniature of Oliver Cromwell by Samuel Cooper, 1657. ... College name Magdalen College Named after Mary Magdalene Established 1458 Sister College Magdalene College President Professor David Clary FRS JCR President Iain Anstess Undergraduates 395 Graduates 230 Homepage Boatclub Magdalen College (pronounced ) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. ... Hampton Court Palace with the Union Jack flying. ...

Music also flourished in domestic settings during the Commonwealth, particularly in the larger private houses. The first opera performed in Britain, promoted by Sir William Davenant, was staged at Rutland House in 1656. In smaller establishments the consort of viols became a popular form whose leading composers were John Jenkins and Matthew Locke. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... William Davenant Sir William Davenant (February 28, 1606 - April 7, 1668), also spelled DAvenant, was an English poet and playwright. ... William Davenant, owner of Rutland House. ... // Events Mehmed Köprülü becomes Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. ... Various sizes of viol, from Michael Praetorius Syntagma musicum (1618) The viol or viola da gamba is a family of musical instruments and is related to and descending from the vihuela and rebec. ... John Jenkins (1592-1678), English composer, was born in Maidstone, Kent, and died at Kimberley, Norfolk. ... Matthew Locke (ca. ...

Since the opportunities for large scale composition and public performance were limited, music under the Protectorate became a largely private matter.

The Restoration

Samuel Pepys holding one of his own compositions

This period was dominated by Pelham Humfrey and Henry Purcell. Purcell composed church music, festive odes and music for the theatre. Image File history File links Samuel_Pepys. ... Image File history File links Samuel_Pepys. ... Henry Purcell Henry Purcell (September 10, 1659 - November 21, 1695), a Baroque composer, is generally considered to be one of Englands greatest composers — indeed, he has often been called Englands finest native composer. ...

Christopher Simpson's work, The Division Violist, first published in 1659, was for many years the leading manual on playing the viol and on the art of extemporising "divisions to a ground", in Britain and continental Europe. A facsimile edition was reprinted by Arnold Dolmetsch in the 1950s and is still used as a reference by early music revivalists. Christopher Simpson (c. ... // Events May 25 - Richard Cromwell resigns as Lord Protector of England following the restoration of the Long Parliament, beginning a second brief period of the republican government called the Commonwealth. ... In music, a ground bass is a bass part or bassline that repeats continually, as an ostinato, while the melody and possibly harmony over it change. ... (Eugène) Arnold Dolmetsch (24 February 1858 - 28 February 1940), was a French-born musician and instrument maker who spent much of his working life in England and established an instrument-making workshop in Haslemere, Surrey. ... Early music is European classical music before the classical music era and after Ancient music. ...

The diary of Samuel Pepys, himself a music lover, collector of instruments, and an amateur composer, provides a rich primary source for domestic music in the Restoration period. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... A primary source is any piece of information that is used for constructing history as an artifact of its times. ... King Charles II The English Restoration or simply Restoration was an episode in the history of Great Britain beginning in 1660 when the monarchy was restored under King Charles II after the English Civil War. ...

Music of the 18th century

George Frideric Handel was a leading figure of early 18th century British music.

The leading figure in British music of the early 18th century was a naturalized Englishman, George Frideric Handel. Although he was born in Germany, he played a defining role in the music of the UK. His orchestral music (such as the Water Music, and the Music for the Royal Fireworks) and his choral music (particularly the Messiah) virtually set the British taste in music for the next 200 years. Today, they remain amongst the most popular concert works; still account for significant album sales; and are widely performed by amateur ensembles as well as the top professional performers. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... George Frideric Handel (German Georg Friedrich Händel), (February 23, 1685 – April 14, 1759) was a German Baroque music composer who lived much of his life in Great Britain, a leading composer of concerti grossi, operas and oratorios. ... George Frideric Handel (German Georg Friedrich Händel), (February 23, 1685 – April 14, 1759) was a German Baroque music composer who lived much of his life in Great Britain, a leading composer of concerti grossi, operas and oratorios. ... Water Music may refer to Water Music (Handel), the suite composed by George Frideric Handel Water Music (Boyle), a novel by T.C. Boyle Water Music (Kershaw), a novel by Melanie Kershaw Water Music (Ryerson), a photography book by Marjorie Ryerson This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which... The Fireworks Music (also known as Music for the Royal Fireworks) was composed by George Frideric Handel in 1749 under contract of George II of Great Britain for the celebration fireworks occasion in Londons Green Park on 27 April 1749. ... Messiah (1741) is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. ...

