Composer of the Week is broadcast on Radio 3 at 12pm, Monday to Friday. Programmes in July are:
27 June – 1 July Billy Strayhorn
4-8 July Tour de France: Rameau
11-15 July Tour de France: Montgeroult
18-22 July Tour de France: Ravel
25-29 July Beethoven
George Walker boasts one of the longest compositional careers in history, writing well into his 90s. In his prolific career, he produced over 90 works, an enviable array of masterpieces including concertos for trombone and piano, five piano sonatas, five sinfonias, brass quintets, wind quintets, song cycles and more. He wrote most extensively, though, for stringed instruments, with a Violin Concerto and Cello Concerto, sonatas for cello, violin and viola and two string quartets to his name.
But as well as being an extraordinary composer and musician, he was a trailblazer for black people. Racism would offer numerous setbacks during his lifetime, derailing his career as a concert pianist and ensuring he would consistently struggle for his work to be recognised. But now
