Posted: 13 September 2000
A biography of Alan Bush, "Music, Politics and Life", written in the 1980s by his devoted wife of 60 years, Nancy Bush (1907 - 1991) has now
been published.
Price: £14.95 (plus £1.50 p&p)
ISBN: 0905210832
To order the book, contact the distributors:
William Elkin Music Services
Station Road Industrial Estate
Salhouse
Norwich
NR13 6NS
United Kingdon
Telephone: 01603 721 302
Fax: 01603 721 801
Web: www.elkinmusic.co.uk
Email: sales@elkinmusic.demon.co.uk
As well as being Alan Bush's wife, Nancy Bush was also his artistic partner and wrote the lyrics of songs for him and the libretti for three of his full length operas (Wat Tyler, Men of Blackmoor and The Sugar Reapers) and three children's operas. She also wrote for other composers notably her brother, the musician Michael Head (1900 - 1976) about whom she also wrote a personal biography ("Michael Head: Composer Singer and Pianist" Kahn & Averill 1982).
The book includes an authoritative commentary on the music of Alan Bush, - operas, symphonies, concertos and a host of vocal and instrumental works - "Spanning the Century" by Lewis Foreman and includes a complete list of works, a discography and some photographs not previously published.
Together this personal biography and wide-ranging discussion of the music give us the opportunity to know more about the man and to better understand some of the misconceptions which grew up around him.
