Development of Kenneth Leighton's musical style from 1929 to 1960 and a complete catalogue of his compositions from 1929 to 1988

Abstract

This thesis aims to chart the development of the composer Kenneth Leighton's musical style up until he was around 30 years of age, using a wide variety of sources. I have been able to separate these first 30 years of his life into five clear sections which can be seen to correspond with his various locations during his most formative years. Each period can be shown to have affected Leighton's stylistic development in a number of ways, ranging from influences, mentors and teachers to the locations themselves. In charting his development, I have included an element of reception history, which can also be viewed as influential on the direction of a composer. Also included is a substantial amount of biographical material that helps to provide a clear picture of events and how they are linked to his progress as a composer. I have attempted to present a detailed journey by genre through his compositions from this period, highlighting characteristic recurring features and motifs, using prose analysis and a significant number of musical examples.

The catalogue of Leighton's compositions that has been included in this thesis began as a complete list of works intended to form an appendix. In reaction to the publication of a bio-bibliography of Kenneth Leighton in the USA in 2004, I was prompted to extend the list to become the first complete, detailed and comprehensive catalogue of his works. My research also resulted in the exact contents of the Kenneth Leighton Archive (held in Special Collections at the University of Edinburgh) being recorded for the first time. In compiling this compendious catalogue, I have used Leighton's original manuscripts themselves; his own record of his composing activities, found in his three personal and unpublished `Composition Books'; published editions of his works; reviews of first performances, from a large number of sources; programmes from first performances; and programme notes written by Leighton himself.

The appendix consists of an edition of an early secular cantata for tenor, flute, chorus and strings, Veris Gratia Opus 6. This unpublished work has been performed twice, which, until now, was in manuscript. The presented edition consists of both a vocal and a short score of the work.