News

In this issue ...

Page Page Address for Communications 2 Donald Hunt at the Birthplace 22 Keep in touch, next Edition 2 Three Choirs Festival 2015 23 Letter from the Chairman 3 A morning with Diana McVeagh 26 Council Meeting Report 4 Michael Kennedy Memorial 28 Nominations for Secretary 5 Elgar’s War Symphony 31 Birthday Weekend 2016 6 Elgar in Germany 32 Treasurer’s Notes 6 Jerrold Northrop Moore Lecture 33 Society Website Report 7 Obituaries 36 From the Membership Secretary 9 Brief Items 40 Increase our Membership 10 The British Music Collection 44 Welcome to New Members 11 Advertisement: Gracious Ladies 46 Elgar Works 12 Branch Reports 48 Elgar in Performance 13 Branch Events 54 This is what I do: Proof reader 14 Elgar and Vaughan Williams day 57 The future of the Birthplace 16 Delius Society 57 Birthplace Report 16 Dates for your Diary 58 From the Birthplace Archive 20 Crossword 66

No. 57 – December 2015 Address for Communications

Contributions for the April 2016 issue of the Elgar Society News should be e–mailed to all the compilers:

Ernie Kay: [email protected] Richard Smith: [email protected] Peter James: [email protected]

Full contact details can be found on the back cover.

The latest date for submissions for the April issue is 25 February 2016.

Keep in touch

Remember: you can keep up to date with the latest Elgarian news on:

Facebook www.facebook.com

Twitter www.twitter.com

YouTube www.youtube.com

then, search for ‘Elgar’ or ‘Elgar Society’ or ‘Elgar Birthplace’.

If you have details of a concert containing a work by Elgar, please notify us by e–mail at: [email protected]

As we are less constrained by space on the Elgar website, wherever possible please remember to include :

– The starting time, full address of the venue and an enquiry telephone number; – Composers of other works in the concert; and – The full names of all performers.

2 Elgar Society News Letter from the Chairman

Dear Friends

Since the Birthday Weekend, it has been a quiet time for me as Chairman, although there has been much for various colleagues to do – not least, alas, the penning of obituaries. Elsewhere in this volume, or on the website, we commemorate people who have all, in their way, contributed to the cause of the Society and of Elgar himself.

The brevity of this introduction reflects the quietness for me of this particular period (for which I am grateful as my professional life and my musical endeavours have left me no time for anything else, and certainly not a holiday), but I am now back in harness for the next round of Council and Executive meetings. As I write this, the date of the former lies in the future – 24 October – but there will be a report on it from another Council member in this edition of the News. The agenda includes Elgar, Education & Young People, preliminary planning for the Birthday Weekend and AGM on 11 & 12 June 2016, discussing further ways of attracting new members and reviewing the recordings programme.

This last topic is always fascinating. I have compiled – with the help of Barry Collett, John Norris, John Knowles and his excellent discography on the website – a list of pieces that we wish to record or re–record and then it is a matter of negotiating how these can be recorded to create CDs that will appeal to the market and the media as well as to we enthusiasts and ‘completists’. We do have a very good relationship with our partner, Siva Oke of Somm Records, who is always ready to consider works off the beaten track, which is where most of the remaining works on the list lie. The Elgar discography is almost unrecognisably rich now, even compared with the situation just twenty years ago, and the Elgar Society and its members should be proud of the part they have played, along with major and niche record companies, in making fine recordings available to the public. I am looking forward immensely to being able to announce projected new recordings over the next few months.

No. 57 – December 2015 3 Letter from the Chairman

In the meantime, I shall have to confine myself to the delights in my collection, and I wish you all both happy listening and a Merry Christmas!

Council Meeting Report

Being an elected member of the Elgar Society Council and attempting to occupy space recently vacated by Dr. John Harcup was a daunting experience, especially as Dr. Harcup had served with such distinction. So my thoughts as I sat on that London–bound train on 24 October were along the lines of what do I know? what do I have to offer at this my first Council meeting?

I need not have worried. My fellow members were very friendly and welcoming and I found that I did have something to contribute. For those who may think that Council meetings are just an excuse for a day in London drinking coffee, they couldn’t be more wrong. A great deal is accomplished in a very short time, due to the excellent chairmanship of Steven Halls.

We heard reports from the Officers and discussed them at length along with other topics. The subjects included the Elgar Birthplace Museum and its future; Elgar in Performance; Elgar in Education; the way forward with regard to increasing the membership of the Society; the Birthday Weekend in 2016; the possibility of making improving investment of the Society’s funds; and future recipients of the Elgar Medal.

It was an enjoyable and rewarding experience and I returned home to Malvern feeling that good work had been done and that I had been a small part of it. Just a pity about the six hours spent on the train! Jon Goldswain

4 Elgar Society News Nominations for Secretary

I will be standing down as Secretary at the AGM on 11 June 2016, after ten years in the post.

The Secretary’s main responsibilities are: to fix Executive, Council and Branch Chairmen’s meetings; to prepare agendas for those meetings, in consultation with the Chairman of those committees; to take the minutes of those meetings and circulate them; and to fix the AGM and oversee arrangements for the Birthday Weekend.

As Secretary I have also had the pleasure and privilege of presenting the Elgar Medal as well as making the arrangements for presentations.

Nominations for the office of Secretary shall be made in writing, signed by a proposer and seconder (who must be members of the Society) and by the candidate signifying willingness to stand; and should be received by the Honorary Secretary by 16 April 2016.

Should there be more than one valid nomination a postal ballot of the members of the Society shall be held, the results of which shall be declared at the Annual General Meeting. Ballot papers shall be distributed to members not later than twenty–eight days before the Annual General Meeting and shall be received by the Honorary Secretary not later than seven days before the Annual General Meeting. Ballot papers shall be subject to the scrutiny of two members of the Society.

If you consider that you have the necessary qualifications to act as Secretary of the Society you are invited to contact the Hon. Secretary. All the other officers offer themselves for re–election. Helen Petchey

No. 57 – December 2015 5 Elgar Society Birthday Weekend 2016

The 2016 Birthday Weekend will take place on 11/12 June.

The AGM will be at St George’s Worcester at 2pm on Saturday 11 June.

Members are invited to meet for coffee, as usual, at a venue to be confirmed on Saturday morning. As well as meeting up with old friends, this is a good opportunity to welcome members coming to the Birthday Weekend for the first time.

On Saturday evening the Malvern Festival Chorus are giving a concert of British music (including some Elgar) at Malvern Priory and on Sunday I will organise a little outing followed by lunch.

Evensong will be at 4pm at Worcester Cathedral on Sunday 12 June, again with the Cathedral Choir, as it doesn’t fall in half term. Evensong will be followed by tea and cake at the Birthplace.

Full details of the 2016 Birthday Weekend will be published in the April News. Helen Petchey

Treasurer’s Notes

This has been a stable year. Spending has been within budgets and income, which is largely from member subscriptions, has held up well although there is a gradual drop in the number of members. My main concern has been the huge sum of £120,000 in deposit accounts paying only 0.5 per cent, a return below average inflation levels, meaning that our money is losing value. I have spent some time taking advice as to where we might invest some of this money in low–risk products (investments) that will bring us a higher return. On Saturday 24 October I presented a proposal to the Council to invest £50,000 in a ‘Kick Out’ Deposit Plan with a specialist investment company, Investec. It is linked to the value of the FTSE share index. This plan has the potential to pay a fixed payment of 4.25 per cent per annum (not compounded). This rate of return might disappoint some of the more ‘investment savvy’ members of the

6 Elgar Society News Treasurer’s Notes

Elgar Society, but I must remind them that because of our charity status I have taken a cautious approach in choosing an investment product. The greatest risk is that we could receive our capital back with no interest at the end of six years. However, because this is a deposit plan the capital is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. I am pleased to report that the proposal was accepted unanimously by the Council so I am busy completing all the paperwork! If anyone has any questions about this investment, please phone or send me an e–mail. The other matter that concerns me is Branch fund–raising. In the East Anglia Branch we have reduced our dependence on the Society subvention by over 50 per cent through local fund–raising, mostly by the sale of refreshments, including home made cakes, and by a monthly raffle for Elgar–related prizes (books, CDs etc). As our ageing membership naturally decreases, local fund– raising becomes more and more important. Please consider what your Branch could do. Helen Whittaker

Society Website Report

A fact of modern life is that companies, government bodies and even individuals as well as organisations such as ours are expected to maintain a website. In the early 21st century the internet has become the first port of call for anyone wishing to find information, contact details or images on any given subject. In the world of commerce, the need for a website is perhaps more obvious than for a charity or interest group, which begs the question, why does the Elgar Society need a website? There are, of course, the reasons that are common to all institutions, like ‘raising general awareness’, ‘informing the public’ or ‘publicity’. However, our Society is able to point to some specific matters that, whilst perhaps not exclusive, are at least more focused.

No. 57 – December 2015 7 Society Website Report

As a registered charity, the Society has an obligation to provide a ‘public benefit’. It does this through a range of activities, not least the Elgar in Performance scheme, which provides financial and other support for performances and recordings of Elgar’s music. By publishing a website the Society has developed its public benefit duty by providing a range of facilities that would be of interest to members of the public both here and overseas. Two such facilities in particular spring to mind: firstly the discography, which provides a comprehensive database of recordings of Elgar dating back to the earliest days of the recording industry. This in itself is an indispensable resource to anyone researching into the development of the recorded archive of Elgar’s music, provides useful information to record buyers and is a fascinating body of data for the casual reader.

The provision of public benefit is further enhanced by availability of the entire issue of the Society Journal, dating back to its first appearance as a separate publication in 1999. Once again, the Society is able to provide an indispensable resource to researchers and others by making this material available at no cost to the user. When this material was first made available electronically I was keen to ensure that the latest issues were only available to members of the Society, it being one of the benefits of membership. By so doing, however, it prevented genuine researchers from gaining access to the latest information. This in itself inhibits our public benefit in terms of our ability to encourage the education and study of Elgar and his music. For this reason, I have contacted some high profile musical education institutions both here and abroad, offering them access to the latest Journals through a password–protected page of the website. In this way we now provide access to all editions of the Journal across Europe and North America. Stuart Freed

8 Elgar Society News From the Membership Secretary

Subscription time again!

Just a reminder that subs become due on 1 January (well – the first banking day of the New Year!)

Details are below. About two–thirds of the membership pay by Standing Order and I would continue to encourage everyone to do the same. It’s easy to instruct your bank to pay on 2 January each year.

Account details are : The Elgar Society Lloyds Bank, The Cross, Worcester Sort Code 30–99–90 Account Number 00212038

Please also quote your membership number which can be found on the address label of your mailing pack.

I should also remind you that I don’t issue reminders – I don’t remove names from the list until June/July but I do issue a ‘final warning’ in the April mailing. So, if you pay by any other method than Standing Order, please ensure your payment is sent to me by the end of January.

Subscriptions rates :

Single in UK and Europe £35 Joint £40 Other parts of the World £36 Joint £41 Students in UK and Europe £16 Students elsewhere £17

Payment by cheque, made payable to The Elgar Society, may be sent to me at the address below.

Many thanks for your co–operation. David R Young Hon. Membership Secretary The Rectory, Lydeard St Lawrence Taunton TA4 3SF E–mail: [email protected] Telephone: 01984 667735

No. 57 – December 2015 9 What can you do to increase our membership?

