BOUGHTON, Rutland

Born in Aylesbury, Jan 23, 1878
Died in London, Jan 25, 1960

[“BOW-ton”]

• Rutland Boughton’s artistic goal (expressed in book Music Drama of the Future, which he co-authored in 1911) was to foster a British version of Wagnerian music drama.¹ For this purpose he founded and directed the Glastonbury Festival from 1914-1927,² in which British artists, musicians and writers worked together to create or revive operas, plays and concerts.
• In addition to operas, including a cycle about King Arthur, Boughton composed choral and orchestral music, and was a writer on the topics of music drama and J.S. Bach.³

Short biography

1. Michael Hurd, “Boughton, Rutland,” Grove Music Online (Oxford University Press, 2001), accessed August 7, 2019, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000003700.
2. Michael Hurd, liner notes to Rutland Boughton Aylesbury Games, Flute Concerto, Concerto for String Orchestra, Emily Beynon, New London Orchestra, Ronald Corp, Hyperion 67185, CD, 2000.
3. Hurd, “Boughton, Rutland,” Grove Music Online.