William Turner Walton

William Turner Walton (1902-1983), British composer, whose work forms a distinguished contribution to modern neoromantic music. Born in Oldham, William Turner Walton was trained as a chorister at Christ Church Cathedral, University of Oxford, and in his youth he was associated with the British writers Osbert and Edith Sitwell. His first notable composition was a satiric suite, Façade (1923), composed to accompany recitations of poems by Edith Sitwell and used in 1931 as the score for the highly popular ballet Façade. Walton's style is generally marked by brilliant orchestration and musical wit; in more abstract works, however, his music exhibits a meditative strain. Among his other works are the overture Portsmouth Point (1925), concertos for viola (1929) and violin (1939), the opera Troilus and Cressida (1954), two symphonies, and music for films. Walton was knighted in 1951.