William Wordsworth

(b London, 1908; d Kingussie, Inverness‐shire, 1988). Eng. composer. His 2nd sym. won Edinburgh Fest. Int. Comp. 1950. Mus. in idiom unfashionable in 1960s and 1970s but of expressive emotional range, melodic attraction, fine craftsmanship, and consistent integrity. Lived many years in Surrey, then moved in 1960s to Scottish Highlands (in which he anticipated Maxwell Davies) and helped to form Scottish branch of Composers' Guild. Prin. works:

orch.:
• syms.: No.1 in F minor (1944), No.2 in D (1947–8), No.3 in C (1951), No.4 in E♭ (1953), No.5 in A minor (1959–60), No.6 (1976–7), No.7 (1981), No.8 (1986); concs.: pf. in D minor (1946), vn. in A (1955); vc. (1963);
• Divertimento in D (1954);
• Sinfonietta (1957);
• Variations on a Scottish Theme (1962);
• Highland Overture (1964);
• Jubilation (1965);
• Valediction (1969);
• Confluence, sym. vars. (1975);
• Elegy for Frieda, str. (1982).

choral:
• The Houseless Dead, bar., ch., orch. (1939);
• Dies Domini, oratorio (1942–4);
• In No Strange Land (1951);
• A Song of Praise (1956);
• 2 Seasonal Songs (1971).

chamber music:
• str. qts.: No.1 (1941), No.2 (1944), No.3 (1947), No.4 (1950), No.5 (1957), No.6 (1964); 4 Lyrics, ten., str. qt. (1941); str. trio (1945); pf. qt. (1948); pf. trio (1949); ob. qt. (1949); cl. quintet (1952); pf. quintet (1959);
• The Solitary Reaper, sop., cl., pf. (1973); vc. sonata (1937); vn. sonata (1944);
• Theme and Variations, ob., pf. (1954); va. sonatina (1961);
• Prelude and Scherzo, ob., pf. (1974).

piano:
• sonata in D minor (1939);
• Cheesecombe Suite (1945–6);
• Ballade (1949);
• Valediction (1967).

voice & piano:
• 4 Songs, high v. (1936);
• 3 Songs, medium v. (1938);
• 4 Sacred Sonnets (Donne), low v. (1944);
• 4 Blake Songs, high v. (1948);
• Ariel's Songs, medium v. (1968).