Portrait of Walton

by Michael Kennedy

In this biography by one of England's foremost writers on music, William Walton's personality emerges in all its complexity and self-contradiction. Michael Kennedy portrays a creative artist completely committed to his art yet plagued by misgiving and doubts, prey to insecurity and frustration, vulnerable to criticism, and jealous of the achievement of others. At the same time he was witty and generous, bore no grudges, and enjoyed the loyalty of a host of friends. Appointed his biographer by the composer himself, Kennedy has had access to correspondence with many of the friends and colleagues who were important in Walton's life, among them Siegfried Sassoon, Benjamin Britten, Malcolm Arnold, and André Previn.

351 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Librarian Note: There are more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

for Michael Kennedy the music critic and biographer, see George Michael Sinclair Kennedy