Edward Elgar (1857–1934)
Elgar brought us the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, and a cello concerto to end all cello concertos. The English pastoralist cemented the “English” symphonic sound, his pieces reflecting the mood and patriotism of the nation, in many ways, with sounds and emotions of pre-war Britain audible in contrast to those following the First World War.
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)
Another English pastoralist, Vaughan Williams composed the enduringly beloved The Lark Ascending – No.1 in the Classic FM Hall of Fame again in 2020 – and great, sweeping orchestral works like Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis, and A London Symphony. He studied at the Royal College of Music alongside Gustav Holst, then for three years at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a pupil of Hubert Parry, Charles Wood and Charles Stanford. In the end he wrote nine symphonies, six operas, a ballet, hymn tunes and stage works, and film scores.
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Stravinsky changed the musical world. The masterpieces he wrote revolutionised 20th-century music and spanned all genres, from orchestral to choral, and opera to ballet. His ballets, including The Rite of Spring, The Firebird and Petruska, especially, have cemented Stravinsky as one of the most important composers of the 20th century.
Lili Boulanger (1893-1918)
In her short life, the great Lili Boulanger proved herself nothing short of phenomenal – even outside the confines of what was expected of her sex in the days she was composing. She had perfect pitch, so pursued music naturally from a young age, and at just 19 she won the prestigious Prix de Rome composition prize for her piece Faust et Hélène – becoming the first woman ever to do so. Her sister was Nadia Boulanger, the Paris Conservatoire don who taught the greatest composers of the 20th century – including Aaron Copland and Philip Glass.
William Grant Still (1895-1978)
William Grant Still’s Symphony No. 1 was the most-performed symphony in America for a long, long time. Still was a prolific composer who wrote over 200 works in the end, including five symphonies, four ballets, nine operas and over thirty choral works, and he was a man of many firsts – the first American composer to have an opera performed by New York City Opera, and the first African American composer to have an opera performed by a major company; the first African American to have a symphony performed by a major US orchestra; and the first Black conductor to lead a major US orchestra in concert.
