Facing the music

The twentieth century saw remarkable achievements in classical music in Britain. This exhibition comprises nearly thirty portraits of renowned British composers who, collectively, define a great modern tradition. Beginning with Elgar, whose music has links with nineteenth century Romanticism, the display traces a trajectory linking Delius, Vaughan Williams and Walton to more recent developments represented by the music of Birtwistle, Turnage and Adès.

This fascinating array of portraits includes images of composers from the late 19th century such as Sir Edward Elgar, Frank Bridge and John Ireland and continues through the years until more recent composers such as James Macmillan, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Thomas Adès.