Bax, Sir Arnold Edward Trevor, 1883-1953, English composer, studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London. His early works, in an elaborately chromatic style, did not find great favor with the public, but works in a simpler style, composed after 1910, brought him recognition as an outstanding composer. French impressionism, Celtic folklore, and the work of Richard Wagner all influenced his compositions, which include seven symphonies, many tone poems, chamber music, concertos, ballets, songs, and choral works. He was knighted in 1937 and became Master of the King's Musick in 1941.

Bax, Ernest Belfort, 1854-1926, English socialist philosopher. He studied music and philosophy in Germany. In England, influenced by Marxist and other radical thought, he became active in socialist groups, especially the Social Democratic Federation. He left this to help found (1885), with William Morris, the Socialist League, but returned when the League veered toward anarchism. With Morris he wrote Socialism: Its Growth and Outcome (1893). His other writings include The Problem of Reality (1893, rev. ed. 1914), The Fraud of Feminism (1913), and The Real, the Rational, and the Alogical (1920).

(born Nov. 8, 1883, London, Eng.—died Oct. 3, 1953, Cork, County Cork, Ire.) British composer. Born into a wealthy family, he was free to compose throughout his life and consequently wrote prolifically. His early works, influenced by the poetry of William Butler Yeats, frequently evoke Celtic legend. His compositions include seven symphonies, the orchestral works Spring Fire (1913), November Woods (1917), and Tintagel (1919), piano sonatas, string quartets, and numerous vocal works.

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