George Butterworth

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Born: 12 July 1885 — London — England
Died: 5 August 1916 — Pozières — France
Picture of Butterworth.
Lt Butterworth and officers of 13 Bn, Durham Light Infantry, May 1915
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George Butterworth

I have tried to e-mail you, but without success. I hope the following helps.

The only orchestral pieces apart from The Banks of Green Willow and Rhapsody: A Shropshire Lad are the Two English Idylls - there are recordings of which I'd recommend Boult on Lyrita (Boult was a friend of Butterworth's). The song-cycles Six Songs from A Shropshire Lad, and Bredon Hill and Other Songs are very important (you'll recognise themes from two of the songs that appear in the orchestral rhapsody. There are many recordings of these. All his other songs have been recorded - a recent disc by Mark Stone also includes a short film of Butterworth morris dancing! There is a song-cycle, Love Blows as the Wind Blows, which exists in three forms - voice and string quartet (the original), voice and piano, and voice and orchestra. All three have been recorded. Butterworth's remaining works have (scandalously) not yet been recorded. They are: Suite for String Quartet, In the Highlands for female voices and piano, and two folksong arrangements for chorus.

All the music is available as study scores from musikmph.de - ironic isn't it that we have to wait for a German firm to publish it all.

Butterworth probably destroyed anything else before he went to France in 1915. Incidentally, we owe Butterworth thanks for rescuing Vaughan Williams' London Symphony after the only score was lost. He and friends wrote out a new one from the parts - VW in return dedicated the work to him.

[by “pabmusic” on 2010-08-31 22:42:22]
Paddy Salter

I have known about George Butterworth for a long time but I only have Banks of Green Willow and A Shropshire Lad. If anybody knows any other great music by Butterworth , I would like to know. My Email is patrick salter (at)btinternet.com

[by “Anonymous” on 2010-05-31 02:16:40]

Music

Songs, especially the cycle “A Shropshire Lad” based on the poems by A.E. Housman; short orchestral pieces, much influenced by folk song. His orchestrations and accompaniments are quite brilliant.

There are two study scores of all the orchestral and chamber music. They are available from Musikproduktion Juergen Hoeflich (musikmph.de).

Life

Very gifted and promising composer as well as collector of folk songs. Tragically, his life was cut short by a sniper’s bullet while leading a raid during the battle of the Somme.

His surviving work is quite small, partly because of his early death and partly because he destroyed some works before leaving for France.

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Classical Sheet Music and MP3 accompaniment: download instantly at Virtual Sheet Music®
Picture of George Butterworth.
(sent by Craig Hopton)

Sheet music for Butterworth

[details ←] A Shropshire Lad and Other Songs, piano, vocal,
[details ←] The Banks of Green Willow - full score, harp,
[details ←] Love Blows as the Wind Blows, piano, vocal,
[details ←] A Shropshire Lad (6 Songs), vocal,
[details ←] Folk Songs from Sussex, piano, vocal,
[details ←] A Shropshire Lad, Rhapsody - full score, percussion, harp,
[details ←] Bredon Hill (Cycle of 5 songs from a Shropshire Lad), vocal,
[details ←] Two English Idylls - full score, percussion, harp,
[details ←] Two English Idylls - set of parts, percussion, harp,
[details ←] A Shropshire Lad
[details ←] Christmas Cantata
[details ←] Romanza, cello,
[details ←] Romanza, double bass,
[details ←] Romanza, horn, double bass, french horn,
[details ←] Romanza, viola, horn, violin, french horn,
[details ←] Romanza, horn, french horn,
[details ←] Romanza, viola,
[details ←] Romanza, violin,
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Cds for Butterworth

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Classical Music : Search

Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony (Original 1913 Version) / Butterworth: The Banks of Green Willow
Classical Music : Vaughan Williams: A London Symphony (Original 1913 Version) / Butterworth: The Banks of Green Willow
from: Chandos


Amazon.com's Price: $22.88
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Bryn Terfel - The Vagabond & other songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi & Ireland
Classical Music : Bryn Terfel - The Vagabond & other songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi & Ireland
from: Deutsche Grammophon

Features:
  • Record Label: Deutsche Grammophon
  • Catalog#: 00289 4459462
  • Country Of Release: NLD
  • Year Of Release: 1998

List Price: $15.98
Amazon.com's Price: $11.99
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Banks of Green Willow
Classical Music : Banks of Green Willow
by: Butterworth, Tate, Eco

Features:
  • Record Label: Deutsche Grammophon
  • Catalog#: 00289 4459462
  • Country Of Release: NLD
  • Year Of Release: 1998

Vaughan Williams: Fantasia On Greensleeves, Etc.
Classical Music : Vaughan Williams: Fantasia On Greensleeves, Etc.
from: Decca

Features:
  • Record Label: Deutsche Grammophon
  • Catalog#: 00289 4459462
  • Country Of Release: NLD
  • Year Of Release: 1998
Features:
  • Record Label: Decca
  • Catalog#: 00289 4527072
  • Country Of Release: NLD
  • Year Of Release: 1998
  • Notes: Asmif/Marriner

List Price: $17.98
Amazon.com's Price: $7.99
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The British Music Collection: George Butterworth
Classical Music : The British Music Collection: George Butterworth
from: Decca

Features:
  • Record Label: Deutsche Grammophon
  • Catalog#: 00289 4459462
  • Country Of Release: NLD
  • Year Of Release: 1998
Features:
  • Record Label: Decca
  • Catalog#: 00289 4527072
  • Country Of Release: NLD
  • Year Of Release: 1998
  • Notes: Asmif/Marriner

A Shropshire Lad/Banks of Green Willow
Classical Music : A Shropshire Lad/Banks of Green Willow
from: Nimbus Records

Features:
  • Record Label: Deutsche Grammophon
  • Catalog#: 00289 4459462
  • Country Of Release: NLD
  • Year Of Release: 1998
Features:
  • Record Label: Decca
  • Catalog#: 00289 4527072
  • Country Of Release: NLD
  • Year Of Release: 1998
  • Notes: Asmif/Marriner

List Price: $15.99
Amazon.com's Price: $15.66
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