Appendix A: Unissued Columbia and HMV recordings
Beethoven:
Symphony No.7 in A Maj. Op.92. Symphony Orchestra
(LSO)/ Coates. HMV Unissued. Cc 2166-1-2 (3rd movt. Part 1); Cc
2167-1-2 (3rd movt. Part 2); Cc 2168-1-2 (4th movt. Part
1); Cc 2169-1-2 (4th movt. part 2). 17 Nov. 1922, Hayes room no.1.
Berlioz: Damnation of Faust: Hungarian March. LSO/ Beecham. 20 March 1925. AX 956-1-1A-2-2A.
Borodin: Prince Igor: Polovtsian Dances. LSO/ Beecham.17 Mar. 1925. AX 949-1-1A-2-2A; AX 950-1-1A-2-2A.
Delius: Brigg Fair. LSO/ Beecham.11 July 1928. WAX 3887-1-2-3-4; WAX 3888-1-2-3-4; WAX 3889-1-2-3; WAX 3890-1-2-3-4.
Delius: Sea Drift. Dennis Noble, Manchester Beecham Opera Chorus, LSO/ Beecham. Portman rooms, London. 11 Nov 1928. WAX 4296-1-2-3; WAX 4297-1-2-3; WAX 4298-1-2; WAX 4299-1-2. WAX 4300-1-2; WAX 4301-1-2; WAX 4302-1-2.
Fauré: Pavane. LSO and chorus/ Beecham. 24 March 1925. AX 963-1-1A-2-2A.
Handel-Beecham: Gods Go A’Begging. Old RPO/ Beecham. 12 July 1928. WA 7623-1-1A-2-2A. No.5 Musette. WA 7624-1-1A-2-2A. No.7. Larghetto. WA 7625-1-1A-2-2A. No.8. Gavotte, part 1. WA 7626-1-1A-2-2A. No.8. Gavotte, part 3.
Handel-Beecham: Gods Go A’Begging. Old RPO/ Beecham. 26 October 1928. WAX 4203-1-2. No. 6 & 7. Challenge and Tambourine. WAX 4204-1-2. No. 4 & 5. Musette and Ensemble. WAX 4205-1-2-3. No 2 & 3. Minuet and Hornpipe.
Handel-Beecham: Suite. LSO/ Beecham. Air lento & Hornpipe. 1 April 1925. AX 984-1-1A-2-2A; Musette & Bouree. 1 April 1925. AX 985-1-1A-2-2A.
Mozart: Divertimento in D K.131: Adagio. LSO/ Beecham. 1 April 1925. AX 986-1-1A-2-2A.
Mozart: Divertimento in D K.131: Minuet. LSO/ Beecham. 3 April 1925. AX 988-1-1A-2-2A.
Mozart: Die Zauberflöte Overture (Magic Flute). LSO/ Beecham. 17 March 1925. AX 947-1-1A-2-2A; AX 948-1-1A-2-3.
Mozart: Nozze di Figaro Overture (Marriage of Figaro). LSO/ Beecham. 24 March 1925. Columbia AX 966-1-1A-2-2A.
Mozart: Nozze di Figaro Overture (Marriage of Figaro). LSO/ Beecham. 30 March 1926. WAX 1386-1-1A-2-2A.
Offenbach: Orpheus in the Underworld. BBC SO/ Boult. Bedford. HMV. 1945.
Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No.2 (Antar). Fourth movement. LSO/ Beecham. 20 March 1925. AX 957-1-1A-2-2A; AX 958-1-1A-2-2A.
Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No.2 (Antar). Fourth movement. LSO/ Beecham. 27 March 1925. Columbia AX 980-1-1A-2-2A.
Rimsky-Korsakov: Symphony No.2 (Antar). Third movement. LSO/ Beecham. 27 March 1925. Columbia AX 978-1-1A-2-2A
Smetana: Bartered Bride: Overture. LSO/ Beecham. 24 March 1925. Columbia AX 964-1-1A-2-2A; AX 965-1-1A-2-2A.
Smetana: Bartered Bride: Overture. LSO/ Beecham. 31 March 1926. WAX 1394-1-1A-2-2A; WAX 1395-1-1A-2-2A.
Wagner: Parsifal Act 3 Good Friday Music. Parts 1-2. BBC SO/ Boult. 15 April 1932, Abbey Road, St John’s Wood. HMV.
Weber: Der Freischütz Overture. Parts 1-2. BBC SO/ Boult. 15 April 1932, Abbey Road, St John’s Wood. HMV.
Orchestral
Please note that “MPRC” in the following list stands for Music Performance Research Centre, Barbican, London.
Bax, Arnold: Violin Concerto. Curzy (violin), BBC SO/ Sir Adrian Boult. BBC b/c concert 23 February 1944.
Beethoven: Prometheus Overture. BBC SO/ Sir Adrian Boult. BBC b/c 5 April 1943. Bedford.
Beethoven: Symphony No.7 in A Maj. Op.92. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. 14 June 1935, Queen’s Hall. Live concert. BBC archives
Beethoven: Symphony no.9 in D minor op.125 “Choral”. BBC SO, Chorus, Choral Society & soloists/ Arturo Toscanini. Isobel Baillie (soprano), Margaret Balfour (contralto), Parry Jones (tenor), Harold Williams (bass). Queen’s Hall, 3 November 1937. MPRC Barbican BCT 0129. Also issued commercially on CD Music & Arts Programmes of America Inc., CD 1144 (2004) See Orchestral Discography which gives Mary Jarred, mezzo-soprano, not Margaret Balfour.
Bliss, Sir Arthur: Peace Fanfare for Children. BBC SO/ Clarence Raybould. BBC Home Service. Children’s Hour, b/c 8 May 1945 (VE Day).
Brahms: Tragic Overture. BBC SO/ Bruno Walter. Queen’s Hall, 18 January 1939. MPRC Barbican BCT0126
Brahms: Violin Concerto in D Major. Yehudi Menuhin (violin), BBC SO, leader Paul Beard/ Boult. BBC Home Service b/c 5 April 1943.
Debussy: Iberia. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. Queen’s Hall, 14 June 1937. MPRC Barbican BCT 0491
Elgar: Concert Overture: In The South. BBC SO/ Sir Adrian Boult. BBC b/c 23 March 1944, Bedford
Elgar:
Symphony No.2 in E Flat Op.63. BBC SO/ Sir Adrian
Boult. BBC b/c Corn Exchange, Bedford, 1944
Mozart: Divertimento in D K.131: Minuet No.2. BBC SO/ Sir Adrian Boult. BBC Home Service b/c Corn Exchange, Bedford 5 April 1943
Smetana: Tone Poem Mavlast from Bohemia’s Woods and Fields. BBC SO/ Sir Adrian Boult. BBC b/c April 1941
Strauss, R: Four Last Songs. With Dennis Brain (first horn), Aubrey Brain (second horn). First performance. Philharmonia/ Wilhelm Furtwängler. Royal Albert Hall. BBC Third Programme b/c 22 May 1950. LP issue: IGC LO501. CD issue: Eclipse EKR CD15
Wagner: Faust Overture. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. 16 June 1937 MPRC Barbican BCT 0116
Wagner: Götterdämmerung: Dawn and Siegfried’s Journey Down The Rhine. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. Queen’s Hall, 16 June 1937. MPRC Barbican BCT 0116
Wagner: Lohengrin, Prelude Act 1. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. Queen’s Hall, 16 June 1937. MPRC, Barbican. BCT 0116
Wagner: Lohengrin, Prelude Act 3. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. Queen’s Hall, 16 June 1937. MPRC, Barbican BCT 0116
Wagner: Siegfried Idyll. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. Queen’s Hall, 16 June 1937 MPRC Barbican BCT 0116
Wagner: Siegfried: Forest Murmurs. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. Queen’s Hall, 16 June 1937. MPRC Barbican BCT 0116
Wagner: Tannhäuser: Overture and Venusberg Music. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. Queen’s Hall, 16 June 1937. MPRC Barbican BCT 0116.
Wagner: Die Walküre: Ride of The Valkyries. BBC SO/ Arturo Toscanini. Queen’s Hall, 16 June 1937. MPRC Barbican BCT 0116
Vaughan Williams: A Victory Anthem (for speaker, children’s choir, soprano, five-part chorus and orchestra.) Thalben Ball (organ), Valentine Dial (speaker), Suddaby (S), Luton Choral Society, BBC Chorus, BBC SO/ Sir Adrian Boult Boult. BBC b/c 13 May 1945
Solo:
Concerto
Smyth, Dame Ethel: Concerto for Violin, Horn and Orchestra. With Antonio Brosa (violin), BBC SO/ Boult. BBC b/c 8 Nov. 1936. National Sound Archives, London. Catalogue no. 30B 5868. Dubbing ref.no. T11570WR. Incomplete recording of the slow movement and part of the last movement.
Appendix
C:
Aubrey
Brain and Horn Sections of London Orchestras
1912-1913 Alfred E Brain Junior, Aubrey H Brain, Oskar Borsdorf, Alfred E. Brain Senior.
1913-1914 Alfred E Brain Junior, Aubrey H Brain, Oskar Borsdorf, Alfred E. Brain Senior.
1915-1916 Alfred E Brain Junior, Aubrey H Brain, Oskar Bradley (Borsdorf),
Alfred E. Brain Senior, Harry F. Thornton, Frederick W Salkeld.
1920 Alfred E Brain Junior, Frederick W Salkeld, Aubrey Harold Brain, Alfred E Brain Senior, Harry F Thornton, G Manners. *
* Source for these entries: Cyril Ehrlich, First Philharmonic. A History of The Royal Philharmonic Society. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1995, Appendix 3, pp.274-276
1922
Alfred E Brain Junior was principal until September
1922. From October, Aubrey Brain was principal horn and remained principal
until March 1930.
London Symphony Orchestra
1925 Aubrey H. Brain, Francis Bradley, Alfred Penn, Henri van der Meerschen, Frank Probyn.
April 1928 Aubrey Brain, Francis Bradley, Alfred Penn, Henri Van der Meerschen, Frank Probyn. Source: Gerald Jackson, First Flute (1968) p.135
Old Royal Philharmonic
Orchestra
1915-16 Alfred E. Brain junior, Aubrey Harold Brain, Oscar Bradley, Alfred E Brain senior.
The B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra
Note, the following list of horn sections does not give the actual position of the player with the exception of Aubrey Brain
1930 Aubrey Brain, Harold Jackson, Vincent Burrows, Alfred J Cursue, Arthur Barnes, Frank Probyn, Harry F Thornton.
1931 Aubrey Brain, Harold Jackson, Vincent Burrows, Alfred J Cursue, Arthur Barnes, Frank Probyn, Harry F Thornton, M Graydon.
1932 Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger, Vincent Burrows (also 2nd horn, LPO, 1932), Alfred J Cursue, Arthur Barnes, Frank Probyn (also 4th horn, LPO, 1932), Harry F Thornton, M. Graydon.
1933 Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger, Alfred J Cursue, Arthur Barnes, John P Alexander, Harry F. Thornton, M Graydon.
1934 Aubrey Brain, Francis Bradley, John P Alexander, Aubrey Thonger, Alfred J Cursue, Harry Thornton, Harry Watson, John Denison.
1935 Aubrey Brain, Francis Bradley, Aubrey Thonger, Alfred J Cursue, M Graydon, J.P. Alexander, Arthur Barnes, H.F.Thornton, John Denison,
1936 Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger, Alfred J Cursue, Vivian Gray, J.P. Alexander, Arthur Barnes, H F Thornton
1937 Aubrey Brain, Vivian Gray, Aubrey Thonger, Harry G. Watson, Alfred J Cursue, J P Alexander, Arthur Barnes, Douglas Moore, James H. Kirby.
1938 Aubrey Brain, William Grant, Aubrey Thonger, Harry G. Watson, Alfred J Cursue
May 1939: Aubrey Brain, Vivian Gray, Aubrey Thonger, Harry G. Watson, Alfred J Cursue, William Grant, Douglas Moore, James H. Kirby. Source: Gerald Jackson, First Flute (1968), p.139.
1940 Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger, Harry G Watson, Alfred J Cursue, William Grant, Douglas Moore, James H Kirby, Arthur Barnes.
1941 Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger, Harry G Watson, Alfred J. Cursue, William Grant, Douglas Moore, Harold Jackson, James H. Kirby, Arthur Barnes.
1942 Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger, Harry G Watson, Alfred J Cursue, William Grant, Douglas Moore, Harold Jackson, James H. Kirby, Arthur Barnes.
1943 Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger, Harry G Watson, Alfred J Cursue, William Grant, Douglas Moore, Harold Jackson, James H. Kirby, Arthur Barnes, Harold Hamilton.
1944 Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger, Harry G. Watson, Alfred J Cursue, William Grant, Douglas Moore, Harold Jackson, James H. Kirby, Harold Hamilton.
1945 Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger, Harry G. Watson, Alfred J Cursue, William Grant, Douglas Moore, Harold Jackson, James H. Kirby, Harold Hamilton.
1948 Dennis Brain, Edmund Chapman, Aubrey Brain, Alan Hyde (until March), Frank Probyn (until October).
1949 Dennis Brain, Ian Beers, Edmund Chapman, Alfred Cursue, Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger
1950 Dennis Brain, Ian Beers, Neill Sanders, Edmund Chapman, Alfred Cursue, Aubrey Brain, Aubrey Thonger
Bibliography
to Appendix C
Published
Ehrlich, Cyril, First
Philharmonic. A History of the Royal Philharmonic Society. Oxford,
Clarendon Press, 1995, Appendix 3, pp. 275-277.
Jackson, Gerald: First Flute,
London, J W Dent & Son (1968), pp. 135, 138 (LPO ref.), 139.
Pettitt, Stephen: Dennis Brain,
A Biography. London, Robert Hale (1989)
Marshall, Robert L.: Dennis Brain
On Record, Margun Music, USA, 1996, p.153.
Wagstaff, Ian, BBC Symphony
Orchestra Horn Section in The Horn Magazine, Vol.1, No.2, Spring
1993, p.17.
Wagstaff, Ian, Under the Microphone, in The Horn Magazine, Vol.1 no.2, Spring 1993, p.16 (and photo)
Unpublished
Anon: Typescript list
of personnel for the Old RPO, 1915/16; LSO, 1925, 1928.
Explanatory
note
The itinerary for the proposed tour of opera sung in English was abandoned at the preparation stage. It was to commence in Birmingham on 15 September and end at Glasgow, commencing December 8th for two weeks. The actual tour started in Birmingham a little later than planned and ended in Edinburgh, week commencing November 17th for two weeks.
Beecham shared the conducting for the tour with Schilling-Ziemssen and Emil Kreuz. Kreuz joined at Liverpool, conducting when Beecham was indisposed. Kreuz conducted the Magic Flute, and conducted all the later performances of that opera. Schilling-Ziemssen conducted Orpheus, Elektra, Der Rosenkavalier, The Flying Dutchman and Pelléas et Mélisande.
Original
Itinerary:
Birmingham. 2
weeks from September 15th * Manchester. 1 week from September 29th
* Sheffield. 1 week from October 13th * Leeds. 1 week from October
20th * Liverpool. 2 weeks from October 27th * Newcastle.
1 week from November 10th *
Edinburgh. 2 weeks from November 17th * Aberdeen 1 week from
December 1st * Glasgow for 2 weeks from December 8th.
Prince of
Wales Theatre, Birmingham. September 15th-27th
September 15th Offenbach: Orpheus.
September 16th Strauss: Elektra.
September 17th Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman.)
September 18th 1.45 pm. Offenbach: Orpheus. 6.30 pm. Conducted by Hans Schilling-Ziemssen. Wagner: Tristan und Isolde. Tristan: Frank Mullings; Isolde: Cicely Gleeson-White; Brangäne: Lena Maitland; Kurwenal: Charles Knowles; King Marke: Robert Radford. Conducted by Beecham.
September 19th
Sibelius: Pelléas et Mélisande.
September 20th
Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The
Rose-Bearer).
September 22nd Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute.) Queen of Night: Caroline Hatchard; Pamina: Gertrude Blomfield; Papagena: Eveline Matthews; Tamino: Walter Hyde; Monostatos: Hans Bechstein; Sarastro: Robert Maitland; Papageno: Frederick Ranalow; Speaker: Ernst von Pick. Conducted by Beecham.
September 23rd Wagner: Tristan und Isolde. Same as for September 18th above. Not reviewed in the Birmingham Post. Conducted by Beecham.
September 24th
Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The
Rose-Bearer.)
September 25th 6.15 pm. Wagner: Die Meistersinger. Although a matinee performance of Mozart’s Magic Flute was scheduled, this was cancelled. Hans Sachs: Frederick Austin; Veit Pogner: Robert Maitland; Sixtus Beckmesser: Lewys James; Fritz Kothner: Charles Knowles; Walther von Stolzing: Walter Hyde; David: Hans Bechstein; Eva: Caroline Hatchard (who replaced Elizabeth Shiller); Magdalene: Marion Beeley. Conducted by Beecham.
September 26th
Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The
Rose-Bearer.)
September 27th Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute.) The same cast as for September 22nd Not reviewed in the Birmingham Post.
Theatre
Royal, Manchester. September 29th-October 4th
September 29th
Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The
Rose-Bearer.)
September 30th Wagner: Tristan und Isolde. Cast as for September 18th, except: King Marke: Robert Maitland. Conducted by Beecham.
October 1st Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute.) Queen of Night: Caroline Hatchard; Pamina: Gertrude Blomfield; Papagena: Eveline Matthews; First Lady: Clytie Hine; Second Lady: Ida Cooper; Third Lady: Marion Beeley; First Genie: Beryl Freeman; Second Genie: Lena Maitland; Third Genie: Olive Maurice Wright; Tamino: Frederick Blamey (replaced Walter Hyde); Monostatos: Hans Bechstein; Sarastro: Robert Maitland; Papageno: Frederick Ranalow; Speaker: Ernst von Pick; First Priest: Leon de Sousa; Second Priest: Thomas Creegan; First Armed Man: Kenneth Sterne; Second Armed Man: Ernest Bertram. Conducted by Beecham.
October 2nd
Sibelius: Pelléas et Mélisande.
October 3rd
Strauss: Elektra.
October 4th Afternoon: Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The Rose-Bearer.) Evening: Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman.)
Lyceum
Theatre, Sheffield: October 13th-18th
October 13th Wagner: Tristan und Isolde. Cast as for September 18th. Conducted by Beecham.
October 14th
Offenbach: Orpheus.
October 15th
Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The
Rose-Bearer.)
October 16th
Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying
Dutchman.)
October 17th
Strauss: Elektra.
October 18th Wagner: Die Meistersinger. Cast as for September 25th, except: Veit Pogner: Robert Radford; Eva: Elizabeth Shiller (who replaced Hatchard as advertised). Reviewed in the Telegraph. Conducted by Beecham.
