John Foulds

1880 - 1939

British

Summary

Born into a musical family, Foulds learnt piano and cello from a young
age, playing the latter in the Hallé Orchestra from 1990 with his
father, a bassoonist. He was deeply interested in Eastern philosophy
like his fellow composers Holst and Scriabin, and explored meditation
and the music of India with his second wife, violinist Maud MacCarthy.
They emigrated to India in 1935 when Foulds became the head of European
Music at Indian radio, but his life was cut short by cholera in 1939.

A self-taught composer, Foulds never found acceptance among the
eschelons of the British music establishment: his left-wing views were
viewed with suspicion by many, and his writing of light music to earn a
living was seen as detrimental to any 'serious' work. His work mixes
tonality and atonality at will as well as aspects of Indian music. A World Requiem,
a gargantuan work in terms of size of forces and the scope of its
spiritual enquiry, was performed at anniversary concerts for the
Armistice of the First World War at the Royal Albert Hall between 1923
and 1926, but was largely forgotten until a more recent reappraisal that has placed his work at the forefront of its time.

Performances

There are no upcoming performances

Photos

Discography

    A World Requiem

    A World Requiem
    • Label
      Chandos
    • Catalogue Number
      CHAN5058
    • Conductor
      Leon Bothstein
    • Ensemble
      BBC Symphony Orchestra / Crouch End Festival Chorus / Philharmonia Chorus / BBC Symphony Chorus / Trinity Boys Choir
    • Soloist
      Jeanne-Michele Charbonnet (soprano), Catherine Wyn-Rogers (mezzo-soprano), Stuart Skelton (tenor), Gerald Finley (baritone)
    • Released
      2008
    • Works
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