The Composer’s Guild of Great Britain

Bullivant, Joanna (2026) The Composer’s Guild of Great Britain. In: Elizabeth Maconchy in Context. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781009307130

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Abstract

Elizabeth Maconchy became Chair of the Composers’ Guild in 1959 and oversaw important diplomatic visits to Canada and the Soviet Union during her tenure. The Guild was ostensibly a professional organisation representing composers’ interests in such matters as BBC opportunities, performing rights’ payments, and film composing. However, as this chapter outlines, its early years up to Maconchy’s tenure were characterised by a concerted effort in diplomacy with countries of the emerging Communist Bloc, particularly under the Chairmanship of Alan Bush from 1947. While Bush’s efforts to align the Guild with similar organisations east of the Iron Curtain were ultimately rejected by the membership, his efforts paved the way for Maconchy’s 1960 visit, and constituted an important example of ‘unofficial’ cultural diplomacy with the Eastern Bloc preceding the more famous state-sponsored visits of Benjamin Britten to the Soviet Union.

Item Type:	Book Section
Identification Number:	10.1017/9781009307130
Dates:	Date Event 28 October 2024 Accepted 23 April 2026 Published
Subjects:	CAH25 - design, and creative and performing arts > CAH25-02 - performing arts > CAH25-02-02 - music
Divisions:	Royal Birmingham Conservatoire > Royal Birmingham Conservatoire - Music
Depositing User:	Gemma Tonks
Date Deposited:	21 May 2025 08:39
Last Modified:	27 Jul 2026 12:12
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16382

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