Bax's First Symphony (1921-2) was influenced by the psychic upheaval he experienced after the execution of his friend Padraig Pearse during the Easter Rising, rather than the First World War.
Compositional Technique
Bax's musical style is characterized by striking harmony, vivid orchestration, and idiosyncratic melody, incorporating elements of impressionism, Russian nationalism, and the English musical tradition of Elgar.
Composition History
Arnold Bax was appointed Master of the King's Music in February 1942, which led to various commissions, including the score for the film Malta, G.C.
Composition History
Walter Legge, Director of Music for ENSA (the National Services Entertainments Association), commissioned Bax's Overture: Work in Progress in 1943 as part of a series of morale-boosting concerts for war workers.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Conflict is a central theme in Arnold Bax's seven symphonies, reflecting both his struggle with logical form and deep psychic conflict.
Composer Biography
Arnold Bax, the composer, was born in Streatham, London, but spent his formative years in Hampstead, and developed a strikingly personal musical style influenced by Ireland and Irish literature.