As you will know Council has been considering ways to increase the membership. Not so long ago membership was about 1,500, now it is around 1,200. So attention is turning to going out into the big wide world to sell ourselves. How many times have you heard comments along the lines of ‘Oh, we love Elgar’s music, we didn’t know there was a society’? Did you try to recruit them? You, as members, can promote the Society. Be proud of your membership, talk about it, publicise it. I will be only too pleased to send you a bundle of membership leaflets to put in places where they may be seen – libraries, tourist information centres, a few in surgery waiting rooms, hospital waiting areas. I have 1,500 leaflets in a cupboard – what good are they there?! Branches, too, are being asked to become more active in getting out and about to promote the Society and bring it to people’s attention. Of course the profile of the Branches varies – some have large memberships, others small, the area they cover may be large and rural, the average age and mobility may make some Branches less physically active. Some Branches already see recruitment as very important and act accordingly. We also need professional expert advice about promoting our Society. Are you or do you know someone who can give us the benefit of their experience in marketing and publicity? Please let me know. And if you, as an ordinary member, have ideas and suggestions about how our membership might be increased please write to me. How, for instance, can we attract younger members? The BBC, in its initiative ‘Ten pieces children should know’, does not include anything by Elgar. The more members we have the more subscriptions we can receive. More income means more can be done to promote Elgar’s music and make it better known, particularly the less well–known works. A few months ago when I went to the bank to pay in some subscription cheques the young lady on the other side of the counter asked what the Elgar Society was. I told her he was a composer; still a blank look. ”Land of Hope and Glory”, “Nimrod...?” Still a blank look. We have a long way to go! David R Young

10 Elgar Society News Welcome to New Members

We welcome warmly the following new members of the Society:

Mr Christopher Beaumont Nuneaton Mr Michael Billingham Upton upon Severn Ms Mary–Gabrielle Blanchet London Mr Timothy Burke & Helen Blythe Harrogate Mrs Averil Chegwidden Baldhu Truro Giles & Diane N Cooke Silver Spring, Maryland USA Mr John Cooper & Liese Bishop Middleham, Co. Durham Mr Keith Davis Leicester Mrs Rosemary Davison Inkberrow, Worcs Ms Kim Dienhelt Chicago USA Mr Peter Dodds Upton on Severn Mr Hussein Elgar Leicester Dr Paul Ellison San Francisco USA Mr Mark Elliston Malvern Mr David Halls Salisbury Mrs Lin Hunneyball & Chris Hunneyball Penzance Mr Brian Iles and Ann Iles Hanham, Bristol Felicity & Peter Jones Flaxton Mr Mike Key Cotheridge, Worcester Mrs Patricia Kieran Bristol Mrs Vivien King & Mr F King Epsom Dr Annette Laing Decatur USA Mrs Ruth Meates Anwick, Lincs Mr G Morris Walton on Thames Dr Sydney Parker Blaen–y–Coed Carmarthen Mr & Mrs Robert & Pauline Prescott Lymm, Cheshire Mr Michael Pringle Tawa Wellington, New Zealand Miss Janet & Miss Susan Scott Hillam Mr Richard C G Scott & Valerie A Scott Donisthorpe Mr Matthew Swan Edinburgh Mr Roderick Tann West Kirby Miss Susan Tordoff Glen Parva, Leicester

No. 57 – December 2015 11 Elgar Works

Complete Edition Volume 23, the gargantuan volume of short orchestral works, reached us on 1 September, a few days earlier than expected. The August News records the many notable musical discoveries made in the course of editing the volume, and an article recording these findings is in preparation for publication in the April 2016 issue of the Journal; but we weren’t prepared for the volume to turn out to be quite so bulky. Despite having significantly fewer pages than, say, Letters of a Lifetime, the heavier paper has resulted in a markedly thicker volume, with copies weighing in at just under 3kg each. The shipment to our main customer, the German academic distributor Harrassowitz, alone came to almost one–fifth of a tonne, and individual volumes sent by post require additional protection to the vulnerable corners. But the early delivery allowed us to get most subscription copies off to customers before we went on holiday in mid–September. As surely as night follows day, however, each Complete Edition volume is soon followed by another Collected Correspondence volume. Writing at the end of October, we are in the final stages of proofing a second edition of Jerrold Northrop Moore’s The Windflower Letters. To pre–empt the question most readers will ask, the second edition retains Dr Moore’s text unchanged except for the correction of a handful of trivial typesetting errors. But the first edition omitted the full text of around one hundred letters, mostly written after Alice Elgar’s death, most of which Dr Moore refers to by footnote cross–reference. The full text of these is now to be published for the first time in the second edition, which we hope to make available before the end of the year, enriching the picture we have of the close relationship between Elgar and Alice Stuart Wortley. Subscribers will of course be notified as soon as we have a firm publication date; other Society members can pre–order their copy from the Birthplace using the enclosed sales leaflet. Work is also well in hand on the next Complete Edition volume, Donald Hunt’s second volume of Elgar’s part–songs. This volume contains the songs with some form of accompaniment, ranging from the conventional full orchestral and piano accompaniments Elgar provided for his Bavarian Highlands song cycle to the bugles–and– drums accompaniment for what is probably the best–known version of The Birthright. But, as with Donald’s volume of unaccompanied part–songs, it is the now–forgotten arrangements of well–known

12 Elgar Society News Elgar Works

works Elgar made for other vocal forces which will come as a surprise to many. And the volume also contains the first comprehensive publication of Pageant of Empire, this least understood of Elgar’s substantial compositions. John Norris Elgar in Performance

When I served on the Elgar Society Council we had a message from Hywel Davies, then Secretary of the West Midlands Branch, urging the Society to do something about the lack of performances of Elgar’s choral works, and suggesting major sponsorship to help that along. He was fearful, quite rightly, about generations of singers passing who had not had the enjoyment that he had experienced in performing these wonderful works. And so Elgar in Performance was set up, with myself as Chairman and a few other colleagues, including Hywel, on the committee. We felt that sponsorship of £5 or £50 would not be much good to choral societies, but sponsorship of up to £1,000 could well encourage choral societies and orchestras to investigate Elgar’s lesser–known works. And so it has proved. In all my dealings with Hywel, both in face–to–face meetings and by e–mail, I found him to be courteous, kindly, encouraging, with a sense of humour and a real passion for things Elgarian. E in P started in 2004 and is still flourishing, and I was sad when Hywel retired a few years ago, owing to increasing age and infirmity. But he had the satisfaction of knowing that his plans had turned into success, and that his dream of more committed performances of Elgar’s choral works had become a reality. It has been most encouraging, from the Elgar in Performance point of view, to note the increasing number of performances of Elgar abroad, and particularly in Germany. This year a major weekend conference was held in Bamberg, centred around Elgar, and a wonderful performance of The Apostles took place in Würzburg. Still to come (at the present time of writing) are King Olaf in Herford and The Dream of Gerontius in Switzerland, in Basel and Zurich. The Violin Concerto has been performed in Samara, Russia, The Spirit of England and a rare outing for Une Voix dans le Désert in Bristol, The Music Makers in Exeter, and the String Quartet in Letchworth. These, of course, are only the E in P sponsored performances.

No. 57 – December 2015 13 Elgar in Performance

Next year too looks promising, with sponsored performances of Symphony No. 3 in Enfield, The Banner of St George in Welwyn Garden City, and various German performances including The Dream of Gerontius in Tubingen, The Kingdom in Würzburg, and the string works in Hildesheim. And a complete set of parts for The Dream of Gerontius has been deposited in the central German hire library. Also a new recording of the ferociously difficult Etudes Caractéristiques for solo violin is to be made. Keep your eyes on Diary Dates in the News! Barry Collett

This is what I do: Proof reader

Having edited the Elgar Society News for five years, from 2002 to 2007, when I also did my own proofreading, and then proofread for Dominic Guyver during his five–year stint, my duties under the current regime might seem a logical extension. I hope my continuing involvement has enabled the News to maintain a consistency of house style and to avoid many of the potential pitfalls.

My Government Service background has helped. When drafting important documents accuracy and attention to detail were all– important and reports had to be succinct and written in such a way as to hold the reader’s attention, at least for the important bits. Whether current Government standards are still as exacting I wouldn’t like to say, but the News certainly manages to maintain high production values.

One of the secrets of good proofreading is compiling a comprehensive style guide or convention to ensure consistency (the proofreader’s watchword): do you italicise the titles of all pieces of music; do you include a suffix for dates of a month (1st, 2nd, etc) and, if so, do you choose superscript; and does day appear before month or vice versa?

As one who shouts at the radio when speakers say ‘less’ rather than ‘fewer’, I’m naturally on the lookout for grammatical errors. Sentence construction is so important for comprehension so my

14 Elgar Society News This is what I do: Proof reader aim is to suggest alternatives if I find myself having to re–read a phrase or sentence to understand its meaning ... but the editor’s decision is, of course, always final.

With the News I do a certain amount of checking and random sampling, eg in Dates for your Diary that day of week and date correspond, that the crossword clues give the right number of letters for the grid, that names of Society members are correctly spelt. I’m also on the look out for scanning errors: there are one or two classic corruptions such as an ‘m’ becoming ‘r n’.

There is a theory that the best way of proofreading is to work from right to left so that one is not reading the sense but concentrating on the characters. I don’t subscribe to this theory and find I can read from left to right without distraction. For speed, and to save a few trees, my method is to proofread on screen but then there is the problem of deciding the best way to communicate any corrections to the editors in as succinct a way as possible by e–mail; not always a straightforward task but it seems to work satisfactorily.

I also proofread, together with others, Collected Correspondence volumes (quite tricky sometimes given Edward’s and Alice’s propensity to invent their own vocabulary) and some aspects of the Complete Edition volumes. To keep my hand in I also edit, set and proofread two local history journals, although in both cases I am fortunate to have others to carry out secondary checking.

One of the perks of proofreading the News, of course, is that I get to know about such things as Birthday Weekend plans in advance of most of the membership – but that doesn’t necessarily mean I remember to make bookings any earlier! Ann Vernau

No. 57 – December 2015 15 Future of the Birthplace

There has been a lot of activity since the last update in August with discussions continuing to be very positive and the hope is still that a long term relationship with the National Trust can be established. The past three months have seen several meetings of the Elgar Foundation’s Management Committee in addition to a joint meeting with the Elgar Family Trust and National Trust to discuss and develop the principles of how such an arrangement could work. At its meeting on 21 September, the Elgar Foundation Board agreed in principle to progressing the relationship with National Trust providing a satisfactory agreement could be put in place. Since that meeting, work has been progressing with representatives of the National Trust and the Elgar Family Trust to produce an outline agreement which it is hoped the National Trust will present to their Executive Committees in the next couple of months with a view to a formal agreement being in place early in 2016. If an agreement is reached, it is intended that the new arrangements would take effect in autumn 2016. However, during the recent discussions, it has become clear that the future location of the archive is not a simple question. Consequently, it has been agreed that a decision on that aspect would be deferred for a further twelve months to allow for informed discussions to take place between the Foundation’s Archivist, Management Committee and National Trust team. Ian Savage, interim Museum Director

Birthplace Report

Worcestershire has experienced a most beautiful first half of the autumn, but as the colours fade and we move towards winter, the activities of the summer at the Birthplace now seem a long time ago. As usual the Three Choirs Festival brought in visitors from all over the world, and was an opportunity to renew acquaintance with old friends making their annual pilgrimage to Elgar Country – a reminder, if one was needed, of how special the place is to so many people.

16 Elgar Society News Birthplace Report

Cyclists have been prominent at the Birthplace this summer. In August, the Veteran Cycle Club celebrated their Golden Anniversary with an Elgar themed ride. About 25 cyclists arrived at the Museum, many riding early 20th–century Sunbeam bicycles, just like Elgar’s own Mr Phoebus, and many were dressed in period costume, especially Elgarian tweeds. They soon realised that tweeds were not ideal cycling clothing when the heavens opened for the heaviest rain storm of the summer, and they were forced to cut short their excursion. But they all made it back to the Birthplace for a welcome cup of tea, and determined to return to Broadheath in the future to complete the ride. More cyclists came in September when we were delighted to make the Birthplace and grounds available as a refreshment stop for the Elgar Vintage Sportive, a 42–mile sponsored ride, raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the West Midlands Air Ambulance.

Members of the Veteran Cycle Club at the Birthplace preparing for their Golden Jubilee ride around Elgar Country [Photo: Chris Bennett]

The various sections of the media are frequent visitors to Broadheath. Over the years we have contributed to a wide variety of TV and radio programmes and magazine articles, and not always the obvious ones. Countryfile, Antiques Road Trip and Escape to the Country have all featured Elgar and the Birthplace as local colour,

No. 57 – December 2015 17 Birthplace Report

and subscribers to the Writing Equipment Society will hopefully enjoy Charles Whitehead’s well–illustrated major article on Elgar in their winter 2015 journal. With the price of advertising in prestigious publications often prohibitive, we find that all of these little contributions help to publicise Elgar and the Museum – often to people who hadn’t previously considered making their way to Broadheath. As we have read in previous editions of the News, Elgar’s popularity seems to be on the up in Germany, and we were delighted to welcome Axel Furhmann and his team from German TV who are producing a programme on Pomp and Circumstance, and we look forward to welcoming many more German visitors in the future. We also hope that we will one day receive a visit from Roy Cropper. Roy, it will be remembered, is the café proprietor in Coronation Street and has a fondness for playing Elgar for the enjoyment of his diners. The Cello Concerto was heard a couple of months ago, and more recently Salut d’Amour has been playing in the café. Keep up the good work, Roy. A regular feature at the Birthplace over the last few years has been Donald Hunt’s Tuesday morning talks. As ever, this year’s talks have covered a wide range of topics, including Nielsen, Mozart’s late symphonies, Music and Poetry and Gershwin, and all have attracted large audiences. Guest speakers are an important part of the series, and this year we welcomed Andrew Keener talking about Sir Malcolm Sargent, and Diana McVeagh talking about her early experiences of researching Elgar, 60 years after the publication of her first Elgar book! I suppose there will come a point when Donald runs out of topics to talk about. Fortunately we haven’t reached that point yet and we are delighted to announce that Donald will be doing at least one more year of talks, with the topics including ‘Enigma’ Variations, Vaughan Williams, Music of the Movies and Sullivan. Those of you who have visited the Birthplace since the summer will have noticed that the area of the garden around the summerhouse has been roped off. Over recent months the summerhouse has started to lean a little, and we have been advised to rope off the area as a precautionary measure. The summerhouse was originally in the garden of Marl Bank, and was saved by an enthusiast when that

18 Elgar Society News Birthplace Report building was demolished in 1969. It was brought over to Broadheath in the early 1980s, and has sat most pleasingly in its own little corner of the garden ever since, becoming a popular feature. The problem with the summerhouse has now been diagnosed and remedial work will be taking place over the winter months. We are very grateful to Ernie Kay and The Kay Trust for making funds available to make the summerhouse safe again so that it can be enjoyed by the thousands of Birthplace visitors.

Elgar in front of the Summerhouse in the garden at Marl Bank.

Our loyal team of volunteers are the lifeblood of the Museum; we quite simply wouldn’t be able to open for the number of hours that we do without them. Several of our volunteers are Elgar Society members, while some come to the Birthplace with little knowledge of Elgar, but want to help their local Museum. It goes without saying that all are very welcome, though we are sometimes guilty of taking them for granted. Their different backgrounds and interests are a real asset to the Birthplace, and they are always ready with a warm welcome for the visitors. The many appreciative comments in our Visitors Book are evidence of that. All of our volunteers deserve thanks, but I’d like to single out one person in particular. When John Lapworth retired from work, he was told in no uncertain terms that he would have to find something else to do, which is why he turned up at the Birthplace offering to help. Now, over twenty years later, John has decided to call it a day, and to celebrate he hired a charabanc and took us all out on a magical mystery tour – not much

No. 57 – December 2015 19 Bierthplace Report

of a mystery actually, but to Powick and Forli, Craeg Lea and the Elgar graves, British Camp and Jubilee Drive, Birchwood Lodge, and ending with a cream tea in Suckley. Thank you, John, and thank you to all our volunteers for all that you do to make our visitors feel so welcome. Chris Bennett

Birthplace Volunteer John Lapworth celebrates twenty years’ service at the Museum [Photo: Chris Bennett] From the Birthplace Archive

For this edition’s look at some of the quirkier items in the archive at the Birthplace, we are returning to Clare Grafton’s scrapbook. Clare was the youngest of Pollie’s three daughters, the sister of May & Madeline (Madge). Elgar adored his nieces, and would take every opportunity to visit them at their home near Bromsgrove. They shared a love of animals, and the album is full of affectionate letters to the Grafton girls and, in some cases, their dogs. One letter starts ‘My dear Monty, I hope you are well and not fighting my dogs too hard’. Monty was Clare’s dachshund, full name Montezuma Schubert, and presumably the ‘watchdog’ in the sketch which Elgar drew for his nieces ‘Madge & Clare Grafton, Poultry & Honey Specialists.’ Chris Bennett

20 Elgar Society News From the Birthplace Archive

No. 57 – December 2015 21 Donald Hunt Talks at the Birthplace

2015

Tuesday 15 December, 10.30am A Christmas Miscellany A morning of seasonal music and poetry in the company of Donald Hunt and friends

2016

Tuesday 8 March, 10.30am ‘Not only Nimrod, but also...’ A detailed assessment of the Enigma Variations – the music rather than the characters!

Tuesday 12 April, 10.30am Sir Arthur Sullivan – Victorian Musician There is so much more to admire in the compositions of this remarkable musician than the operettas he produced with W.S. Gilbert.

Tuesday 10 May, 10.30am To be announced

Tuesday 14 June, 10.30am The Lure of the Movies A fascinating study of composers turning their sights to Hollywood and other film studios to produce some of the most distinctive music of the 20th century

Tuesday 12 July, 10.30am To be announced

Tuesday 13 September, 10.30am Ralph Vaughan Williams – ‘A distinctive English voice’ An appraisal of the music of Vaughan Williams, who risked insularity in his quest to create an English style.

Tuesday 11 October, 10.30am The English Choral Tradition Church, stage and concert hall have all contributed to a unique heritage of choral singing that is (or certainly was) the envy of the musical world.

22 Elgar Society News Elgar at the Three Choirs in Hereford: July 2015

Elgar in the 21st Century The West Midlands Branch hosted two Elgar Society events at the Hereford Three Choirs Festival on 29 July 2015. We were delighted to welcome our President, Julian Lloyd Webber, as guest speaker who lectured on ‘Elgar in the 21st Century’ in the morning. Speaking to a packed audience, Branch Chairman John Harcup introduced Julian by acknowledging Julian’s neck injury which had brought a premature end to his career as one of the finest cellists of his generation. This professional loss has been tempered by a new challenge, Julian’s appointment as leader of Birmingham Conservatoire, a position he had taken up earlier in July. Thanking John for his kind words, Julian said that he was looking forward to his new challenge. A few months ago he had made his first recording in a new role as a conductor with the English Chamber Orchestra in a CD entitled And the Bridge is Love. This featured several important works by Elgar including the two pieces for string orchestra and one by his father, William Lloyd Webber. Julian observed that Elgar’s lighter works were played worldwide today, with Symphony No. 1 and the Cello Concerto receiving worldwide appreciation. He continued by making it clear why he thought that Elgar’s music would remain just as popular in the 21st century as it was in previous years. He illustrated this by playing extracts from his recent recording and from Elgar’s First Symphony, his first hearing of which had bowled him over. The uniqueness of Elgar’s genius as a composer was an underlying subtle theme of his talk and would remain an inspiring example to new composers. Julian’s talk ended with a lively question and answer session. In his vote of thanks, North West Branch Chairman Geoffrey Scargill praised Julian’s recording of the Introduction and Allegro for Strings which we had just heard. ‘I hesitate to say it as someone from Manchester who loves the Hallé and its famous conductor, but I think Julian’s recording of the piece is perhaps even better than that of Sir John Barbirolli.’ This was possibly the most successful Elgar Day which the West Midlands Branch has organised. A large audience was drawn both from Society members and the general public.

No. 57 – December 2015 23 Elgar at Three Choirs 2015

Introduced by John Harcup, Julian Lloyd Webber makes a point to one of the members of the packed audience. [Photo: Sally Corrick Photography]

Julian signs a copy of his latest CD for Ann Merrivale. [Photo: Sally Corrick Photography]

The Elgar Society Lunch

The Elgar Society lunch was very well attended by many members as well as our President and his wife, Jiaxin Cheng, with Steven Halls and Helen Petchey, respectively the Chairman and Secretary of the Society. Following an excellent lunch provided by the staff of The Left Bank, a new venue for the Three Choirs, John Harcup introduced a discussion on the need to bring classical music in general, and

24 Elgar Society News Elgar at Three Choirs 2015

Elgar in particular, to our schools. This theme was enthusiastically taken up by Julian. This is a subject very dear to his heart. He deprecated the almost complete lack of interest among politicians for what he considered such an important subject. Music can, he felt, play such an important part in the education and advancement of our children. It must be made available for all children not only those who are fortunate to have a public school education. Steven Halls took up Julian’s theme and said that this is a subject which the Elgar Society is beginning to promote resolutely. There then followed a lively discussion between Julian and members of the audience. These included Peter Avis and Andrew Keener, who work in the classical music industry. Another important contribution came from a Herefordshire councillor, who said that in her experience it was no good approaching schools directly. The only way was for us all to pursue the politicians who now seemed to have the say in setting the national curriculum, and not take no for an answer.

Jiaxin and Julian Lloyd Webber relax after his talk at the Three Choirs Festival. [Photo: Joan Roche]

David Packman examines one of the artefacts kindly loaned by Arthur Reynolds at the West Midlands Branch Exhibition at the Three Choirs Festival [Photo: Joan Roche]

No. 57 – December 2015 25 Elgar at Three Choirs 2015

The Elgar Society Exhibition Between Tuesday 28 July and Saturday 1 August, the West Midlands Branch presented an exhibition of memorabilia remembering Elgar’s time in Herefordshire. Held at All Saints’ Church in the city, the exhibition was largely organised by committee member David Packman and staffed by members of the Branch. The exhibits included a number of autographed scores and a clock kindly lent by the Chairman of the North American Branch, Arthur Reynolds. The sculptor Jemma Pearson loaned the maquettes of the two sculptures which she had completed of Elgar, one now outside Hereford Cathedral and the other at the Elgar Birthplace. The Birthplace and many others contributed to the exhibition for which the Branch is very grateful. Well over 250 people visited the exhibition. Finally, special thanks must go to David Packman who conceived and organised the exhibition, devoting many hours to its successful outcome. Sorrowfully though, in a dreadful twist of fate, David’s wife Anne tragically died very suddenly and unexpectedly two days after the exhibition closed. We offer him our sincere condolences. Richard Smith A Morning with Diana McVeagh Tuesday, 8 September 2015 This talk by the eminent Elgar scholar and biographer was given as one of the Donald Hunt series of illustrated talks for the Birthplace Museum. Diana began her talk by saying that it was 60 years ago to the week since her first biography of Elgar (Edward Elgar: His Life and Music) was published. She had always conjectured what Elgar would have thought of her work. Perhaps he would have said: ‘You stupid woman – you’ve got it all wrong!’ At the time she wrote her first book, Elgar was very much in disfavour and she felt that this was why she, as a 21–year–old student at the Royal College of Music, was asked to compile a biography. The book was published in 1955 at the same time as Percy Young’s Elgar OM and both achieved critical acclaim. Diana then described, in a most interesting section, the previous biographies of the great man, beginning with Robert J Buckley’s work of 1904 written just

26 Elgar Society News A Morning with Diana McVeagh after The Apostles had received its first performance. One of the biographies she mentioned was W H (Billy) Reed’s Elgar as I Knew Him. The relationship between the two was illustrated by a recording of the final movement of the Nursery Suite with the violin solo by Reed and conducted by Elgar. ‘That,’ said Diana, ‘was the only example that I know of biographer and subject playing together.’ One of the questions which Diana was often asked was when Elgar’s talent turned to genius. Many said that was with the ‘Enigma’ Variations, but she thought it was earlier than that with the composition of King Olaf. We were treated to an early recording of the tenor solo from this sung by Tudor Davis, although she cautioned that he had ‘never heard of pianissimo’! So many thought that Elgar was ‘very English’, but Diana then proceeded to list the great number of foreign musicians who had performed his works. She thought that the finest performance of Gerontius that she had heard was given in the USA at the Bard Festival, and one of the best renditions of the Introduction and Allegro was by the Brisbane Symphony Orchestra in Australia. A few days previously she and Jerrold Northrop Moore had tried to think of anyone still alive who knew Elgar. They could only think of two: Her Majesty the Queen and Sir David Willcocks (not long afterwards we heard of the sad death of this great man). Towards the end of her talk Diana spoke on her other great love, Gerald Finzi, of whom she has also written an acclaimed biography. Although Finzi had died at 55, she had the advantage of being able to interview both his wife and his great friend. ‘Think if I had been able to interview Alice Elgar and August Jaeger’, she commented. She concluded by quoting her favourite Elgar pun. When a replacement was being considered for Herbert Brewer as organist at Gloucester Cathedral, one of the main contenders was Herbert Sumsion. Eventually he was chosen and Elgar commented: ‘What was a Sumsion is now a reality!’ The final musical illustration which Diana chose was a beautiful string quartet by the British composer Thomas Adès which she said reminded her of ‘Nimrod’. A vote of thanks to Diana was given by Michael Trott and we all left feeling that our knowledge of Elgar had been much enhanced by her unforgettable talk. Richard Smith

No. 57 – December 2015 27 Michael Kennedy Memorial Concert

5 October 2015 Concert Hall of the Royal Northern College of Music

‘And gentlemen in England now a–bed shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here.’ That is how many of us felt after one of the more remarkable musical tributes I have heard. Few people, to my knowledge, have become the warp and weft of the cultural life of a great city to the extent of Michael Kennedy. Few critics have been befriended by so many in the music profession – those whom he criticised honestly, truthfully and with an obvious passion and devotion to his ‘heilige Kunst’. Tribute concerts can also seem or become something of a ‘hotchpotch’, going on too long and losing sight of the original aim of the evening. Happily, nothing can be farther from the truth in the way this concert unfolded throughout an evening that seemed not too long but of a perfect even ‘heavenly’ length. Thanks to the good taste of the organisers and the devotion of those performing, it was an evening seemingly devoid of problems. Those that occurred were brilliantly disguised despite the minimal amount of rehearsal possible.

Three conductors, including Sir Mark Elder and Sir Andrew Davis, controlled the evening with the orchestras of the Royal Northern College and The Hallé (with friends from the BBC Philharmonic) and a phenomenal roster of soloists. The evening was greatly enhanced by the presence of Petroc Trelawny from BBC Radio 3 who compèred the evening superbly, adding wit and poignancy where necessary and moving things forward with great sensitivity.

It would be invidious (and unfair) to single out one singer or another but there was an opportunity for two or three mini–performances which added further to the evening: Sir John Tomlinson’s ‘Wahn’ monologue from Mastersingers, the duet ‘Winterstürme’ and ‘Du bist der Lenz’ from Die Walküre with Susan Bullock and Richard Berkeley Steele, and the culmination of the evening: the final trio and duet from Michael’s beloved Der Rosenkavalier.

The evening began with a heartfelt welcome by the Principal of the RNCM, Professor Linda Merrick, and concluded with a moving tribute and thanks to the performers by Michael’s widow, Joyce. Before the

28 Elgar Society News Michael Kennedy Memorial Concert end Sir Mark Elder reminded us of Michael’s mastery of the English language and his contribution to our understanding of Elgar and his music when he read a short essay Elgar the Edwardian.

The programme was as follows:

The Hallé and Friends conducted by Sir Andrew Davis: Verdi : Overture to La forza del destino. Bizet : ‘Au fond du temple saint’ from Les Pêcheurs de perles (with Paul Nilon and Roderick Williams standing in for an indisposed Alan Opie). Mozart : ‘Soave sia il vento’ from Così fan tutte (with Lee Bisset, Wendy Dawn Thompson and Roderick Williams). Mahler : ‘Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen’ from Rückert–Lieder.

The Hallé and Friends conducted by Sir Mark Elder: Wagner : ‘Winterstürme’ and ‘Du bist der Lenz’ from Die Walküre. Vaughan Williams : Serenade to Music with Rebecca Evans, Joan Rodgers, Susan Bullock, Lee Bissett, Susan Bickley, Marie McLaughlin, Kathleen Smales, Wendy Dawn Thompson, Christopher Turner, Paul Nilon, Richard Berkeley–Steele, Jeffrey Lloyd–Roberts, Roderick Williams, (a student stand–in for Alan Opie), Philip Smith, Sir John Tomlinson.

The RNCM Orchestra conducted by Sir Andrew Davis: Britten : Two Interludes from Peter Grimes. Wood : Roses of Picardy sung by Kathryn Rudge Trad. (arr. Britten, orch. Michelle Castelletti) : The Last Rose of Summer. Elgar : Romance for Bassoon and Orchestra with Laurence Perkins (conducted by Harish Shankar).

The Hallé and Friends conducted by Sir Mark Elder: Wagner : ‘Wahn! Wahn! Überall Wahn!‘ from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with Sir John Tomlinson. Elgar : RPA, Ysobel and Troyte from the ‘Enigma’ Variations. Strauss : ‘Marie Theres’! / Hab’ mir’s gelobt’ from Der Rosenkavlier with Dame Felicity Lott, Alice Coote and Rebecca Evans.

No. 57 – December 2015 29 Michael Kennedy Memorial Concert

That ending was irresistible with three of Michael’s favourite singers pouring out their hearts to us: who could resist? This also showed the attention to detail that had been brought to the evening. Dame Felicity, having left the stage, returned with Roderick Williams as Faninal to sing: ‘Sind halt aso, die jungen Leut’!’ followed by the Marschallin’s soft ‘Ja, ja’ leaving Strauss’s orchestra to say farewell: glorious music of contentment, irony and wistfulness. What a privilege to be there! Andrew Neill

Pictured after the end of the Michael Kennedy memorial concert are Joyce Kennedy (front right) and Sir Mark Elder (on the rostrum) with the group of distinguished soloists. [Photo: Michael Trott]

30 Elgar Society News Elgar’s War Symphony

10 October 2015 Elgar Concert Hall, Birmingham University

Two of the most exciting events I have experienced during a reviewing career approaching half a century involve symphonies Elgar never wrote.

Anthony Payne’s realisation of the incomplete sketches the dying Elgar left for a Third Symphony is the stuff of miracles, and now comes Donald Fraser’s orchestration of the Piano Quintet.

This ‘War Symphony’ (the title taking its cue from an entry in Alice Elgar’s diary) is a triumph in its recreation of Elgar’s rich orchestral sound–world, and though Fraser, unlike Payne, had all the material in front of him, he had the difficult task of making us forget the original medium and accept the new one.

And that is surprisingly so easily done. Hearing the transcription’s world première from the English Symphony Orchestra I was amazed at how quickly was failing to miss the sounds of the original. Instead the ear revelled in an aural palette based on the large orchestra of Elgar’s First Symphony (and how much the Quintet’s slow movement in its new clothing matched the slow movement of that symphony, whilst also evoking the otherworldly peacefulness of the opening of the second part of The Dream of Gerontius).

Fraser’s assimilation of Elgar’s orchestral methods bears fascinating fruit and then some. His antiphonal use of brass, athletic horns in conversation with the heavier mob on the other side of the stage, is a highly effective resource; his deployment of percussion (quietly menacing timpani, skeletal tambourine) adds to the points being made, and the strings sing and cushion with gorgeous depths of tone.

Certainly the timbres are opulent, looking back to the First Symphony instead of forward to the spare grittiness of the Third, but they and the textures are genuinely, uncannily Elgarian.

The English Symphony Orchestra certainly played with an enthusiastic awareness that they were making history, and the

No. 57 – December 2015 31 Elgar’s War Symphony

devoted, unassuming Kenneth Woods conducted with an easy flexibility that recalled the work’s chamber–music origins. This ‘War Symphony’ deserves to be acknowledged immediately as a worthy addition to the Elgar canon. Christopher Morley Chief music critic, Birmingham Post Midlands correspondent, Musical Opinion Elgar in Germany

After the successful Elgar Weekend in Bamberg, Germany, last April there have been further welcome signs of the growing interest in Elgar’s music in Germany. The Elgar in Performance branch of the Society has given recent financial support for the public performances of several Elgar works: The Apostles, King Olaf and The Dream of Gerontius. Some assistance is being given for three performances in 2016: The Dream of Gerontius, The Kingdom and the String Serenade and the Introduction and Allegro. The Elgar concerts the Elgar Society has sponsored are always excellently received and it is worth mentioning that in the main the performances are by societies and orchestras outside the main centres of population. A group of Elgarians from the UK are going to hear the Berliner Staatskapelle under Daniel Barenboim perform the First Symphony in Berlin in March. Meinhard Saremba, who organised the Bamberg Weekend, has made contact with the Federation of German Choirs with a view to encouraging performances of the three oratorios. As a result parts and score of Gerontius have been supplied by John Norris on behalf of the Society to the central hire library of Germany. Wolfgang–Armin Rittmeier, a member of the society in Braunschweig, has established a website (edward–elgar.de) to give information to anyone in the German–speaking countries interested in Elgar’s music and life. He has also published online the first edition of Mr Phoebus, the newsletter of the newly–established Elgar Freundeskreis (Friends of Edward Elgar).

32 Elgar Society News Elgar in Germany

An ambitious project is being planned by music lovers in Germany, leading up to a performance of The Kingdom in the Cologne Philharmonic Hall in June 2017. Wolfgang will be supplying further information about this. Early days but some really promising moves here! Geoff Scargill Friend of Friends by Jerrold Northrop Moore

11 October 2015 West Midlands Branch lecture ‘The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.’ With this famous quotation by L P Hartley, Dr Northrop Moore began his talk about Elgar’s friends. He invited us to look back to his youth in America where he read the early biographies of Elgar and began his love of the music. The year was 1954 and he wrote to Carice Elgar Blake, the composer’s only child, and sought her help in tracking down the composer’s surviving friends. He received a sympathetic reply but was unable to meet her in England until 1958. She gave him a list of 200 names and he began his search. Two of them, Mary Clifford and Ernest Newman, were too old and infirm to receive him but he was able to make several contacts. In his talk he concentrated on five of these, and photos of them were displayed for us to see. They were mostly in their 80s and they were: the widow of Sir Granville Bantock; Sir Barry Jackson; Mrs Dora Powell (Dorabella); and Elgar’s nieces May and Madge Grafton, then living in Yorkshire. Granville Bantock’s widow was a charming lady, beautifully mannered and gracious. Bantock had been a life–long friend of the composer and the closest colleague amongst the composers of the time. She had many personal memories of their friendship. He told us an amusing story of the trouble he had with an early tape recorder which was bulky and which he had to transport manually to his early interviews. This proved a waste of energy after laboriously carrying it to the Malvern home of Sir Barry Jackson near the British Camp on the west side of the Hills. He found that the

No. 57 – December 2015 33 Jerrold Northrop Moore

electric plug was the wrong size and he was unable to record, and so had no record of their meeting. They must have spoken about the Malvern festivals and Elgar’s attempt to write an opera based on a Ben Jonson play which Barry Jackson had helped him with. Unsuccessful in the end. He found that Dora Powell at the age of 85 still had the stutter that is heard in the Dorabella variation. This seemed to be due to her nervous and excitable nature. She reminisced about the disastrous first performance of Gerontius in Birmingham in 1900 under Richter, which she had attended, and about the much more successful performance of The Apostles three years later conducted by the composer. After all those years she had not forgotten the outstanding performance given by the Welsh baritone David Ffrangcon–Davies in the role of Christ, which she felt had dominated the performance. He had memorised his role and had sung without a score. Dora and her husband had been friends of the artist Laura Knight and we saw a copy of the lightning sketch which she made of Dora’s husband. The closest friendship that Jerry made in those early years was with the two Grafton sisters. Their characters were much more open and relaxed than that of Carice. The family home of Pollie, Elgar’s favourite sister, was quite different from the stern upbringing that Carice had to endure. She had once said that ‘being an only child I was somewhat sacrificed to the moods and needs of the moment’. The children of Pollie had received more real affection in their family life and this was reflected in their charm and outgoing natures. They showed Jerry their photograph albums and the library of books that had belonged to Elgar. On a second visit May played the Sonatina that Elgar had written for her in I932, from the original manuscript. She had been practising it since his previous visit a year before and he was able to record it and he played it to us. A delightful and unique recording. His visit must have been eagerly awaited for Madge’s parrot had been taught to say ‘Jerry’s coming’, which it did to his evident delight. Dr Jerrold Moore concluded his talk with a heart–felt tribute to those friends of long ago who had treated him with such kindness and consideration. A friend of the friends.

34 Elgar Society News Jerrold Northrop Moore

We, for our part, should be very grateful to him for his foresight in contacting, and in many cases recording, the reminiscences of these friends before they were lost in the mists of time. There was time for a few questions and a brief discussion. We learnt he was writing another book about Elgar, this time about the compositions. We had a preview in his assertion that the works like Falstaff and The Music Makers that Elgar wrote after leaving his beloved borderland to live in London became, in his words, formless. He was never afraid of controversy. Dr Harcup, giving the vote of thanks, begged him to put these reminiscences, which we had so enjoyed, on record where they could be shared with future generations. A most memorable afternoon. Bernard Hill

Left: Dr. Jerrold Northrop Moore

Above: Peter Smith (Founder and Director of Autumn in Malvern), Dr. Moore and Hilary Elgar [Photos: Joan Roche]

No. 57 – December 2015 35 Obituaries

Sir David Willcocks Sir David Willcocks, who died aged 95 on 17 September 2015, was for many years a Vice–President of the Society.

On 8 June 1932 David was aged 12 and a member of the Choir of Westminster Abbey. With Elgar conducting, the choir sang the composer’s setting of Masefield’s Memorial Ode to Queen Alexandra. Afterwards Elgar spoke to him. As recorded in his obituary in The Times, David later said, ‘I’ll never forget the charisma of that man’. David’s death almost certainly means that there is no–one now alive who performed under Elgar; and there is now no–one that the Society is aware of who remembers talking to the composer.

David was born on 30 December 1919, the son of a bank manager in Newquay in Cornwall. He was to show himself a loyal Cornishman, serving in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry in the Second World War and returning frequently to the Duchy where he was able to show off his considerable skills as a surfer. He displayed musical talent at an early age, joining the choir of Westminster Abbey in 1929. ‘Do you hear the voice of God in that chord, boy?’ (Sir) Ernest Bullock asked him at his audition. ‘Oh! Yes, sir,’ he diplomatically replied. It was his membership of the Abbey Choir which led to his meeting with Elgar. He also told the story of how, when Evensong from the Abbey was broadcast, he would cough immediately after the Dean had said ‘Here endeth the second lesson’. In this way his parents would know he was alive and well. In 1933 he went to Clifton College, where he was a cross country runner as well as musician, before proceeding to King’s College, Cambridge, as organ scholar. The war intervened however. His war service was distinguished. In the Normandy invasion his battalion successfully took a strategically important hill overlooking Caen. However, exceptionally heavy enemy fire made the position untenable and it had to be evacuated. The battalion held on for nineteen hours during which time 320 men were killed or wounded. These included Willcocks’s CO, and it fell to Willcocks to organise the withdrawal. For his coolness and professional conduct in taking charge at such a critical moment he was awarded the MC. The medal was bestowed on him personally by Montgomery.

