The Walton Songbook

Sunday 26 November 2023 at St Matthias Church

Our charity, Dissenters Arts loves working with young musicians and Krystal Tunnicliffe and Siân Dicker have enhanced our lives since they were students. They are now working on songs from the William Walton Songbook. You will hear songs about nudity, nonsense rhymes, and unbridled eccentric genius. For this performance they are joined by their guitarist collaborator Saki Kato, alongside co-narrator John Sloboda and members of the Elastic Band performing excerpts from Walton’s Façade suite, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year.

In cultural circles, the 1920s were awash with bold new reference points and evolving ideas. It was the era of booms and busts, a burgeoning jazz scene and a fresh cultural philosophy led by a new breed of modernists who were rethinking the world, from commerce to the arts. Walton’s music captures the essence of the era and became one of the most important composers of the 20th century.