Arnold Bax
An English composer who wove the misty landscapes and myths of Celtic lore into lush, sweeping symphonies and tone poems.
1883–1953 (age 70)·English composer·Birthday: November 8·The Lost Generation
Biography
Sir Arnold Bax was a romantic soul in an increasingly modernist age. Drawn not to England's green pastures but to the wild, mythic coasts of Ireland and the Scottish Hebrides, he found his muse in Celtic legend and stormy seascapes. He lived for a time in Ireland, immersing himself in its literary revival under the pseudonym 'Dermot O'Byrne.' This deep connection saturated his music; his orchestral works like 'Tintagel' and 'The Garden of Fand' are vast, colorful canvases, evoking ancient castles, rolling waves, and fairy tales. For a period between the wars, he was considered Britain's leading symphonist, producing seven grand, complex symphonies that grappled with the darkness of the era alongside fleeting glimpses of pastoral beauty. A master of orchestral color, Bax created a soundworld entirely his own—a rich, post-romantic escape into a realm of poetic imagination.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Arnold was born in 1883, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Arnold Was Born
The biggest hits of 1883
Arnold's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1883Born
President: Chester A. Arthur
1888Started school
President: Grover Cleveland
1896Became a teenager
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1899Could drive
President: William McKinley
1901Could vote
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1904Turned 21
New York City opens its first subway line
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1913Turned 30
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Turned 40
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1933Turned 50
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1943Turned 60
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 70
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
Key Achievements
- Appointed Master of the King's Music in 1942, a prestigious position in British musical life.
- Composed seven symphonies and a body of symphonic poems that defined his evocative, Celtic-inspired style.
- Awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1931 for his contributions to music.
- His tone poem 'Tintagel' remains one of the most frequently performed British orchestral works of its era.
Did You Know?
He published poetry and short stories under the Irish pseudonym Dermot O'Byrne.
He was a close friend of the pianist Harriet Cohen, for whom he wrote many of his piano works.
He was knighted in 1937, over a decade before becoming Master of the King's Music.
He died from a heart attack while listening to a performance of his own music on the radio.
“I am a brazen romantic.”