36 Elgar Society News Obituaries

After the war David returned to King’s (he read both music and history and economics and was both BMus and MA). He was evidently destined for great things and began his career by succeeding Sir Walter Alcock at Salisbury Cathedral. His first duty was to play at Sir Walter’s funeral. In 1950 he moved on to Worcester in succession to Sir Ivor Atkins, who had been organist for 52 years. Sir Ivor lived at 8 College Yard, Worcester, until his death in 1953, serving as Music Librarian at the Cathedral. Sir Ivor would have been present in Worcester Cathedral in 1951 on the first occasion that David served as principal conductor of the Three Choirs Festival (the other two being in 1954 and 1957). He had first conducted at the Three Choirs Festival in 1950. This included a performance of The Dream of Gerontius with Heddle Nash, Norman Walker and Gladys Ripley. The Times reported that he ‘showed himself a safe repository of the Elgar tradition’. At this time he also conducted the City of Birmingham Choir and gave with them the first British performance of Duruflé’s Requiem. In 1957 he returned to King’s and his name will always be linked with its outstanding choir and the very distinctive ‘King’s sound’ – a combination of the excellence of the singing and the remarkable acoustic of the chapel. He was responsible for the first televised service of Nine Lessons and Carols in 1963 and was in charge at the time when that service became a worldwide phenomenon. With John Rutter, he was editor of the four volumes of Carols for Choirs and his descants for a number of Christmas hymns and carols are now standard. He made many recordings with the King’s College Choir. They include a legendary recording of Allegri’s Miserere (with Roy Goodman singing the treble solo) and Palestrina’s Stabat Mater made in 1963. Two who were also to become Vice–Presidents of this Society feature on his recording of Vivaldi’s Gloria (1966): Janet Baker and Andrew Davis (playing the harpsichord). The Bach Choir has a very different musical tradition, but he maintained and enhanced their tradition as conductor from 1960 to 1998. In 1985 he conducted memorable performances in the Royal Albert Hall of Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s B minor Mass on the 300th anniversaries of their composers’ birthdays. His final job was as Director of the Royal College of Music in difficult times (it is always of course difficult times for our colleges of music) between 1974 and 1984. He was in charge as the College celebrated its centenary and launched the appeal which led to the building of the

No. 57 – December 2015 37 Obituaries

College’s Britten Theatre. He was knighted during his time at the College and in 1981 he directed the music at the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer.

In music, he will be remembered above all as an outstanding choir trainer and choral director. Recollections can make him sound like a martinet, but he was in that class of conductor who, seeking to achieve the highest standards, are able to inspire those whom they are directing and draw from them their best. One member of the Bach Choir even claimed to enjoy his re–auditions! The present Director of the Royal College wrote: In his termly College addresses, he regularly spoke of the need for young musicians to develop a sound technique through regular and methodical practice, but also, in order for them to become a ‘complete musician’, to have an understanding of style and the ability, as a performer, to communicate truly with an audience. Above all, music for him was something to be shared, and it is this collegiate approach to music making, along with his humility, gentleness and generosity of spirit, for which he shall be fondly remembered. He will be much missed. Philip Petchey

Hywel Davies

Hywel Davies, who died on 30 September 2015, was an enthusiastic and loyal member of the Elgar Society over many years. He served the West Midlands Branch as an excellent Secretary, Vice–Chairman and Patron. For the Society, he was an active member of the Elgar in Performance team (see Barry Collett’s recollections on page 13). Though born in Louth in Lincolnshire, he had a Welsh background as both parents spoke Welsh and with this came his love of music. Aged 18 he gained a place as an apprentice at the Telecommunications Research Establishment in Malvern. National Service interrupted this and he took a short–term commission in the RAF after which he returned to Malvern and low temperature physics. Eventually he was promoted as a principal scientific officer. Hywel immersed himself in the musical life of Malvern and its Baptist Church. He joined the nearby Cradley Singers and the Malvern Musical Society which became the Malvern Festival Chorus.

38 Elgar Society News Obituaries

For a time he was Chairman of the Festival Chorus. He coached the Baptist Church Choir and wrote a number of hymn tunes for them. After his death, his wife Moira found a box file of compositions including a longer piece called Ecce Homo. When the head of music at Malvern College arranged a concert in Great Malvern Priory of music by Malvern composers, Hywel’s piece was played alongside one by Edward Elgar!

He will be sorely missed. John Harcup Left: Hywel Davies [Photo: Joan Roche]

Terry Lee

Terry Lee was born in Woking in 1944 and grew up in South London. He early showed exceptional talent as a pianist and later as an organist. He went to Trinity College of Music, London and became a music teacher before taking a Diploma of Education at the Institute of Education and thereafter become successively a deputy head and head teacher. His final post was as head of Norbury Park School; he retired in 1995. He married Valerie, a fellow teacher, in 1973. He introduced her to the music of many composers which she did not know before; she introduced him to Scottish dancing. If there was a concert of Elgar or Britten or Vaughan Williams at one of the London concert halls, you would invariably meet Terry and Valerie there; and, after they had both retired, they always attended the whole of the Aldeburgh Festival. He was a softly spoken man with a great sense of humour: Valerie said that he was only once cross, when she sadly had to cancel the booking for their accommodation at this year’s Festival. He enjoyed composing, particularly for choirs and children, and for a number of years organised the West Norwood Schools’ Music Festival. He was also a fine photographer. He will be much missed by the members of London Branch. Philip Petchey

No. 57 – December 2015 39 Brief Items

Songs by Charles and Alice Stuart–Wortley Leafing through an ancient portfolio of sheet–music that I found in Southampton (the birthplace of Sir John Everett Millais, as it happens), I was amazed to find two songs by Millais’s daughter Alice, who was, of course, Elgar’s beloved ‘Windflower’ and one of his chief sources of inspiration. One is a setting of a poem by Christina Rossetti (sister of her father’s pre–Raphaelite colleague Dante Gabriel), and the other a setting in French of a poem by Sully Prudhomme. The songs are extremely accomplished, with a remarkable ear for harmony. I made an even more surprising discovery a little later, when I found two songs by Alice’s husband, the Sheffield MP Charles Stuart Wortley – astonishingly ambitious songs, and very effective in performance. Charles was close to musical society – his brother Archibald, a society painter, married the woman who first sang the Plaintiff in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury. Just to complete the links, Archibald was Millais’s only pupil. I was able to present these songs in an hour–long concert during the evening of Friday 16 October in an evening of pre–Raphaelite premières at the Guildhall Art Gallery in the City of London. The concert also included world premières of pre–Raphaelite music by Sir Arnold Bax – his setting of D G Rossetti’s The Blessed Damozel for reciter and piano, and songs to texts by William Morris. My fellow– performers were Amanda Pitt, Candida Gubbins & Mark Wilde. David Owen Norris Robert Conquest

In its obituary of Robert Conquest, the historian who died on 3 August 2015 aged 98, the Daily Telegraph pointed out that Conquest’s grandfather was H A Acworth, friend of Elgar and librettist of Caractacus. Philip Petchey The Crown Hotel in Worcester The Crown Hotel in Broad Street is one of Worcester’s oldest and best known coaching houses. During the second half of the nineteenth century it was the home of the Worcester Glee Club

40 Elgar Society News Brief Items where members smoked, drank at candlelit tables and listened to music. The young Elgar often accompanied the singers on the violin and later arranged and composed music for them. In 1879 he was appointed conductor.

During August 2015 the Crown was re–opened after a £2m redevelopment programme. The project by pub operator J D Wetherspoon created an 18–bedroom hotel. The existing pub, the Crown in Crown Passage, which opened in February 2004 on the site of a former coaching inn, was known by that name since at least 1669. To quote the Worcester News: ‘The hotel’s design is based around music, since composer Sir Edward Elgar played and rehearsed in the building in the late 1800s. As Elgar is famous for his Violin Concerto, each bedroom has a hand–painted violin as a piece of artwork. The bedroom carpet has an abstract pattern taken from one of Elgar’s music scores and the corridor carpet similarly follows this idea with a musical emblem as the pattern, as well as musical– themed paintings.’ Richard Smith The Spice of Variety?

I’ve just acquired The Spice of Variety, a book written by Herbert Brewer’s son Charles, which came out in 1948, and is long out of print. Charles was at the Western Front from the beginning of the war and witnessed the famous Christmas truce in 1914. He was quite a character, who went into show business as a journalist, and became the first BBC correspondent in New York. He was acquainted with all sorts of famous people in ‘show business’ – David Niven, George Robey, Lupino Lane, and many more. This anecdote is probably from 1928 when Elgar was staying with the Brewers for the Three Choirs. ‘Outside serious music he [Elgar] was a man of the world and, after his native Worcestershire, adored London in every phase of its being. He revelled in the theatre and, serious musician though he was, extracted a great deal of amusement out of the lighter shows.

No. 57 – December 2015 41 Brief Items

‘On one occasion, when he was staying with us at Gloucester, my father had given strict instructions to my brother and myself that on no account were we to play any musical comedy tunes, and certainly no syncopation on the piano, while Elgar was with us. Imagine my parent’s horror, therefore, when one day he opened the front door and heard a bright jazz tune being crashed out on his study piano. He rushed for the room prepared to tear either of us into small pieces, and found Elgar himself playing ‘Go to L–O– N–D–O–N’ from Jack Hulbert’s revue Clowns in Clover, to the great appreciation of my young brother.’ Geoff Hodgkins More Elgar Music in Edinburgh

In the South of the country not much is probably known about Scottish Sinfonia, but this Edinburgh orchestra, conducted by Neil Mantle MBE, patron of the Scottish Branch of the Elgar Society, is a fine example of the best musicians playing across the whole classical range, but especially proficient when it comes to Elgar and Mahler. The orchestra is a highly successful mixture of professional players, instrumental teachers and amateurs with an age range of seventeen to seventy, all united in one common aim: to make music to the highest standard of which they are capable. This was particularly true this August when they concluded their programme with a superb reading of Elgar’s Symphony No. 1. It conveyed all the ‘nobilmente’ of the piece in grand style along with the consummate beauty of the third movement, concluding with a powerful and emotive coda. It you are in Edinburgh, see if the Scottish Sinfonia are playing and go and appreciate Neil and the Orchestra!

Finally, October brought a visit from the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra who included Elgar’s Cello Concerto in their programme. Michael Sanderling conducted most efficiently and yet still brought out the fire in the musicians in Elgar’s ‘real large work’, making it, as Elgar thought, ‘good and alive’. Soloist Sol Gabetta gave a brilliant performance, playing with mercurial shifts of mood, intensity and lightness of touch in near–miraculous balance.

42 Elgar Society News Brief Items

A wonderful afternoon’s music along with Wagner and Beethoven’s ‘Eroica’. Paul Bassett The Elgar Clematis – 2 One of our members, Linda Jennings, who lives at Sir Edward’s home at Plas Gwyn, has given us some further information on the Elgar clematis. Reading of the launch of the clematis in the August News, Linda determined to obtain an example to plant near to Elgar’s workshop called The Ark, which still stands in the grounds of the house. To cut a long story short, there was a considerable delay in obtaining the plant, and eventually Linda discovered that the British Clematis Society had told the growers in West Malvern that they would not accept the name ‘Elgar’. Consequently it was renamed ‘Sir Edward Elgar’ which meant changing all their publicity material. But I’m happy to report that Linda is now in possession of an example which she says is ‘beautiful’. Richard Smith

Guess who?

Always on the lookout for odd connections with our man, I was amazed to find this image on the Twitter page of the Wellcome Trust.

No. 57 – December 2015 43 Brief Items

What, I wondered, did Elgar have to do with an organisation whose stated aims are to ‘improve health by supporting bright minds in science, the humanities and social sciences, and public engagement’? It turns out, nothing at all! This image, which shows a striking resemblance to Elgar, is in fact of Sir Henry Wellcome, founder of the Trust: or at least, that’s what the Trust’s media director told me! How close was the resemblance between the two men? Judge for yourself. Stuart Freed

The British Music Collection Where would you go to find an eclectic and fascinating collection of 20th and 21st–century British art, including rare works by well known figures alongside fascinating pieces to discover? Tate? Manchester Galleries perhaps? How about the British Music Collection, a unique and unrivalled collection of over 40,000 scores, recordings, books and ephemera such as concert programmes and posters? Both in its state–of– the–art physical home at the University of Huddersfield, and in its increasingly rich online incarnation (britishmusiccollection. org.uk), the British Music Collection brings together a remarkable collection and resource for discovering the music of the 20th and 21st centuries. This incredible living archive came to Sound and Music via one of our founder organisations, the British Music Information Centre. In the BMIC’s old offices in Stratford Place the shelves upon

44 Elgar Society News The British Music Collection shelves of scores and green boxes were a dusty treasure trove to explore. With the merger (and with the cost of property in central London being what it is) this became unviable. In the University of Huddersfield we found an enthusiastic, experienced home for the physical materials. There is an analogy here with how we are approaching the digital development of the British Music Collection. How can we make a richly textured environment for new music exploration (with lots of musical and video content) that is both searchable for a particular scoring or duration, say, and also browsable in an enticing way for an audience member seeking new musical experiences? We are piloting an approach to this that centres around two strategies: firstly, working with a growing number of composers to upload their material onto the site and ensuring that it is accurately catalogued so that it can be searched by any relevant criteria. And secondly, working with different curators who are creating their own journeys through the online material. The latter takes different forms: we have fully curated ‘exhibitions’ online via the Google Cultural Institute. And we are also exploring building new ways of searching material through, for example, ‘free–tagging’, where browsers ‘tag’ the material they discover so that it is possible to search by tags as well as by more standard means. Where this will take us is not yet clear – but our vision for the British Music Collection is clear. As an incredible collection offering so much to discover and explore, we want it to have the reputation and reach it deserves. If you don’t yet know about it, you have a treat in store. Susanna Eastburn

No. 57 – December 2015 45 ADVERTISEMENT: Gracious Ladies

“Colossal . . . a huge assemblage and synthesis of distant and disparate events into a smooth narrative, providing a matchless picture of the provincial world through which Elgar made his way . . . a unique major contribution to Elgar studies.” Jerrold Northrop Moore, letter to the author.

