WH Auden 1907-1973

Anglo-American poet, born in England, later an American citizen, regarded by many as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. His work is noted for its stylistic and technical achievements, its engagement with moral and political issues, and its variety of tone, form and content. The central themes of his poetry are love, politics and citizenship, religion and morals, and the relationship between unique human beings and the anonymous, impersonal world of nature.

"Funeral Blues" or "Stop all the clocks" is a poem by W. H. Auden, first published in London 1936, with the revised version published in The Year's Poetry, 1938, compiled by Denys Kilham Roberts and Geoffrey Grigson (London, 1938).

The poem was set to music by Benjamin Britten and later included in a collection of settings of Auden poems under the title Cabaret Songs.

But "Funeral Blues" became popular when it appeared in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral. It was read by Matthew (John Hannah) at the funeral of his partner Gareth (Simon Callow).

The poem was not written about the death of a real person. None of Auden's lovers would fit chronologically. It's one of Twelve Songs. There was a previous five stanza version, part of "The Ascent of F6" which is still copyright.

This version was written as a cabaret song for the soprano Hedli Anderson to music by Benjamin Britten. The speaker is a woman. Like the rest of the twelve songs it was satire, not pathos.

Vertigo Ensemble - "Funeral Blues" by Benjamin Britten

In the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral...

WH Auden interview

Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Night programme in 1965, Auden talks about the moment he became a poet and the purpose of poetry. Taken from Poems on the Box: Re-verse, first shown on BBC Two in 1993.

Click here to watch the interview.