Butterworth, George (Sainton Kaye-)
Butterworth, George (Sainton Kaye-) (b London, 1885; d Pozières, Battle of Somme, 1916). Eng. composer. At Oxford influenced by H. P. Allen and began collecting folk-songs, leading to friendship with Vaughan Williams and Cecil Sharp. Was excellent folk-dancer. Wrote occasional mus. criticism for The Times, taught at Radley Coll., and later studied at RCM. Comps., few in number, suggest he might have achieved greatness. Left several fine settings of Housman's ‘Shropshire Lad’ poems, with orch. rhapsody, A Shropshire Lad (Leeds 1913) based on theme of his song ‘Loveliest of Trees’. Orch. idyll The Banks of Green Willow f.p. London 1914. Song-cycle Love Blows as the Wind Blows ( W. E. Henley) was composed 1911–12, being 4 songs for voice with pf. or str. qt. but was revised in 1914 as 3 songs with orch. Awarded Military Cross a month before his death. Vaughan Williams's A London Symphony is ded. to his memory.
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Butterworth, George (Sainton Kaye-)
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Butterworth, George (Sainton Kaye-)