“. . . an amazing achievement. It is not only an insight into a cultured and charitable family, it also recalls a vanished world of the Victorian golden afternoon in the Malverns: garden–parties, flower–shows, tennis, cycling: winter balls and hunting; and always an immersion in the arts and self–improvement . . . a wonderful glimpse of life in late–Victorian Worcestershire” Christopher Morley, Birmingham Post

“The best things about this book are the wonderful pictures as well as the vast quantity of letters. . . Yet, Allen manages to add to these first–hand accounts by bringing together various accounts to give a full picture of a particular incident. The description is so vivid of Winifred and Florence during the 1880s and their work during the election that I feel jealous of their lives of rowing with the cook and going to concerts . . . Well–written and insightful, this book places Edward Elgar’s career and achievements within a larger context, as well as reading almost like a Jane Austen novel.” Hannah Parry–Ridout, www.musicweb–international.com/classrev

“ One of the strengths of this book is the glimpse it gives into the array of musical activities available in Worcester and environs, [and it] ably describes how sacred and secular music frequently blended . . . especially interesting is his description of the gradual inroads made into Festival programmes by both secular music and the new works of English composers. The most valuable aspect of this book. . . is the way it details Elgar’s growth as a composer. We see the maturation of his talent unfold in the context of his daily activities . . . a book for the committed Elgarian but it may also find a wider audience because of its broader sociological basis.” William Kreindler, www.musicweb–international.com/classrev

46 Elgar Society News ADVERTISEMENT: Gracious Ladies

“Elgar apart, this book stands as a painstakingly researched and recorded account of the social history of a Victorian upper middle–class family. It also contributes to the history of women’s participation in regional music making during this period, for whilst ranked as ‘amateurs’, the dedication, knowledge and proficiency of the women included here seems impressive. [The Norbury family archives are] an under–researched source for middle–class women’s social and domestic history.” Cheryl Law, Journal of the Women’s History Network.

“. . . a study not so much merely ‘definitive’ but ‘unique.’ Kevin Allen, publisher as well as author, proves the ideal person to have undertaken his task. Research apart, one is staggered by his erudition in Victorian history, politics, education, etc., as well as, of course, music. The huge canvas is under complete control . . . the volume is beautifully produced and lavishly illustrated . . . at the price asked it is difficult to think of a greater bargain.” David Bury, Elgar Society Journal

“Those attuned to the Victorian cultural–historical wavelength will be well familiar with the busy, anti–macassared opulence of such houses as Sherridge; and this thorough, well–illustrated chronicle is unlikely to disappoint. Here are evocative items of family correspondence from Scutari, concert programmes and publicity from Elgar’s heyday, and formal and candid photographs of musical luminaries and Enigma dedicatees, all woven together into a painstaking, enthusiastic, fascinating narrative. . . Altogether a very good choice for all but the slenderest Christmas stocking, blue or otherwise. Ian Miles, Spirited, the Gazette of the English Music Festival

For further information see

www.graciousladies.co.uk

available to buy from the Elgar Birthplace at £25.00 plus p & p.

No. 57 – December 2015 47 Branch Reports

EAST ANGLIA: The East Anglian Branch has taken the summer break seriously this year and has only met once this autumn. So it was with eager anticipation that we welcomed Michael Butterfield back to speak to us about Elgar and Wagner. Michael did a highly energetic discourse on the subject aided by his own keyboard playing, PowerPoint, and musical recordings: a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon filled with glorious music.

Although we’ve had no formal meetings for some time, members enjoyed a summer afternoon exploring Ely Cathedral and afterwards an evening performance of The Dream of Gerontius. Some of us also enjoyed the Three Choirs Festival and we were represented at Michael Kennedy’s memorial concert at the RNSM.

We continue to have a good number of regular attenders but would also love to welcome some new people to our meetings in the Lecture Room at St Edmundsbury Cathedral. Bev Simpson

EAST MIDLANDS: Writing for the December edition of the News is perhaps more challenging than for other issues. By the time copy is required by the compilers (late October) most Branches will have had no more than one meeting since resuming activities after the summer break – in our case a talk on Carl Nielsen by Dr Donald Hunt – and very good it was too. By the time these words are published, however, we will have welcomed Peter Walden with his talk ‘Special People’ and will also have enjoyed ‘Members’ Choices’ when we give our audience the chance to share some music with us and say a few words about why they like it.

Each of us, I imagine, has travelled his or her own particular road towards a love of classical music. My own journey probably began at school with a selection of music played by my German master in the hall at the end of the school day. The only piece that I remember from these sessions is Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 – and especially the climax in the first movement as it soared heavenwards into the vaults. The teacher in question, a cultured man whom we knew as ‘Slim’, had a special love of the Teutonic titans of the musical world, especially Brahms.

48 Elgar Society News Branch Reports

Other landmarks for me included Dvoák and his ‘New World’, brought to my ears by a Frenchman when I was staying in his home as a part of a language exchange. I grew fond of the other Dvoák symphonies too; followed later by Sibelius and his First Symphony, with Barbirolli and the Hallé, heard from the back rows of Manchester’s Free Trade Hall (magic!); Butterworth and Banks of Green Willow; the second symphonies of Brahms and Rachmaninov; Bruckner’s Fourth; the tone poems and Four Last Songs of Richard Strauss … etc.

Where does Elgar fit into all of this? Very early on in fact, courtesy of Ken Russell’s memorable biopic with the white horse, a bicycle, the Malverns, Introduction and Allegro and all that. My choice (if I get one!) would in fact be something by our eponymous hero.

The highlight of our 2016 meetings will be when we work together with the Bishop St Methodist Church in Leicester to celebrate their 200th birthday on 13 February with a live performance of the Sea Pictures and other songs. This promises to be something special – don’t miss it! This will be followed by Barry Collett on ‘Elgar Abroad’ on 12 March, the nearest I could get him to covering Elgar and Italy, my other major interest. Howard Newton

LONDON: The first meeting of our new season, in October, was an evening with David Matthews, the renowned composer, arranger and biographer of Britten. In conversation with Andrew Neill, he spoke about his career, his interest in Elgar’s music (in particular his arrangement of Elgar’s Quartet), his work with Benjamin Britten and the threads that connected the two composers. Britten’s early diary entries about Elgar’s music were anything but complimentary, but his later recordings of the Introduction and Allegro and The Dream of Gerontius demonstrated that these views must have changed as he grew older. It was interesting to learn that David, like Elgar, had no formal music education at school or university and was determined to follow his own path of writing tonal music. The excerpts we heard will have encouraged many of us to seek out performances and recordings of his music. •

No. 57 – December 2015 49 Branch Reports

The Branch now has a Twitter account, thanks to our committee member Grace Ioppolo who set it up and maintains it. You don’t need to be registered yourself to look at it – just go to https:// twitter.com/ElgarLondon. We hope that this will make Elgar more visible to a wider range of people, so if you do have an account please feel free to re–tweet anything you think will interest others. Ruth Hellen

NORTH WEST: The 2014–2015 season ended with our annual trip out, organised as usual by John Mawbey (this time to Dr Buck country and Giggleswick School), and a visit to Liverpool for a performance by the Liverpool Phil of Gerontius, preceded by a tour of the Anglican Cathedral.

The new season opened with an excellent interactive presentation by the Society’s Vice–Chairman, Stuart Freed, who analysed the Introduction and Allegro. After listening to each section of this wonderful work in different recordings the audience voted on which they thought had been the best performance of each. Finally the overall favourite was revealed – to general surprise and the horror of the Branch’s Vice–Chairman, a former secretary of the Barbirolli Society – to have been the Vienna Philharmonic’s version under John Eliot Gardiner.

November saw the return of one of the Branch’s favourite speakers, Andrew Neill, with a fascinating perspective on the First World War called ‘The View from Wittenham Clumps’ and containing a study of the paintings of the artist Paul Nash.

Our secretary, Pat Hurst, and her husband, Roger, are taking a sabbatical from committee work so that Pat can concentrate her strength on recovering from her serious illness. This has meant some reorganisation of the Branch’s administration, but we are all hoping that both Pat and Roger will for the time being be able simply to come along to meetings whenever Pat is well enough and enjoy being among their friends. Geoff Scargill

50 Elgar Society News Branch Reports

SCOTTISH: Our June meeting welcomed Adrian Brown with his audio –visual presentation ‘Elgar and World War I – The Spirit of England’ He discussed how Elgar’s compositional contribution affected both himself and the war effort. Adrian considered The Spirit of England to be a major masterpiece. He discussed its genesis and analysed its words and music. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Adrian Brown was one of Sir Adrian Boult’s most gifted pupils. He is the only British conductor to have reached the finals of the Karajan Conductors’ Competition. The prestigious orchestras he has conducted include the Berlin Philharmonic, the CBSO, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the London Sinfonietta. The meeting commenced with a recording of The Spirit of England with Richard Hickox and Felicity Lott.

On Saturday 19 September, Michael Butterfield gave us his audio visual presentation entitled ‘Jaeger’. August Johannes Jaeger was Elgar’s agent at Novello. He was also ‘Nimrod’ in the ‘Enigma’ Variations. Michael discussed Jaeger’s long friendship with Elgar and the significant influence that he had on a number of Elgar’s most important compositions, including the ‘Enigma’ Variations and The Dream of Gerontius. Finally, Michael highlighted Elgar’s The Music Makers and showed ‘Nimrod’ and other works of Elgar quoted within it. The programme for the afternoon had begun with Branch members Ernest and Olive Laing (violin & piano) who performed for us a programme of Elgar’s salon pieces including Une Idylle, Op. 4, Salut d’Amour, Mot d’Amour, Chanson de Nuit and Chanson de Matin, and the second movement of the Violin Sonata.

The final meeting of 2015 in November will see a visit from Andrew Keener. Andrew is an independent recording producer whose talk will offer an illustrated portrait of one of the most popular but complex personalities among 20th–century conductors. In his audio–visual presentation entitled ‘Sir Malcolm Sargent: Elitist with the common touch?’ Andrew will play examples of the music of Sargent from the whole classical range including Elgar (The Dream of Gerontius), Delius and Vaughan Williams as well as Gilbert and Sullivan. Paul Bassett

No. 57 – December 2015 51 Branch Reports

SOUTHERN: We were delighted to welcome Paul Bassett of Scottish Branch, returning home from holiday in September, opening up the touching friendship between Elgar and W.H. ‘Billy’ Reed, a supportive thread for the second half of Elgar’s career. In our now established second home at Winchester, broadcaster and writer Stephen Johnson gave an enthralling talk on the profound and particular imprint of specific landscapes in Elgar’s music, followed by an engaging discussion. His talk attracted a large audience with first time visitors, and many Society leaflets were picked up which we hope will generate new membership. For November we look forward to a return visit from Janeand Martin Bird with a keenly anticipated presentation ‘Lively Wives and Lovers’. William Cole SOUTH WESTERN: There have been two meetings since we reported in the August News. The autumn season opened with a talk from Dr Martin Firth. Martin is a regular speaker at our meetings as he lives locally and his PowerPoint presentations are very popular, attracting a number of visitors who had not attended our meetings before. His topic was ‘Elgar’s Symphony No. 0’, an investigation of Elgar’s Organ Sonata and its orchestration by Gordon Jacob. Martin provided the background to Elgar’s only major keyboard work, and included a complete recording of the orchestral version of this remarkable piece. Michael Trott visited us on 31 October to give a talk on Elgar at Marl Bank, his final home, sadly no longer in existence. He sent us a scholarly paper in advance of the meeting so we were already well informed before he started. The talk was a PowerPoint presentation with a large number of photographs, many of which were unfamiliar. He also had a fascinating sound archive from broadcasts and other sources by people who had known Elgar personally. Michael Butterfield

WEST MIDLANDS: The Branch hosted the Elgar Day at the Hereford Three Choirs Festival on 29 July and an exhibition of Elgar memorabilia throughout the week. These events are described elsewhere in this issue.

52 Elgar Society News Branch Reports

On 19 September the Chairman of the North West Branch, Geoff Scargill, delighted us with an engrossing presentation on Elgar in Germany. The first half of his talk was devoted to the influence that Wagner had on Elgar with a number of musical examples. Geoff also described how some of Elgar’s works had an influence on later music, not just classical. The second part of his talk concerned the recent performances of Elgar works in Germany. We were treated to especially delightful recordings performed in Germany of The Apostles and The Kingdom.

The distinguished Elgar scholar Jerrold Northrop Moore gave us an insight into how, as a young man, he managed to interview a number of people who had known Elgar. Using a borrowed, and extremely heavy, tape recorder he was able to speak to, for example, May and Madge Grafton, Lady Bantock and ‘Dorabella’, Mrs Richard Powell. He treated us to several of the resultant recordings. His presentation, which was a joint event with the Autumn in Malvern Festival, is described elsewhere in this issue.

