Harrison Birtwistle Born 1934 Composer
Often brash and uncompromising, Harrison Birtwistle’s music could infuriate many – not least when his Panic for saxophone and orchestra caused uproar at the 1995 Last Night of the Proms – but also won him a wealth of admiring listeners, inspired countless performers and influenced other composers. Immaculately crafted, it also had its own distinctive – if admittedly hard-won – beauty.
Born in Accrington, (1984) and for oboe, harp and countertenor (2004) to large-scale orchestral works including (1972) and (1986) and operas ranging from 1967’s to 2008’s , and won more British Composer Awards and Royal Philharmonic Society Awards than any other musician.
