Faber Music has entered a new publishing agreement with the William Alwyn Foundation (WAF) to represent almost 150 compositions by both William Alwyn (1905-85) and Doreen Carwithen (1922-2003).
William Alwyn was a significant figure of the British music scene in the mid-20th century, writing for most genres, including opera, ballet, orchestral, chamber, instrumental and song. He was also one of the most important British film composers of that period, penning over 200 film scores.
Doreen Carwithen‘s rich catalogue of works includes a Piano Concerto, short orchestral works (including the overture ODTAA), some 30 film scores, two string quartets, other chamber/instrumental music and several songs. Her story is told in Leah Broad’s acclaimed recent study “Quartet”, published by Faber & Faber, alongside those of Ethel Smyth, Dorothy Howell and Rebecca Clarke.
The WAF catalogue includes virtually all of Carwithen’s works, whilst from Alwyn’s output it includes three operas (including the Strindberg-inspired Miss Julie – recorded by the BBC Symphony Orchestra on Chandos), the William Blake oratorio The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, two piano concerti, a violin concerto, several shorter orchestral works, film suites, a number of string quartets, music for solo piano, and works for solo instrument and piano.
The publishing agreement also encompasses an exclusive worldwide distribution deal for William Alwyn Foundation printed publications with Faber Music Distribution. Thirteen pre-existing publications featuring both composers (piano, chamber and vocal repertoire) are now available to purchase online and from local retailers. A number of works are also available from the Faber Music Hire Library, both on hire, and for special order.
Carwithen’s Men of Sherwood Forest Overture was featured at this year’s BBC Proms by Anna-Maria Helsing and the BBC Concert Orchestra, and there are several forthcoming performances coming up (and a new recording – its third) of Carwithen’s Piano Concerto (including Alexandra Dariescu at the Barbican with BBC Symphony Orchestra and Sakari Oramo); the concerto has previously been taken up by Richard Hickox and the London Symphony Orchestra with Howard Shelley as soloist, who recorded it alongside ODTAA. The latter gets its Icelandic premiere in 2025 from Andrew Manze and the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and the 2nd Carwithen Music Festival takes place in Buckinghamshire in July next year. In 2025/26 the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra will be recording a 5th volume of Alwyn’s film music for Chandos Records.