On 7 November, Vice–Chairman Stuart Freed invited us to choose our favourite among no less than 18 different recordings of Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro. Rather to everyone’s surprise, the ‘winner’ was by the Royal Philharmonic conducted by Barry Wordsworth. This was a joint meeting with the Worcester Recorded Music Society. Unfortunately, we cannot report on our next event, on 14 November by Peter Sutton, because this will happen after our press deadline. Peter’s talk will cover ‘Piers Plowman – Elgar’s Bible’. Richard Smith

YORKSHIRE and NORTH EAST: Numbers attending our meetings have increased; the Bar Convent has had a ‘facelift’; and well– researched subjects have entertained and informed:

• Elgar’s music composed for and during the First World War, given by Philip Petchey. • His music for the asylum with Andrew Lyle • A really stimulating meeting under David Lloyd Jones – ‘Editing and Conducting Elgar’. Then David Jones led a fascinating meeting on ‘Elgar and the Recording Studio’, well illustrated with pictures and music.

No. 57 – December 2015 53 Branch Reports

Still to come:

• Barry Collett on Powick Asylum Music (Part 2) – Barry has recorded music from this, more than once. • We hope to go to the Birthplace next June. Ideally we need about five more people – at least. Contact our Chairman – Tony Pook, 1 Lower Friar Gate, YORK, YO1 9SL

We hope the numbers of people attending our meetings will continue to grow. Marc Seccombe

Branch Events

For further details see Branch Reports or contact the relevant Secretary (see back cover) (EA = East Anglian; EM = East Midland; L = London; NA = North America; NW = North West; Sc = Scottish; So = Southern; SW = South Western; WM = West Midlands; Y = Yorkshire and North East) Sat 5 Dec 2015, 2.30pm (NW) Desert Island Discs Royal Northern College of Music, Geoff Scargill 124 Oxford Road, Manchester Sat 5 Dec 2015, 2.30pm (WM) Don’t Mention the War Elgar Birthplace Museum, Martin and Jane Bird Lower Broadheath, Worcs Tue 8 Dec 2015, 7.30pm (L) Starlight Express – Queen’s College, 43 Harley Street, W1 a centenary celebration Kevin Mitchell Sat 9 Jan 2016, 2pm (So) Alice Roberts – novelist and poet The Spring, Havant Kevin Allen Sat 16 Jan 2016, 2pm (NW) In Conversation Chetham’s School, Manchester, M3 1SB Sir Mark Elder (Because of the likely high demand for seats please contact David Jones at [email protected] or on 0161 439 7176 for details of special admission arrangements.) A separate branch AGM will be held at the end of the afternoon.

54 Elgar Society News Branch Events

Tue 2 Feb 2016, 7.30pm (L) Elgar’s earnings Queen’s College, 43 Harley Street, W1 John Drysdale

Sat 6 Feb 2016, 2.30pm (EA) Elgar as we know him Lecture Room, St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Christopher Wiltshire Bury St Edmunds

Sat 6 Feb 2016, 1pm for 1.30 (WM) Branch Annual Lunch Christ Church Hall, Avenue Road, Malvern, Worcs

Sun 7 Feb 2016, 2pm (NW) W H (Billy) Reed and Elgar The Quaker Meeting House, Simon Baggs & Nigel Patrick 22 School Lane, Liverpool

Sat 13 Feb 2016, 3pm (EM) Elgar: Sea Pictures; Bishop Street Methodist Church, Leicester Chanson de Matin; Motier Wolf (Mezzo), Chanson de Nuit; Serenade for Strings Knighton Chamber Orchestra, Poetry of the Sea: Richard Gill conductor Paul Jenkins

Sat 20 Feb 2016, 2pm (So) Roger Quilter: the man, St Lawrence Parish Rooms, the music Colebrook St, Winchester and how songs were sung Valerie Langfield

Sat 5 Mar 2016, 2.30pm (EA) Symphony No.2: Elgar’s Eroica Lecture Room, St Edmundsbury Cathedral, James Day Bury St Edmunds

Sat 5 Mar 2016, 2.30pm (WM) Branch AGM and Elgar Birthplace Museum, Music in post–Elgar times Lower Broadheath, Worcs David Parkes and David Packman

Tue 8 Mar 2016, 7.30pm (L) Memories and reflections Queen’s College, 43 Harley Street, W1 Diana McVeagh

Sat 12 Mar 2016, 2pm (EM) Elgar Abroad The Garden Room, Unitarian Chapel, Barry Collett East Bond Street, Leicester

No. 57 – December 2015 55 Branch Events

Sat 19 Mar 2016, 2pm (So) Falstaff The Spring, Havant Terry Barfoot

Sat 2 Apr 2016, 2.30pm (EA) Carl Nielsen: The Danish Elgar Lecture Room, Donald Hunt St Edmundsbury Cathedral, Bury St Edmunds Mon 4 Apr 2016, 7.30 pm (L) Elgar’s war music Queen’s College, 43 Harley Street, W1 Barry Collett Sat 9 Apr 2016, 2pm (So) Elgar’s First St Lawrence Parish Rooms, and the modern symphony Colebrook St, Winchester John Pickard Sat 9 Apr 2016 at 2pm (EM) Beyond Vivaldi – Seasonal Sounds The Garden Room, Margaret and Howard Newton Unitarian Chapel, East Bond Street, Leicester Sat 16 Apr 2016, 2.30pm (NW) Music performed by the Chetham’s School of Music, Manchester School’s staff and students Sat 23 Apr 2016 at 2.30pm (WM) Elgar and The Light of Life Elgar Birthplace Museum, Geraint Bowen Lower Broadheath, Worcs of Hereford Cathedral

THE ELGAR BIRTHPLACE MUSEUM CROWN EAST LANE, LOWER BROADHEATH, WORCESTER WR2 6RH (signposted off A44 Worcester–Leominster Road) Tel: 01905 333224 Fax: 01905 333426 e–mail: [email protected] Website: www.elgarmuseum.org OPEN EVERY DAY, 11AM TO 5PM (last admission 4.15 pm. Closed 24 December 2015 to 1 February 2016 inclusive) Elgar Society members admitted free (please show your new Membership Card) Please pre–book parties of ten or more with the Museum Events leaflets available on request

56 Elgar Society News Elgar and Vaughan Williams day

Delius Society

The Elgar Society has a reciprocal agreement with the Delius Society, whereby we offer each other’s members a reduced subscription of 50% for the first year of membership. Contact Membership Secretary Paul Chennell: [email protected] Details of Branch events can be found on the Delius Society website: www.delius.org.uk

No. 57 – December 2015 57 Dates for your Diary

This section is only as comprehensive as the data we are aware of. If you know of an event including a MAJOR Elgar work please send information to [email protected]. The period to be covered is from the 1st of the month of publication – August, December and April – to approximately 5 months ahead. We’d rather hear about an event twice than not at all! The Compilers

Thu 3 Dec, 1.30pm, Fri 4, 8pm, Sat 5, 2pm Sydney Opera House Symphony No.1 / Edwards / Mozart Sydney Symphony / de Waart

Sat 5 Dec, 7.30pm Oaklands School, Waterlooville, Hants Symphony No.1 / Shostakovich /Ravel / R Strauss Havant SO / Butcher

Sat 5 Dec, 7.30pm Masque Theatre, Kettering, Northants Symphony No.1 / Rossini / Debussy / Gershwin Kettering SO / Dunkley

Sat 5 Dec, 7.30pm St Peter’s Church, Bournemouth Great is the Lord / Parry / VW / Wesley / Gardiner / Bairstow / Wood / Stanford Bournemouth Bach Choir / Hooper

Sun 6 Dec, 5.30pm St Paul’s Church, Brighton Serenade / Gjeilo / Whitacre / Bennett / Chesnokov / Biebl / Chilcott Regent’s Orch / Davison

Wed 9 Dec, 7pm St Hilda’s College, Oxford Violin Sonata / Janáek / Sibelius / Ravel / Poulenc / Rachmaninov Trickey / Tong

Thu 10 Dec, 9pm Auditorio de Galicia, Santiago de Compostela Wand of Youth No.2 / R Strauss / VW / Ibáñez / Tchaikovsky Real Filharmonía de Galicia / Daniel

Fri 11 Dec, 8pm Glenn Gould Studio, Toronto Serenade / Panufnik / Beethoven Sinfonia Toronto / Arman

Fri 8 Jan, 8pm National Concert Hall, Dublin In the South / Bloch / Prokofiev RTÉ National SO / Collon

Fri 8 Jan, 8pm New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark Serenade / Mozart / Brahms RPO / Zukerman

58 Elgar Society News Dates for your Diary

Sat 9 Jan, 8pm Ferguson Center for the Arts, Newport News, VA Sun 17 Jan, 7.30pm Smith Center for Performing Arts, Las Vegas Mon 18 Jan, 8pm Palm Springs Philharmonic, Palm Desert, CA Serenade / Mozart / Tchaikovsky RPO / Zukerman

Sun 10 Jan, 7pm Center for the Performing Arts, Carmel, IN Mon 11 Jan, 8pm Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, MI Tue 12 Jan, 7.30pm Kentucky Center, Louisville Wed 13 Jan, 8pm Harris Theatre, Chicago Sat 16 Jan, 8pm Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, AZ Tue 19 Jan, 8pm Granada Theatre, Santa Barbara, CA Enigma / Beethoven RPO / Zukerman

Thu 14 Jan, 12.15pm Stockholm Concert Hall Organ Sonata / Hollins / Bach / Bingham Hammarström

Fri 15 Jan, 6pm St Giles, Cripplegate, London Te Deum / 4 Choral Songs / Go Song of Mine / Benedictus / Presto from Organ Sonata Disley / BBC Singers / Brough

Fri 15 Jan, 7.30pm Barbican, London Symphony No.2 / Butterworth / Clyne BBCSO / Oramo

Fri 15 Jan, 8pm Centennial Hall, Tucson, AZ Enigma / Mozart RPO / Zukerman

Sat 16 Jan, 8pm Orchestra Hall, Detroit Serenade / Dvoák / Fairouz / Mozart Detroit SO / Slatkin

Sun 17 Jan, 7pm Barbican, London Cello Concerto / Tchaikovsky / Dvoák Weilerstein / LSO / Heras–Casado

Fri 22 & Sat 23 Jan, 8pm Music Hall, Cincinnati, OH Enigma / Schuller / Wolfe Cincinnati SO / Macelaru

Fri 22 & Sat 23 Jan, 8pm Marcus Center for the In the South / Sibelius / Performing Arts, Milwaukee, WI Dukas / Stravinsky Milwaukee SO / Seaman

Sat 23 Jan, 10.30am Holy Trinity Church, Henley–on–Thames Dream of Gerontius : choral workshop Henley Choral Soc

No. 57 – December 2015 59 Dates for your Diary

Sat 23 Jan, 11am LSO St Luke’s, London Dream of Gerontius: LSO Choral Singing Day Halsey An invitation to ‘come and spend the day learning and singing Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, before the LSO’s performance at the Barbican in April’. Sat 23 Jan, 8pm Mondavi Center, Davies, CA Serenade / Mozart / Brahms RPO / Zukerman Mon 25 Jan, 8pm Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco Enigma / Beethoven / Mozart RPO / Zukerman Sat 30 Jan, 8.15pm Concertgebouw, Amsterdam Enigma / Delius / Grieg Nederlands PO / Young Sun 31 Jan, 3.30pm Forest View Educational Center, Bassoon Romance / Bruckner / Arlington Heights, IL Beck / Sibelius Cavander / Northwest SO / Diehnelt

Tue 2 Feb, 8.15pm Concertgebouw, Amsterdam Enigma / Matre / Grieg Nederlands PO / Young

Wed 3 Feb, 7.30pm Barbican, London Intro & Allegro / VW / Britten LSO / Simovic

Mon 8 Feb, 7.30pm Auditorio Nacional de Música, Madrid Cello Concerto / Enigma / Brahms Fernández / Orquestra de Extremadura / Albiach Wed 10 Feb, 7.30pm Lighthouse, Poole Thu 11 Feb, 7.30pm Colston Hall, Bristol Enigma / MacMillan / Mendelssohn Bournemouth SO / Karabits

Thu 11 Feb, 8pm, Sun 14, 2pm Davies Symphony Hall, Serenade / Mozart San Francisco San Francisco Symphony / Zukerman Fri 12 Feb, 7.30pm Royal Festival Hall, London Symphony No.1 / Nicolai / Korngold LPO / Vänskä

Fri 12 Feb, 8pm National Concert Hall, Dublin Falstaff / Mozart / Schumann RTÉ National SO / Wigglesworth

Sun 14 Feb, 2.45pm Assembly Hall, Worthing, West Sussex Salut d’Amour / Mendelssohn / Walton / Puccini / Carwithen / Stravinsky Worthing SO / Gibbons

60 Elgar Society News Dates for your Diary

Sun 14 Feb, 11am BASF–Gesellschaftshaus, Ludwigshafen Mon 22 Feb, 8.15pm Concertgebouw, Amsterdam Violin Sonata / Szymanowski / Beethoven Benedetti / Grynyuk

