Changes

Politically, he was a socialist and a pacifist, affected greatly by the carnage of the First World War. He was imprisoned for a time in 1943 as a conscientious objector, and was a leading figure in giving assistance to refugee Central European musicians displaced by the Nazis. He was to find acceptance after the war and was knighted in 1966.  

Politically, he was a socialist and a pacifist, affected greatly by the carnage of the First World War. He was imprisoned for a time in 1943 as a conscientious objector, and was a leading figure in giving assistance to refugee Central European musicians displaced by the Nazis. He was to find acceptance after the war and was knighted in 1966.  

Musically, he was influenced by his [[Celts|Celtic]] heritage and, like so many composers of the English Revival, an appreciation of the late [[Medieval]] and [[Tudor]] composers - the rhythmic vigour in much of his music can be linked to the English [[madrigal]] and whilst the Celtic, almost ecstatic, lyricism of early works gave way to a later austerity, he never lost the ability to meld various forms and influences into a single work. He was never afraid to use non-“classical” forms in his music – the spiritual (whatever the modern politically correct term for it is), boogie-woogie, jazz – to give life to the essentially conservative basis of his natural style. He was concerned with the condition of man, relationships in times of good and evil and used every genre he could to further his art.  

Musically, he was influenced by his [[Celts|Celtic]] heritage and, like so many composers of the English Revival, an appreciation of the late [[Medieval]] and [[Tudor]] composers - the rhythmic vigour in much of his music can be linked to the English [[madrigal]] and whilst the Celtic, almost ecstatic, lyricism of early works gave way to a later [[Ascesis|austerity]], he never lost the ability to meld various forms and influences into a single work. He was never afraid to use non-“classical” forms in his music – the spiritual (whatever the modern politically correct term for it is), boogie-woogie, jazz – to give life to the essentially conservative basis of his natural style. He was concerned with the condition of man, relationships in times of good and evil and used every genre he could to further his art.  

His output was extensive:  

His output was extensive: