Dr. Alan Bush, died on 31st October 1995 in Watford, Herts. He was born at Dulwich on 22 December, 1900. At the time of his death he was England's oldest composer, and was generally recognised as one of the most important of his generation. He joined the Communist party in 1935. In the folowing year he organised the Workers' Music Association and from 1941 remained its president for the rest of his life. The music of Alan Bush was the voice of the British Labour movement from the general Strike of 1926 through the Hunger Marches of the Depression of the Thirties on to the achievements of the Attlee Government.
 

'The deep humanity with which Alan's music is imbued was integral also to his personality. He was a person equally kind, interested in and sympathetic to whoever he came in contact with, no matter from which walk of life.' Aubrey Bowman, President WMA

Alan Bush in his composing career began before Schoenberg had formulated the Twelve-Tone system and continued alongside the electronic experiments of Stockhausen etc. up to the point where the American minimalists slowly rediscovered melody. Throughout this career he continued fearlessly to write in his own individual voice, writing music in which traditional concepts of harmony and melody are evidently retained and are yet given new meaning and new sounds.

Links:
Alan Bush Recordings a Review
The Alan Bush Trust