Michael Tippett (1905–1998)

The composer Michael Tippett, whose centenary fell on 2 January 2005, is second only to Benjamin Britten among his 20th-century British colleagues. Both the man and his music had a unique charisma that inspired wide-spread love and loyalty. His work encompassed almost every classical genre, from piano sonatas to operas, string quartets to symphonies and concertos, solo songs to oratorios. On occasions, his music baffled listeners not only with its rhythmic complexity, but also with its sense of striving for a greater good--a quality that sometimes worked wonderfully, and sometimes didn't.

Tippett studied at the Royal College of Music. During World War II he was briefly imprisoned as a conscientious objector. His strongly held socio-political views as well as his humanistic approach and mystical bent are often reflected in his work. His music is typically neoclassical in form, and blends the tonal, the modal, and the contemporary. Tippett utilized British folk, American jazz, and African elements in some of his works.… (más)