Grand
Theatre, Leeds. October 20th – 25th
October 20th Wagner: Das Rheingold. Wotan: Charles Knowles; Donner: Joseph Ireland; Froh: Jacques Skrobisch; Loge: Walter Hyde; Alberich: Lewys James; Mime: Hans Bechstein; Fasolt: Robert Radford; Fafner: Arthur Pacyna; Fricka: Maud Santley; Freia: Gertrude Blomfield; Erda: Marion Beeley; Woglinde: Eveline Matthews; Wellgunde: Ida Cooper; Flosshilde: Wena Pickering. Conducted by Beecham.
October 21st Wagner: Die Walküre. Siegmund: Walter Hyde; Hunding: Robert Radford; Wotan: Frederick Austin; Sieglinde: Elizabeth Shiller; Brünnhilde: Cicely Gleeson-White; Fricka: Maud Stantley; Gerhilde: Eveline Matthews; Ortlinde: Ida Cooper; Waltraute: Maud Santley; Schwertleite: Clarice Hollington; Helmwige: Margaret Vincent; Siegrune: Marion Beeley; Grimgerde: Molly Dean; Rossweisse: Clytie Hine. Conducted by Beecham.
October 22nd Wagner: Siegfried. Siegfried: Frederick Blamey; Der Wanderer: Frederick Austin; Erda: Marion Beeley; Brünnhilde: Edith Evans; Mime: Hans Bechstein; Alberich: Lewys James; Fafner: Harison Cook; Woodbird: Caroline Hatchard. Conducted by Beecham.
October 23rd
Offenbach: Orpheus.
October 24th Wagner: Götterdämmerung. Siegfried: Walter Hyde; Gunther: Frederick Ranalow; Hagen: Robert Radford; Alberich: Lewys James; Brünnhilde: Cicely Gleeson-White; Gutrune: Gertrude Blomfield; Waltraute: Maud Santley; The three Norns: Maud Santley, Ida Cooper, Gertrude Blomfield; Woglinde: Clytie Hine; Wellgunde: Ida Cooper; Flosshilde: Maud Santley. Conducted by Beecham.
October 25th Afternoon: Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The Rose-Bearer.) Evening: Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute.) Cast as for September 22nd, except: Papagena: Margaret Vincent; Tamino: Frederick Blamey. Speaker: uncertain. Frederic Austin was advertised as the Speaker but not in the review of the concert. Conducted by Beecham.
Shakespeare
Theatre, Liverpool. October 27th – November 1st
October 28th Wagner: Tristan und Isolde. Conducted by Schilling-Ziemssen because Sir Thomas Beecham was indisposed.
October 29th Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute.) Conducted by Emil Kreuz because Sir Thomas Beecham was indisposed.
October 30th Sibelius: Pelléas et Mélisande. Conducted by Schilling-Ziemssen.
October 31st Offenbach: Orpheus. Conducted by Schilling-Ziemssen.
November 1st Afternoon: Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The Rose-Bearer.) Conducted by Schilling-Ziemssen. Evening: Wagner: The Flying Dutchman. Conducted by Schilling-Ziemssen.
Theatre
Royal, Manchester. November 3rd – 8th
November 3rd Wagner: Das Rheingold. Cast as for October 20th. Conducted by Beecham.
November 4th Wagner: Die Walküre. Cast as for October 21st, except: Hunding: Robert Maitland. Conducted by Beecham.
November 5th Wagner: Siegfried. Cast as for October 22nd, except: Brünnhilde: Agnes Nicholls; Woodbird: Eveline Matthews. Frederic Austin replaced Charles Knowles in the programme. Conducted by Beecham.
November 6th
Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The
Rose-Bearer.)
November 7th Wagner: Götterdämmerung. Cast as for October 24th, except Hagen: Charles Knowles. Conducted by Beecham.
November 8th Afternoon: Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute.) Conducted vy Kreuz. Evening: Wagner: Die Meistersinger. Cast as for September 25th except Hans Sachs: Frederick Ranalow; Veit Pogner: Robert Radford. Conducted by Beecham.
