1943 in British music

This is a summary of 1943 in music in the United Kingdom.

Events

January
*The Committee for the Promotion of New Music is founded by Francis Chagrin in London with the intention of promoting the creation, performance and appreciation of new music by young and unestablished composers. Ralph Vaughan Williams agrees to be president, with Arthur Bliss the committee's vice-president.
*Arthur Bliss's Piano Concerto and William Walton's Belshazzar's Feast are recorded under the auspices of the British Council.
27 March – Michael Tippett's String Quartet No. 2 is first performed in London.
24 June – Ralph Vaughan Williams conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra in the premiere of his Fifth Symphony at a Proms Concert in the Royal Albert Hall.
15 October – first performance of Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings with soloists Peter Pears and Dennis Brain at the Wigmore Hall.

Popular music

"Don't Let's Be Beastly To The Germans" w.m. Noël Coward
"Silver Wings In The Moonlight" w.m. Hughie Charles, Sonny Miller & Leo Towers

Classical music: new works

Benjamin Britten
* Rejoice in the Lamb, festival cantata
* Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
Ralph Vaughan Williams
* The Story of a Flemish Farm
* Symphony No. 5 in D Major
William Walton
* The Quest
* Violin Concerto

Film and Incidental music

Ralph Vaughan Williams – ''The Flemish Farm''

Musical theatre

17 April – Show Boat – London revival opens at the Stoll Theatre and runs for 264 performances.
10 June – Sweet And Low London revue opens at the Ambassadors Theatre and runs for 264 performances.
17 June – The Lisbon Story, with music by Harry Parr-Davies, opens at the Hippodrome Theatre and runs for 492 performances.

Musical films

Miss London Ltd., directed by Val Guest, starring Arthur Askey and Evelyn Dall.Rhythm Serenade, starring Vera Lynn and Peter Murray-Hill.Variety Jubilee, starring Reginald Purdell and Ellis IrvingWe'll Meet Again released 18 January, starring Vera Lynn, Geraldo and Patricia Roc.

Births

7 January – Richard Armstrong, organist and conductor
16 January
*Brian Ferneyhough, composer
*Gavin Bryars, composer
28 January – Dick Taylor, bass player, songwriter, and producer
29 January
*Tony Blackburn, DJ
*Mark Wynter, singer
16 February – Howard Riley, English pianist and composer
25 February – George Harrison, guitarist, singer and songwriter
9 March – David Matthews, composer
22 March – Keith Relf, lead vocalist and harmonica player of the Yardbirds
29 March – Eric Idle, actor, writer, and songwriter
16 April
*Ruth Madoc, actress and singer
*Lonesome Dave Peverett, English singer-songwriter and guitarist
17 April – Elinor Bennett, harpist
20 April – Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
25 April – Tony Christie, singer
8 May
*Jon Mark, English-New Zealand singer-songwriter and guitarist
*Paul Samwell-Smith, bass player and producer
11 May – Les Chadwick, bass player
14 May – Jack Bruce, vocalist, guitarist and composer
15 June – Muff Winwood, record producer, songwriter, and bass player
17 June – Christopher Brown, composer
26 July – Mick Jagger, singer and actor
28 July – Richard Wright, keyboardist
24 August – Dafydd Iwan, musician and politician
6 September – Roger Waters
30 September – Philip Moore, organist and composer
3 November – Bert Jansch, folk musician
30 November – Leo Lyons, bassist
17 December – Dave Dee, singer

Deaths

7 February – Clara Novello Davies, singer, mother of Ivor Novello, 81
28 March – Ben Davies, operatic tenor, 85
14 April – Geoffrey Shaw, church musician and composer, 63
25 April – William Edward Wadely, organist and composer, 89
3 May – Leslie Heward, conductor and composer, 45
30 July – Benjamin Dale, composer, 58
28 November – Arthur Catterall, violinist and conductor, 60
16 December – William Wallace, composer, 80