In the same period, John Gay wrote his best-known work, The Beggar's Opera (1728), although the music was actually written by Johann Christoph Pepusch. Also, Thomas Arne composed a notable body of work, largely for the theatre, of which his song Rule Britannia is probably the best-known. John Gay John Gay (30 June 1685 - 4 December 1732) was an English poet and dramatist. ... Painting based on The Beggars Opera, Scene V, William Hogarth, c. ... Johann Christoph Pepusch (1667- July 20, 1752) was a German composer. ... Thomas Augustine Arne Thomas Augustine Arne (March, 1710 – March 5, 1778) was an English composer, best known for the popular patriotic song, Rule Britannia, which is still frequently sung, notably at the Last Night of the Proms, and also his musical settings of songs from the plays of William Shakespeare. ... Rule Britannia is a patriotic British national song, originating from the poem Rule Britannia by James Thomson, and put to music by Thomas Arne in 1740. ...

In the later part of the century, the home-grown classical music of the UK seems to have suffered a decline, with the public attention focusing on virtuoso performers from overseas and a cultural preference for German and Italian music.

Music of the 19th century

In the early 19th century, the Irish composer and virtuoso pianist John Field was highly influentual in his style of playing which is thought to have been an inspiration to Schumann, Chopin and Liszt. He is credited with having invented the nocturne as a musical form. Later in the century, another Irishman, Charles Villiers Stanford would also exert a strong musical influence. A pianist is a person who plays the piano. ... John Field (July 26, 1782 – January 23, 1837) was an Irish composer and pianist. ... Robert Schumann (June 8, 1810 – July 29, 1856) was a German composer and pianist. ... Frédéric-François Chopin as portrayed by Eugène Delacroix in 1838. ... Franz Liszt (Hungarian: Liszt Ferenc) (October 22, 1811 – July 31, 1886) was a Hungarian virtuoso pianist and composer. ... A nocturne (from the French for nocturnal) is usually a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night. ... Charles Villiers Stanford Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (September 30, 1852 - 29 March 1924) was an Irish composer. ...

During this period, the Edinburgh-born Sir Alexander Campbell Mackenzie was renowned in Britain as a composer and conductor. He celebrated his native Scotland in his two Scottish Rhapsodies for orchestra and in a fantasia for pianoforte and orchestra on Scottish themes. Sir Alexander Campell Mackenzie was a British composer, son of an eminent Edinburgh violinist and conductor, was born on the 22nd of August 1847. ... Look up Fantasia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Fantasia may refer to one of several things. ... A grand piano A piano is a keyboard instrument, widely used in western music for solo performance, chamber music, and accompaniment, and also as a convenient aid to composing and rehearsal. ...

Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan is best remembered for his collaborations with the dramatist and librettist William S. Gilbert and for their operettas, such as The Pirates of Penzance (1880), The Mikado (1885) and The Gondoliers (1889). Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (May 13, 1842 – November 22, 1900) was a British composer best known for his operatic collaborations with librettist William S. Gilbert. ... Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (November 18, 1836 – May 29, 1911) was a British dramatist and librettist best known for his operatic collaborations with the composer Sir Arthur Sullivan. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The Pirates of Penzance The Pirates of Penzance, or The Slave of Duty, is a Gilbert and Sullivan comic operetta in two acts. ... 1880 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Mikado, or The Town of Titipu, is a comic Gilbert and Sullivan operetta in two acts. ... 1885 (MDCCCLXXXV) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... The Gondoliers is a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta written by William S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan. ... 1889 (MDCCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Towards the end of the century, Edward Elgar gained public acclaim with, for example, the Enigma Variations (1899), his first major orchestral work. Sir Edward Elgar Sir Edward Elgar, 1st Baronet, OM, GCVO (2 June 1857 â€“ 23 February 1934) was an English composer. ... Variations on an Original Theme for orchestra (Enigma),op. ... 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