Theatre
Royal, Newcastle: Nov. 10th-15th
November 10th 6.30 pm. Wagner: Tristan und Isolde. Cast as for September 18th. Conducted by Beecham.
November 11th Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute.) Conducted by Kreuz.
November 12th Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman.)
November 13th
Strauss: Elektra.
November 14th
Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The
Rose-Bearer.)
November 15th Afternoon: Offenbach: Orpheus.
Evening: Wagner: Die Meistersinger. Cast as for September 25th, except Hans Sachs: Frederick Ranalow; Veit Pogner: Robert Radford. The Chorus included members of the Newcastle Choral Union. Conducted by Beecham.
King’s
Theatre, Edinburgh: Nov. 17th-29th
November 18th 6.30 pm. Wagner: Tristan und Isolde. Cast as for September 18th, except King Marke: Robert Maitland. Conducted by Beecham.
November 19th Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute.) Conducted by Kreuz.
November 20th
Strauss: Elektra.
November 21st
Sibelius: Pelléas et Mélisande.
November 22nd Afternoon: Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The Rose-Bearer.) Evening: Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman.)
November 24th 7.30 pm. Wagner: Das Rheingold. Cast as for October 20th although Marion Beeley’s participation is in doubt. Conducted by Beecham.
November 25th 6.30 pm. Wagner: Die Walküre. Principals as for October 21st.
November 26th 6.00 pm. Wagner: Siegfried. Cast as for October 22nd except Der Wanderer: Charles Knowles; Woodbird: Eveline Matthews. Conducted by Beecham.
November 27th
Offenbach: Orpheus.
November 28th 5.30 p.m. Wagner: Götterdämmerung. Principals as for October 24th. Conducted by Beecham.
November 29th Afternoon: Mozart: Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute.) Conducted by Kreuz. 6.15 pm. Wagner: Die Meistersinger. Cast as for September 25th, except: Veit Pogner: Robert Radford. Conducted by Beecham.
Torquay Festival
Pavilion. April 15-16 1914
The orchestra of seventy players was augmented by members of the LSO, Beecham and Queen’s Hall Orchestras. Although Percy Pitt was booked to conduct his music, he was unable to obtain leave from his duties at Covent Garden. Note that Basil Cameron was known as Basil Hindenberg at the time of the Festival. The programme included:-
April 15. Afternoon. Dvořák: Carnival Overture; G.H.Clutsam: Orchestral Suite, The Pool. Conducted by Cameron; Holbrooke: Scena: O Wavering Fires (Children of Don). Frank Mullings. Holbrooke: Symphonic Variations on “The Girl I left behind me”. Conducted by Beecham. Debussy: Prélude a l’après-midi d’un faune. Conducted by Cameron. Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels Lustige Streiche Op.28. Strauss: Closing Scene from Salome. Conducted Beecham. Carrie Tubb.
April 16. Afternoon. Wagner: Lohengrin: Prelude. Delius: Piano Concerto. Percy Grainger (piano), conducted by Beecham. Stravinsky: Symphony No.1 in E flat. First performance in England. Conducted by Cameron. Verdi: Salce (Willow song, Otello, sung by Carrie Tubb). Conductor not given. Strauss: Don Juan; Tod und Verklärung. Conducted by Cameron.
April 16. Evening. Elgar: Cockaigne Overture. Conducted by Cameron. Delius: Dance Rhapsody No.1. Conducted by Beecham. Ambroise Thomas: Mad Scene (Hamlet). With Carrie Tubb. Conductor not given. Percy Grainger: Colonial Song. Carrie Tubb and Hubert Eisdell. Grainger: Molly on the Shore. Conducted by Grainger. Percy Pitt: Suite de Ballet: Sakura. Conducted by Cameron. Tchaikovsky: Symphony No.4 in F minor. Conducted by Cameron. Wagner: Ride of the Valkyries. Die Walküre. Conducted by Beecham.
