Role

:

Composer

Country

:

United Kingdom

Birth

:

March 23, 1920 in London, England

Death

:

February 24, 1998 in London, England

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Choral

 

 

Vocal

 

Geoffrey Bush was a British composer and musicologist who was born on June 23, 1920, in London, England. He was the son of a civil servant and grew up in a musical family. His mother was a pianist, and his father played the violin. Bush began playing the piano at a young age and showed an early talent for music. Bush attended the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied composition with William Alwyn and piano with Harold Craxton. He also studied musicology at the University of London. After completing his studies, Bush worked as a music critic for The Times and The Daily Telegraph. Bush's early compositions were influenced by the neoclassical style of Stravinsky and Hindemith. His first major work was his Symphony No. 1, which was premiered in 1949. The symphony was well-received and established Bush as a promising young composer. In the 1950s, Bush began to experiment with serialism and other modernist techniques. His String Quartet No. 1, which was premiered in 1953, was one of the first British works to use serialism. However, Bush's use of serialism was always tempered by his love of melody and tonality. Bush's most famous work is his opera, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is based on the novel by C.S. Lewis. The opera was premiered in 1968 and has since become a staple of the British operatic repertoire. The opera is notable for its use of children's voices and its imaginative orchestration. Bush's other notable works include his Symphony No. 2, which was premiered in 1957, and his Piano Concerto, which was premiered in 1961. Both works are characterized by their lyrical melodies and colorful orchestration. In addition to his work as a composer, Bush was also a respected musicologist. He wrote several books on music, including a biography of the composer William Alwyn. He also served as a professor of music at the University of York. Bush died on August 24, 1998, in York, England. He is remembered as a composer who combined modernist techniques with a love of melody and tonality. His music is characterized by its colorful orchestration and imaginative use of children's voices.

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