This century saw the trend towards larger orchestras and correspondingly larger musical venues, permitting public concerts for mass audiences. Covent Garden's Royal Opera House was opened in 1858, on the site of an earlier theatre; the Royal Albert Hall was built in 1878. The Crystal Palace concerts were inaugurated in 1855, with August Manns as the principal conductor, directing some 20,000 concerts. Covent Garden is a shopping and entertainment complex in central London. ... The Floral Hall of the Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House is a performing arts venue in London. ... 1858 is a common year starting on Friday. ... Royal Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences is an arts venue dedicated to Queen Victorias husband and consort, Prince Albert. ... 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Crystal Palace has a number of meanings: Crystal Palace Fine Jewelry & Art Glass Showroom is a jewelry and art glass store located in Wheeling, Illinois. ... 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Orchestras which were founded in this period include the Hallé Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was not founded until 1946. The Hallé Orchestra is one of Britains longest established orchestras, and is based in Manchester. ... The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the UKs longest established orchestras, and is based in Liverpool. ... The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is Scotlands principal symphony orchestra. ... The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is an English orchestra based in London. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ...

Music of the 20th century

James Galway is a flautist virtuoso performer

In the early 20th century Britain produced some notable composers: William Wallace, Frederick Delius, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst, Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and John Ireland, for example. A feature of the music of several of the composers of this era was an interest in the use of British folk music as source material. Examples include Vaughan Williams' English Folk Songs Suite for brass band and Delius' Brigg Fair as well as subtler references to folk themes in other works. Image File history File links James_Galway. ... Frederick Delius (January 29, 1862 – June 10, 1934) was an English composer born in Bradford. ... Ralph Vaughan Williams, OM (October 12, 1872 – August 26, 1958) was an influential British composer. ... Gustav Holst Gustavus Theodore von Holst (September 21, 1874 – May 25, 1934) was a English composer with Latvian, Swedish, and Spanish roots. ... A 1912 obituary in the African Methodist Episcopal Church Review Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (August 15, 1875 - September 1, 1912), was an English composer, born in Croydon to a Sierra Leonean father and English mother. ... John Ireland ( August 13, 1879 – June 12, 1962) was an English composer. ... It has been suggested that Folkies be merged into this article or section. ... One of Vaughan Williams most famous works for brass (and military) band is his Folk Song Suite. ... Brigg Fair is an English folk song. ...

In the second half of the century, William Walton and Benjamin Britten are of especial note as composers, although there are strong contrasts between their individual approaches to music and its part in the national identity. Walton's work featured fanfares and patriotic themes: for instance he composed the ceremonial marches Crown Imperial, written for the coronation of George VI, and Orb and Sceptre, for that of Elizabeth II. Britten, on the other hand, made a conscious effort to set himself apart from the English musical mainstream, which he regarded as complacent, insular and amateurish. However, his works, such as the operas Peter Grimes (1945), and Billy Budd (1951), as well as his instrumental compositions, including his Nocturnal after John Dowland for guitar (1964), place him amongst the most accomplished composers of the century. Sir William Walton on the set of one of his operas Sir William Turner Walton, OM (March 29, 1902–March 8, 1983) was a British composer whose style was influenced by the works of Stravinsky, Sibelius and jazz. ... Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh, OM (November 22, 1913 – December 4, 1976) was a British composer, conductor and pianist. ... George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George Windsor) (14 December 1895–6 February 1952) was the third British monarch of the House of Windsor, reigning from 11 December 1936 until his death. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), born 21 April 1926, is the Queen regnant of the following countries (shown in the order of her accession): 1952: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (all 6 February) 1962: Jamaica 1966: Barbados 1973: The Bahamas... Peter Grimes is an opera by Benjamin Britten, with libretto adapted by [[Montagu Slater] It was first performed at Sadlers Wells in London on June 7, 1945 and was the first of Brittens operas to be a critical and popular success. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Billy Budd is a short novel written around 1891 by Herman Melville. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ...

The century continued and developed the concert tradition. Sir Henry Wood's name will forever be associated with The Proms, which started life in 1895 as the Queen's Hall Promenade Concerts, but transferred in 1941 to the Albert Hall, where they are still held. The Aldeburgh Festival, founded by Benjamin Britten is another annual musical event of international status. There have been several notable individuals with the name Henry Wood The best known are: Sir Henry Evelyn Wood, soldier Sir Henry Wood, orchestral conductor Mrs Henry Wood was a British novelist. ... A Promenade concert in the Royal Albert Hall, 2004. ... 1895 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Aldeburgh Festival is an English festival, largely revolving around classical music. ...

