Composer of the Week: Robert Simpson

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Composer of the Week

Music: Classical

Composer of the Week - Brand

An informative guide to composers' lives and their music.

An informative and accessible guide to composers' lives and their music.

Composer of the Week: Robert Simpson (1921-97): Breaking from the Past

Breaking from the Past

Robert Simpson (1921-97)

BBC Radio 3 - Composer of the Week, Robert Simpson (1921-97), Breaking from the Past

Donald Macleod explores Robert Simpson’s split with the BBC and his move from England.

Donald Macleod explores Robert Simpson’s split with the BBC and his move from England due to political differences.

Robert Simpson - once described as "Britain's most important composer since Vaughan Williams", and "one of the century's most powerful and original symphonists" - was a man of integrity, a champion of lesser-known composers, and a man who lived his own life by strict principles: pacifism, socialism and what he called "anti-pessimism". Over the course of this week, in Simpson's centenary year, Donald Macleod looks back at the life and work of Robert Simpson - from his childhood in the Salvation Army, to his experiences as a conscientious objector during the Second World War.  He explores Simpson's writings on music and on life, and his time working at the BBC, before his break from the corporation and from this country. Along the way, we'll hear from Simpson's considerable body of work, which included no fewer than 11 Symphonies and 15 String Quartets.

In Thursday’s episode, Donald examines how Simpson’s principles affected his life, focusing on a period in which the composer made several breaks from the past due to his convictions, resigning from his role at the BBC, and moving to Ireland following political differences with the British government.


Symphony no. 8– II. Scherzo
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Vernon Handley (conductor)

Michael Tippett, His Mystery
Raymond Clarke (piano)

Variations on a theme by Carl Nielsen
City of London Sinfonia
Matthew Taylor (conductor)

Eppur si muove for organ - Ricercar
Iain Quinn (organ)

Producer: Sam Phillips

Composer of the Week: Robert Simpson (1921-97)

Live music and the arts: broadcasts more live music than any other radio network. Classical music is its core. Genres include world and new music, jazz, speech and drama.

In Simpson's centenary year, Donald Macleod looks back at the composer's life and work.

In Simpson's centenary year, Donald Macleod looks back at the composer's life and considerable body of work, which included no fewer than 11 symphonies and 15 string quartets.

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Robert Simpson (1921-97)

Breaking from the Past

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