Appendix
E Anecdotes and Recollections
by
Colleagues or Students of Aubrey Brain
Speaker: Francis Bradley
Russell Place, 8 March 1980
The following is a quotation from a private recording of the talk, reproduced here by kind permission of his son, Mr Dennis Bradley. Francis Bradley begins with his resignation as principal horn of the LPO in 1933.
When I left the LPO, I went to the safest job in the country and I was the highest paid second horn in England at that time in the BBC Symphony Orchestra with Dr. Boult – as he was then…In the BBC I must tell you the incident with our great expert of modern music, Edward Clarke but this particular concert was being conducted by Constant Lambert…Once a month we did this contemporary concert in the concert hall of Broadcasting House. Aubrey Brain, Dennis Brain’s father was the principal horn, I was the second horn – only two of us – and I can’t tell you the works we were doing and they have never been heard of since. We had a three-hour rehearsal. Came to the concert that night – I wasn’t wanted in the first item so I went into the ante room at the side and I was reading the Evening Standard as it happened. And then the Commissioner came in and said, “Mr Bradley you are wanted.” So I flew in and there was the orchestra waiting and the conductor Constant Lambert. I opened my pad of music. I had got the first horn part in front of me upside down! Mr. Brain had got my part the right way up so that is how we played it. As true as I am standing here, and the criticism was that thick next day!
Francis Bradley (b.London 12 August 1898-d. Wembley, 29 Nov. 1986) stayed with the BBC Symphony until a few concerts after the Toscanini series in 1935. He returned to his former position as principal horn of the LPO.
British Horn Society
Festival: Aubrey Brain Centenary
Guildhall School of Music and Drama 10 April 1993
In conversation with the violinist and horn player, Ernest Lawson OBE, MA. Mr. Lawson at the age of 93 recalled that Aubrey Brain was able to sustain a note in competition to Harry Blech for one minute and twenty seconds. Stephen Pettitt, however, has given seventy-five seconds (1989,p.167). Mr.Lawson was at one time deputy 8th horn of the Hallé Orchestra.
Ifor James (30 August 1931-23 December 2004)
In conversation with the author, 27 June 2004
Ena Mitchell, the soprano, Ifor’s mother, introduced her son to Aubrey Brain in about 1948. Prior to becoming a student at the Royal Academy of Music in 1951, Aubrey would give him lessons in the backs of shops in London. From an early age (about 17), he had learnt to play on a single F piston horn so he was well-prepared to begin lessons with Aubrey. When Aubrey saw Ifor’s horn, he exclaimed, “My dear boy, you can’t play that!” Ifor remembered that he didn’t insist on his students starting with an F horn but he always liked it when they did. A Raoux horn was found for Ifor to use and Aubrey never asked it to be returned so Ifor kept it! Later, Ifor received a copy of Aubrey’s mouthpiece.
At the Royal Academy in 1951, he remembered Aubrey’s room had been moved under the stage where there was one window that you couldn’t look out of. The room had no heating and down one side was a brick wall. He thought that it was a very shabby place to put such a great musician. Not everybody who received lessons from Aubrey found him, or his teaching methods particularly to their liking. Ifor, however, got on very well. He recalled that Aubrey was always very encouraging and taught by demonstration but he would not play entire pieces. Knowing Ifor to be an accomplished cornet player, Aubrey used an English translation of Jean Baptiste Arban’s Cornet Method to teach him. Both Ifor and Aubrey loved the quaint Victorian English and Ifor remembered Aubrey speaking certain passages with relish such as: “Do not expectorate into the instrument” or “…as others would have them do…” Aubrey was compelled to make the lessons in Arban’s Method more challenging to his student. One approach he used was the use of longer, rather than shorter (as written) notes in the exercise plan.
Photography by Ian Wagstaff. Copyright 1993. By kind permission |