The advent of broadcasting and recording technologies have opened the possibility of classical music to larger audiences—without the need for ever larger orchestras. It is arguable that this trend may have contributed to the revival of interest in early music which has been led, in Britain, by such figures as Arnold Dolmetsch and David Munrow. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Early music is European classical music before the classical music era and after Ancient music. ... (Eugène) Arnold Dolmetsch (24 February 1858 - 28 February 1940), was a French-born musician and instrument maker who spent much of his working life in England and established an instrument-making workshop in Haslemere, Surrey. ... David Munrow (August 12, 1942 - May 15, 1976) was a musician and early music historian. ...

The late 20th century is often characterised as a period dominated by the Cult of personality and this has affected classical music along with the rest of the arts. This has tended to focus British public attention on virtuoso performers such as James Galway (flautist), John Williams (guitarist), Vanessa Mae (violinist), Aled Jones (vocalist) and others. This elevation of a relative few to "superstar" status has arguably been at the cost of reducing the "ordinary" orchestaral instrumentalist to a poorly-paid and under-rated role. Joseph Stalin is often credited with creating the first modern-day cult of personality. ... James Galway Sir James Galway (born December 8, 1939) is an Northern Ireland-born flute player from Belfast, often called The Man With the Golden Flute. ... John Christopher Williams (born 24 April 1941) is one of the worlds best-known classical guitarists. ... Vanessa-Mae Vanakorn Nicholson (born October 27, 1978 in Singapore), known on stage as Vanessa-Mae (in Chinese: 陈美, Chén Měi) is an internationally known classical and pop musician. ... Aled Jones today Aled Jones, (born 29 December 1970, Bangor, North Wales) is a Welsh singer and television personality who first came to fame as a boy soprano. ...

Music of the 21st century

The Royal College of Music from Prince Consort Road, London

In the present era, classical music in Britain must contend and co-exist with a dominant culture of popular music. Specialist music education at establishments such as the Royal College of Music, Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Royal Northern College of Music and Guildhall School of Music provide world-class music teaching to gifted classical musicians, though the general level of classical music education in Britain is somewhat limited. Download high resolution version (800x1067, 130 KB)Royal College of Music, London. ... Download high resolution version (800x1067, 130 KB)Royal College of Music, London. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... Popular music is music belonging to any of a number of musical styles that are accessible to the general public and mostly distributed commercially. ... The Royal College of Music from Prince Consort Road, London The front facade of the RCM The Royal College of Music is a prestigious music school located in Kensington, London. ... The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama or RSAMD is a music and drama school in Glasgow, Scotland. ... Royal Northern College of Music The Royal Northern College of Music or RNCM is a conservatoire in Manchester, England. ... Categories: University stubs | Performing arts education in London ...

In this century, music, like most other aspects of society, has become globalized, and it is increasingly difficult to speak of "music of the UK" as a separate entity. Gifted UK musicians train and perform all over the world: conversely, many of the places in UK music schools are taken up by overseas musicians, and most concerts are international in their content and their performers. Globalization is the term used to describe the changes in societies and the world economy that result from dramatically increased international trade and cultural exchange. ...

Composition is alive and well: Peter Maxwell Davies, Julian Anderson and Andrew Lloyd Webber represent very different strands of composition within UK classical music. Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (b. ... Julian Anderson is a British composer, and writer on music. ... Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born March 22, 1948) is a highly successful British composer of musical theatre. ...

Timeline

References

This article draws heavily on (and to some extent summarises) other articles from the category of classical music in the United Kingdom. In addition, it references the following sources:

• ^  The Encyclopedia of Classical Music edited by Peter Gammond, Salamander Books, ISBN 0861014006
• ^  Ibid.
• Percy A. Scholes, The Oxford Companion to Music, Tenth Edition, Oxford University press, 1970
• Latham, R (1983) The Diary of Samuel Pepys. Volume X - Companion, Bell & Hyman, London. ISBN 0713519932. See the entry under "Music" by Richard Luckett, for both the Commonwealth and Restoration periods.

Percy Alfred Scholes (1877–1958) was a musician, journalist and prolific writer, whose best-known achievement was the compilation of the Oxford Companion to Music. ...

See also

• European classical music

Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day. ...

External links

• British Music Information Centre (bmic)
• BBC Radio 3 Classical Music
• Classic FM radio station
• Classical composer biographies at University of Cambridge
• The British Music page "Dedicated to 20/21st Century British Classical Music"
• The British Library - Classical music sound archive