Battle of Britain

Article from Oxford music now (Issue 23: Summer 2004), page 8:

Battle for Walton's Score

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of D-day, MGM is releasing this classic British war film on a two disc Special Edition DVD. With restored picture and sound it also includes, for the first time, the original score written by Sir William Walton that was not used in its entirety on the final film.

Directed by Guy Hamilton and featuring a host of well-known British actors (including Michael Caine, Trevor Howard, Laurence Olivier, Robert Shaw, Susannah York and Edward Fox), The Battle of Britain is the story of how the RAF managed to overcome insurmountable odds and win the battle of the air in World War II, despite being out-numbered by the German luftwaffe, It proved to be a defining point in the 20th century and a turning point for World War II.

Despite having a distinguished record as a composer of music for films, by the time MGM started looking for someone to compose a sound track to The Battle of Britain in the late 1960s, it had been some considerable time since Walton had been concerned with film music. A number of names were by all accounts considered, including Walton's close friend Malcolm Arnold, but Guy Hamilton was firmly behind approaching Walton and all seemed delighted when the composer accepted. The score was duly written and recorded. However, by the end of a private screening given for the heads of United Artists, it had been decided that there was not enough music to fill an LP - clearly the film company had been intent on clawing back some money on sales of the recording. The composer had followed the director's request in not providing 'wall to wall music' and instead wrote some characteristically imaginative set pieces.

However, once the film had been shot and with the influence of the director reduced, the senior managers of United Artists took the extraordinary decision to scrap Walton's score and commission a new one from Ron Goodwin, without, it seems having the manners to inform the senior composer of their actions. As it turned out, one section of Walton's score was used - 'The Battle in the Air' sequence. This happened after Sir Laurence Olivier, a close friend of Walton, threatened to remove his name from the credits if the original score was completely ignored. Walton was asked at the time if he might like to produce a suite from his music from the film and he, perhaps unsuprisingly under the circumstances, said not. As a result the scores and parts disappeared into the vaults and have never been seen again - only a reconstruction made many years later by Colin Matthews survives.

One assumes that the same fate would have befallen the tapes of the first version of the film, but thanks to two of the last surviving crewmembers from the production - Timothy Gee (music editor) and Eric Tomlinson (sound mixer) - these have now been recovered. Mr Gee told OUP that all involved with the film - cast, director and crew - had been disappointed that the film had not been seen with Walton's 'tremendous score'. Indeed, the director Guy Hamilton told how he walked out and took no further interest or part in the subsequent musical debacle!

Miraculously the score, made up from three reels, was recovered in Eric Tomlinson's damp garage where it had been stored until 1990. With much hard work on the part of the ex-crew members and MGM, the soundtrack has now been restored to its original glory and for the very first time, The Battle of Britain can be watched and enjoyed with Walton's stirring score.

Special DVD Features include:
· Restored William Walton Score In 5.1
· Battle For The Battle Of Britain Feature
· Authenticity In The Air Featurette
· A Film For The Few Featurette
· Recollections Of An R.A.F. Squadron Leader Featurette
· Images From The Sky Animated Photo Gallery
· Audio Commentary with Director Guy Hamilton And Crew
· Original Theatrical Trailer
· A Bridge Too Far Special Edition Trailer

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Following the world-wide celebration of his music during his centenary year in 2002, performances of Walton's music continue to proliferate. The last OUP concert calendar listed over two dozen performances of major works between the beginning of February and the end of April 2004 in locations ranging from Vienna (Belshazzar's Feast in the Musikverein) to San Francisco (several performances of the Sonata for Strings given by the New Century Chamber Orchestra). There were even three performances of the Symphony No.1 in as many days at the beginning of April, from the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Leonard Slatkin in London and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Tadaaki Otaka in Cheltenham and Swansea.

The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra from Winnipeg has recorded a new CD of Walton's music under its Music Director Roy Goodman. The disc of English and Welsh music for strings includes the Two Pieces from Henry V and Sonata for Strings (the composer's own transcription of his String Quartet in A minor of 1947) This disc also includes a major work by OUP composer Grace Williams, from which the recording takes its title of Sea Sketches.