The Marx Memorial Library is to host a day-long introduction to the life and work of Alan Bush. This will be led by WMA Secretary, Ben Lunn, on September 20th at 11:00.
Alan Bush was one of the most important British composers of the 20th century and was very active in the region where socialism and music held hands. Besides being professor of music at the Royal Academy of Music, he was a member of the British Communist Party, and was a co-founder of the Workers’ Music Association. He was active in many areas of music, ranging from political song to opera.Â
The day will be divided into three parts. In the morning Ben will, in his own words, ‘…introduce and explore Bush’s biography, his political views, and how both shaped his compositions. I will explore what influenced him, with especial consideration given to experiments in the Soviet Union, and the ideas of William Morris and Christopher Caudwell.’
Then will come a session in the library’s archive, looking at material about Alan Bush and marxism. Finally, Ben will play a recording of Bush’s third opera, ‘The Sugar Reapers.’ It is set in British Guiana (now Guyana), where Black, Indian, and Indigenous people were exploited on the sugar plantations. The opera uses the folk music of these peoples, which fuses African, Asian and South American musical traditions.
The Marx Memorial Library is situated in a handsome building in Clerkenwell Green, with more than 60,000 books. Lenin worked here between 1902-1903, so Ben is giving his talk in a historic place.Â
David Martin, President, Workers’ Music Association   Â
More information can be found here.
