Composer. Born in London, England to an affluent family, he became obsessed with all things Irish after reading the poetry of W. B. Yeats, which he claimed meant more to him than "all the music in history". His own neo-romantic music was heavily influenced by Celtic folklore. During the 1916 "Easter Rebellion" in Ireland, he wrote pro-revolutionary poems under the name 'Dermot O'Byrne', some of which were banned as inflammatory by the British government. His long affair with pianist Harriet Cohen inspired his two most famous works, the orchestral tone poems "November Woods" (1917) and "Tintagel" (1919). Critics consider the "Symphony No. 3 in C Major" (1929) the best of his seven symphonies. Despite his often iconoclastic attitude towards the British monarchy and musical establishment, Bax accepted a knighthood in 1937 and appointment as Master of the King's Musick in 1941. His last important composition was his only film score, for "Oliver Twist" (1948). Having long dreaded reaching his 70th birthday, he missed it by five weeks, dying of a heart attack in Cork, Ireland. The advent of the compact disc brought renewed interest in Arnold Bax's music, although it still remains largely unknown outside the United Kingdom.
Composer. Born in London, England to an affluent family, he became obsessed with all things Irish after reading the poetry of W. B. Yeats, which he claimed meant more to him than "all the music in history". His own neo-romantic music was heavily influenced by Celtic folklore. During the 1916 "Easter Rebellion" in Ireland, he wrote pro-revolutionary poems under the name 'Dermot O'Byrne', some of which were banned as inflammatory by the British government. His long affair with pianist Harriet Cohen inspired his two most famous works, the orchestral tone poems "November Woods" (1917) and "Tintagel" (1919). Critics consider the "Symphony No. 3 in C Major" (1929) the best of his seven symphonies. Despite his often iconoclastic attitude towards the British monarchy and musical establishment, Bax accepted a knighthood in 1937 and appointment as Master of the King's Musick in 1941. His last important composition was his only film score, for "Oliver Twist" (1948). Having long dreaded reaching his 70th birthday, he missed it by five weeks, dying of a heart attack in Cork, Ireland. The advent of the compact disc brought renewed interest in Arnold Bax's music, although it still remains largely unknown outside the United Kingdom.
Bio by: Bobb Edwards
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