In November 1927, Rutland Boughton retired to the small farm Kilcot, located on the border of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. He lived there until his death. His decision to choose Kilcot as his new home was linked to the demise of the Glastonbury Players in July 1927 and the failure of the Glastonbury Festivals, which he had successfully managed. At Kilcot, he implemented on a small scale the concept of a self-sufficient community that had originally been intended for Glastonbury. Initially, he devoted himself to political issues, giving lectures and conducting the London Labour Choral Union. It was only from the mid-1930s onward that his focus shifted to new festivals in Stroud and Bath. During this period, he composed music dramas, various instrumental works such as a concerto for oboe and strings, and the Symphony in B minor, which he completed in the autumn of 1937. He later composed further concertos, but no additional symphonies. In 1943, he resumed his Arthurian cycle of music dramas and completed it in November 1945.
His Symphony in B minor, which he gratefully dedicated to Steuart Wilson, premiered in a private concert in January 1939. The event, conducted by Boughton himself, was organized by the Borsdorf brothers. The work was not performed again until September 1983, when it received a positive reception. While his two earlier attempts at symphony were either not performed or withdrawn, this third work is the only one to have survived. Despite its traditional elements, the symphony impresses with its individual character and masterful handling of the musical material.
The Oboe and String Concerto No. 1 in C major was composed in 1936, a time when his daughter Joy was gaining recognition as a talented oboist. She first presented the concerto in 1937, to enthusiastic acclaim. Although the structure is based on classical patterns, the string writing demands a great deal from the musicians. The solo part is characterized by virtuosic voice leading and has been highly regarded by leading performers. Boughton was relieved when the work was accepted, as he was experiencing financial difficulties at the time.
Overall, Boughton's works, both symphonic and solo, are marked by a distinctive style and a high degree of compositional mastery.