George Walker’s style

Determined individualist

Walker eschewed association with other composers and his music is uncategorisable by distinct musical schools. He didn’t include his graduation piece, a violin sonata, in his catalogue as it ‘sounded too much like Brahms’. Each piece was designed to be unique, sounding nothing like his previous works.

Increasing complexity

His music is that of an elegant master-craftsman, highly detailed with a harmonic language that becomes increasingly complex with age. But in his music there is nothing overly embellished or ornate – only that which serves the precise structure of the piece.

Counterpoint and chromaticism

Walker combines an intense obsession with counterpoint with an unconventional display of chromaticism. Almost never truly serial or atonal, devices include octatonic scales (used in his wind ensemble piece Canvas) and quartal harmonies.

Musical quotations

Walker’s music contains frequent quotations from spirituals, jazz and folk music in brilliantly subtle ways. Instead of overt references, he disguises them with rhythmic diversions, reharmonisations and embellishments (such as Solitude by Duke Ellington, above, in his

Piano Concerto).