The Flow of Inspiration
by Eleanor Oldroyd
Newly published second edition
Is there something in the waters of Barnes?
For more than three hundred years, since George Frideric Handel’s sojourn at Barn Elms in 1713, a succession of leading composers have made the village their home. In this new edition, BBC broadcaster Eleanor Oldroyd revisits the stories of eight of them, with new insights and fascinating revelations. From Handel, Gustav Holst and Herbert Howells to Stephen Dodgson, Carl Davis, Jim Parker, Howard Goodall and Roxanna Panufnik, they have created music to the accompaniment of the birds on the Common, and the ebb and flow of the tidal Thames. So have they found inspiration in this greenest of London villages? Or is it mere coincidence that has turned a corner of South West London into a creative hub?
