The latter part of the nineteenth and the early part of the twentieth centuries saw what is commonly accepted as a resurgence in music from the British Isles, but to this day, most of the actual music of this resurgence remains unknown to all but the most knowledgeable of art music aficionados. Among the composers active during this period, one of the most heralded in his day but little recognized now is Sir Arnold Bax (1883 – 1953). To the aforementioned aficionados, he is known for several substantial yet infrequently performed contributions to the symphonic repertoire, among them the tone poem Tintagel.
Known in England as a composer, Bax carried on a separate life as a writer of poetry and drama in Ireland, working under the name Dermot O’Byrne. At the time of composition of the tone poem, Bax also wrote a four-stanza verse poem titled “Tintagel Castle.” Both were written for and dedicated to the pianist Harriet Cohen, with whom he was having an affair.
The focus of this dissertation is an extensive look at the circumstances surrounding the composition of Tintagel, examining factors of development in Bax’s compositional style, his personal life including the affair with Harriet Cohen, and the influence of Yeats and Irish culture on Bax’s writings as Dermot O’Byrne. Using historical information drawn from biographical and periodical sources, in addition to musical analysis, and tools of comparative arts, I have developed comparisons between the tone poem and the poem, and examined the differences in mood and scope between these two works. The final section of this dissertation establishes historical context for Bax’s Tintagel and his work in general within the genre of the symphonic poem and the realm of late-romantic/early twentieth century British music, presenting both composer and composition in a stronger light.