William Alwyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Alwyn
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William Alwyn Smith
7 November 1905 Northampton, England
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| Died | 11 September 1985 (aged 79) Southwold, England
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| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Music |
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| Children | Nicholas Alwyn |
| Relatives | Joe Alwyn (great-grandson) |
William Alwyn (born William Alwyn Smith; November 7, 1905 – September 11, 1985) was an English composer, conductor, and music teacher. He wrote many different kinds of music, including symphonies, operas, and over 70 film scores. He was also known for his other talents, like being a polyglot (someone who speaks many languages), a poet, and an artist.
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William Alwyn's Life and Music
William Alwyn Smith was born in Northampton, England. He loved music from a young age and started playing the piccolo. When he was 15, he went to the Royal Academy of Music in London. There, he studied flute, piano, and how to write music (called composition). He was a very skilled flutist and even played with the famous London Symphony Orchestra for a while. Later, he taught composition at the Royal Academy of Music from 1926 to 1955.
Alwyn was not just a musician. He was also good at languages, writing poetry, and creating art. He helped start the Composers' Guild of Great Britain. This group helps composers in the UK. He was also involved with other music organizations. In 1978, he received a special honor called a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for all his contributions to music.
He wrote a lot of music! This included five symphonies, four operas, several concertos (music for a solo instrument with an orchestra), and music for more than 70 films.
Music for Movies
William Alwyn wrote music for many films between 1941 and 1962. His film scores helped tell the story and set the mood in movies like Green for Danger (1944), Odd Man Out (1947), Desert Victory (1943), and The Crimson Pirate (1952). Some of his original music notes for films were lost, but many have been found and saved. Today, you can find recordings of his film music on CDs.
His Unique Musical Style
Alwyn had his own special way of writing music. He liked to use sounds that might seem a bit unusual or "dissonant" at first. He even created his own method instead of the common "12-tone technique" used by some composers. For example, in his Third Symphony, he would use certain notes in one part of the music and then different notes in another part. All the notes would come together by the end. This symphony was first played in London in 1956.
One of his famous pieces is Lyra Angelica, a concerto for harp and string orchestra. This music became very popular when American figure skater Michelle Kwan used it in her performance at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
William Alwyn spent the last 25 years of his life in Blythburgh, Suffolk. There, he continued to compose, creating his Concerto Grosso No. 3, two operas, and his last big orchestral work, Symphony No. 5. His symphonies and other orchestral music have been recorded by different orchestras and are available on CD.
Personal Life
William Alwyn was married to Olive Mary Audrey. After her, he married another composer, Doreen Carwithen. He passed away in Southwold, Suffolk, in 1985. His great-grandson is the actor Joe Alwyn.
Selected Works
William Alwyn wrote many different types of musical pieces. Here are some examples:
- Stage Works
- The Fairy Fiddler, an opera (1922)
- Miss Julie, an opera (1972–1976)
- Orchestral Music
- Five Symphonies (including Symphony No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, and No. 5 Hydriotaphia)
- Concerto Grosso No. 1 (1942)
- The Magic Island, a symphonic prelude (1952)
- Concertos (Music for Solo Instrument and Orchestra)
- Piano Concerto No. 1 (1930)
- Violin Concerto (1939)
- Lyra Angelica, Concerto for harp and string orchestra (1954)
- Chamber Music (for Small Groups of Instruments)
- Sonatina for violin and piano (1933)
- String Quartet No. 1 in D minor (1953)
- Naiades, Fantasy Sonata for flute and harp (1971)
- Piano Music
- Fantasy-Waltzes (1956)
- Twelve Preludes (1958)
- Vocal and Choral Music
- The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, an oratorio (1936)
- Mirages, a song cycle for baritone and piano (1970)
See also
In Spanish: William Alwyn para niños