Tue 16 Feb, 7.30pm St Martin–in–the–Fields, London Serenade / Tchaikovsky / Bach / Woolrich / Britten ASMF / Blendis

Thu 18 Feb & Fri 19, 8pm Gewandhaus, Leipzig Intro & Allegro / Sospiri / Haydn Gewandhausorchester / Manze

Thu 18 Feb & Fri 19, 8pm, Sat 20, 7pm Gasteig, Munich Enigma / Schumann / Berg / Widmann BRSO / Ticciati

Wed 24 Feb, 2.15pm Symphony Hall, Birmingham Thu 25, 7.30pm Falstaff / Grieg / Brahms CBSO / van Steen

Wed 24 Feb, 7pm, & Thu 25, 6pm Stockholm Concert Hall Cello Concerto / Brahms / Schumann Macleod / Royal Stockholm PO / Steffens

Tue 1 Mar, 7.30pm St John’s Smith Square, London Violin Sonata / Beethoven / Brahms Sir / Andrievsky

Thu 3 Mar, 7.30pm Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Cello Concerto / VW / Copland / Barber / Prokofiev / Walton Trygstad / Hallé / Phillips

Thu 3 & Fri 4 Mar, 8pm Herkulessaal, Munich Symphony No.2 / Widmann BRSO / Harding

Thu 3 & Sat 5 Mar, 8pm Chicago Symphony Center Symphony No.1 / VW Chicago SO / Elder

Fri 4 Mar, 8pm Auditorium de Dijon Cello Concerto / Maestracci / Schumann Julien–Laferrière / Orch Dijon–Bourgogne / Madaras

Fri 4, 10.30am & Sat 5 Mar, 8pm Kleinhans Music Hall, Cello Concerto / Novák / Smetana Buffalo, NY Altstaedt / Buffalo PO / Falletta

Sat 5 Mar, 6pm St John’s Church, Stansted, Essex Serenade / Dvoák / Finzi / Holst / Suk Wells Virtuosi

No. 57 – December 2015 61 Dates for your Diary

Sat 5 Mar, 7.30pm Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg Enigma Winnipeg SO / Mickelthwate In the first half actors and live theatre bring the story to life. In the second half the WSO performs the complete Enigma Variations.

Sat 5 Mar, 7.30pm Reading Concert Hall Dream of Gerontius Howard / Ellicott / Brook / Lea Singers / Henley Choral Soc / Goodson

Sun 6 Mar, 7.30pm Royal Festival Hall, London Cello Concerto / VW / Powell Gabetta / Philharmonia / Serebrier

Wed 9 Mar, 7.30pm St John’s Smith Square, London Cockaigne / Enigma / Prokofiev Young Musicians SO / Blair

Wed 9 Mar, 7.30pm New England Conservatory, Symphony No.1 / Adès / Ravel Jordan Hall, Boston NEC Philharmonia / Kahane

Fri 11 Mar, 8.15pm Muziekgebouw aan’t IJ, Amsterdam Wed 16 Mar, 8.15pm Musis Sacrum, Arnhem Intro & Allegro / Haydn / Beamish / Mozart Amsterdam Sinfonietta / Brautigam

Sat 12 Mar, 7.30pm Chester Cathedral Music Makers / Butterworth / Walton McDonald / Chester Music Society Choir / Liverpool Sinfonia / Ellis

Sun 13, 11am, Mon 14 & Tue 15 Mar, 8pm Philharmonie, Cologne Cello Concerto / Delius / R Strauss Mørk / Gürzenich Orch Köln / Gaffigan

Thu 17 Mar, 7.30pm Symphony Hall, Birmingham Sat 19 Mar, 7.30pm Leeds Town Hall Symphony No.2 / Walton CBSO / Gardner

Thu 17, 7.30pm & Fri 18 Mar, 8pm S Mark Taper Auditorium, P&C No.3 / Adams / Respigh Seattle Seattle Symphony / Adams

Thu 17 Mar, 8pm Teatro Jovellanos, Gijón Fri 18 Mar, 8pm Auditorio Príncipe Felipe, Oviedo Dream of Gerontius Coro Infantil de la Fundación Príncesa de Asturias / Principado de Asturias SO / Milanov

62 Elgar Society News Dates for your Diary

Sat 19 Mar, 7pm Gloucester Cathedral The Apostles Lee / Ray / Ellicott / Riches / Druiett / Broadbent / Gloucester Choral Soc / Philharmonia / Partington Sun 20 Mar, 7.30pm St John’s Church, Buxton From the Bavarian Highlands / Finzi / Delius Buxton Musical Soc Mon 21 Mar, 8pm Philharmonie, Berlin Symphony No.1 / Mahler Staatskapelle Berlin / Barenboim

Thu 24 Mar, 8pm Philharmonie, Berlin Symphony No.2 / Dvoák Staatskapelle Berlin / Barenboim Sat 2 Apr, 7.30pm Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester Dream of Gerontius Smith / Bowen / Rowlinson / Salford & Congleton Choral Socs / Orch of the North / Cromar Sat 2 Apr, 7.45pm Anvil, Basingstoke Sun 3 Apr, 3pm Royal Festival Hall, London Enigma / Beethoven / Brahms Philharmonia / Temirkanov

Thu 7 Apr, 7.30pm Royal Festival Hall, London Cockaigne / Holst / Panufnik / Waxman / Brahms Philharmonia / Yamada Thu 7 Apr, 7.30pm Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Une Voix dans le Désert / Casken / Ravel / VW Hallé / Elder Thu 7 Apr, 8pm Teatro Jovellanos, Gijón Fri 8 Apr, 8pm Auditorio Príncipe Felipe, Oviedo Enigma / Dorman / Barber Principado de Asturias SO / Lockington Fri 8 Apr, 7.30pm Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham Sospiri / Butterworth / Casken / VW Hallé / Elder Sat 9 Apr, 8.30pm Auditorio Manuel de Falla, Granada Serenade / Schubert Orquestra Ciudad de Granada / Mann

Sat 9, 7.30pm & Sun 10 Apr, 3pm Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto Enigma / Wagner / Handel / Mendelssohn Toronto SO / Feddeck

Sun 10 Apr, 4pm Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, The Apostles Doylestown, PA Wolf / DuPlantis / Bentch / Teadt / Deas / Bucks County Choral Soc / Riverside Symphonia / Lloyd

No. 57 – December 2015 63 Dates for your Diary

Tue 12 & Wed 13, 8pm, Thu 14 Apr, 10.30am La Maison Cello Concerto / Bertrand / Good / Symphonique de Montréal Ryan / Holst Vogler / OSM / Altinoglu

Wed 13 Apr, 7.30pm Barbican, London Symphony No.1 / Bax BBCSO / Oramo

Thu 14 Apr, 1pm LSO St Luke’s, London Violin Sonata / VW Pike / Limonov

Sun 17 Apr, 11am Saffron Hall, Saffron Walden, Essex Violin Sonata / Britten / Ernst Baker / Lebhardt

Tue 19 Apr, 7.30pm Zankel, Carnegie Hall, New York Piano Quintet / Beethoven / Webern Ohlsson / Takács Quartet

Wed 20 Apr, 7.30p Clitheroe Royal Grammar School, Lancs Violin Sonata / Beethoven / Brahms / Gershwin / Wieniawski Rosa / Buckle

Thu 21 Apr, 1pm LSO St Luke’s, London Intro & Allegro / VW / Britten LSO / Simovic

Sat 23 Apr, 7.30pm Rochester Cathedral, Kent Dream of Gerontius Williams / Green / Thorpe / Gravesham Choral Soc & Orch / Vincent

Sun 24 Apr, 7pm Barbican, London Dream of Gerontius Coote / Clayton / Finley / LSO / Elder

Thu 28 Apr, 1pm LSO St Luke’s, London Piano Quintet / Stravinsky Elias Quartet / Watkins

Thu 28 Apr, 7.30pm Stavanger Concert Hall In the South / Britten / VW Stavanger SO / Tortelier

Thu 28 & Fri 29 Apr, 8pm Teatro Monumental, Madrid Symphony No.1 / Busoni / Stravinsky RTVE SO / Kalmar

Sat 30 Apr, 7.30pm Hereford Cathedral The Kingdom Bowen / Williamson / Weller / Langford / Ledbury & Bromyard Choral Societies / Bromyard Sinfonia / Mynors

64 Elgar Society News Dates for your Diary

Sat 30 Apr, 8pm Garde Arts Center, New London, CT Coronation Ode / Tchaikovsky / Mozart / Handel Yanovitch / O’Dwyer / Fay / Vu / Eastern Connecticut Symphony Chorus & Orch / Shimada

Sun 1 May, 4pm St Theresa’s Church, Trumbull, CT Sea Pictures (arr. for choir & strings) / Paulus Connecticut Chamber Choir / Chase

Wed 4 May, 7.30pm Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury Thu 5 May, 7.30pm Royal Festival Hall, London Symphony No.2 / Mozart / Beethoven Philharmonia / Gardner

Thu 5 May, 1pm LSO St Luke’s, London String Quartet / Purcell Elias Quartet

Thu 5 & Sat 7, 8pm, Tues 10 May, 7.30pm Chicago Symphony Center Enigma / Britten / R Strauss Chicago SO / Runnicles

Thu 5 May, 7:30pm Symphony Hall, Birmingham Sea Pictures / Bax / VW Coote / CBSO / Wilson

Fri 6 May, 8.30pm Auditorio Alfredo Kraus, Symphony No.2 / Vega / Roukens Las Palmas,Canary Islands Gran Canaria PO / Halffter

Fri 6 & Sat 7 May, 8pm Orchestra Hall, Detroit Violin Concerto / Schumann / Schuman Kennedy / Detroit SO / Slatkin

Sat 7 May, 7.30pm Exeter Cathedral Enigma / Brahms / Mendelssohn Bournemouth SO / Karabits

Sat 7 May, 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Woodbridge, Suffolk Piano Quintet / VW Matthewman / Sacconi Quartet

Sat 14 May, 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Hitchin, Herts Froissart / Tchaikovsky / Brahms Hitchin SO / Rooke

Sat 14 May, 8pm Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles Cello Concerto / Rossini / Berlioz Mørk / LAPO / Slatkin

Sun 15 May, 3pm Sage, Gateshead Enigma / Bax / Walton Royal Northern Sinfonia / Wilson

No. 57 – December 2015 65 An Elgarian Crossword

No 21, set by PIETRO

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10

11 12

13 14 15

16 17 18 19

20 21 22

23 24

25 26

Across 9 A sabre rattle that in Paris is something flowery. (9) 10 Topless south–east European composer. (5) 11 One crate containing the finale of Arthur is found in Glasgow. (5) 12 Primitive performance of a static and heartless Virelai. (9) 13 Soldiers mounted something for the asylum. (7) 15 Speed zero in vehicle that needs essential oil. (7) 16 Somehow sure to abandon Sea Pictures fiasco – so stopping the rot. (7) 18 Starts to suffer headaches in any tense situation – Uchida needs Japanese therapy. (7) 20 Be Carmen (almost) angling for a snog. (7) 22 They chaperone Conservative away from saucy ‘Sun Dance’ (7) 23 Instrument no god played in Birmingham. (5,4) 24 Something dotty for the asylum? (5) 25 Combined in a Finzi nonet. (2,3) 26 Bad luck if some almost reveal what Elgar said he was. (4,5)

66 Elgar Society News An Elgarian Crossword

Down 1 Manage a nimble and debonair medal winner. (6,9) 2,21 Writer produces incroyable ennui after I leave. (7,6) 3 Originally Janáek’s esquisses underwent xray to reveal a Debussy score. (4) 4 Young flappers, Basques dancing, but not E. (6) 5 Take half a glance into Snape rehearsal and get punishments. (8) 6 Conductor Cameron has a state biographer. (5,5) 7 A funny thing, Skizze. (6) 8 See 24 down. 14 Former Croat edited some Verdi – a sportsman. (5,5) 17 Bemused Elgar gutted to be included in officer’s very loud instruction to go away. (5,3) 19 Like modern music (some might say) which uses lento movement – nothing less. (8) 21 See 2. 22 Depression caused when Dvoák’s No.1 replaces the start of Britten’s symphony. (6) 24,8 Wild cancan music prompted war for Othello. (4,3,12) Solution to the August 2015 Crossword (No. 20)

B R A H M S C O N N O L L Y

A N A C V O E E

K I T T I W A K E M A G M A

E E N R R A I R

R O S Y L E E H O D G S O N

A E S L I

T I P O N E S H A T H A H N

U E D U R P T G

M I N E S P I D E R W E B S

E U M E O

F E R R I E R A L G E B R A

Y I N H D R R N

I D O N T E A S T E R E G G

N U O R L S M E

G O S O N G O F A S S A I L

No. 57 – December 2015 67 FOUNDED 1951 Registered as a Charity No 298062

President : Julian Lloyd Webber F.R.C.M. Chairman : Steven Halls

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION : Single membership: UK and Europe: £35.00; outside Europe : £36.00; Joint membership: UK and Europe: £40.00; outside Europe : £41.00; Student membership: UK and Europe: £16.00; outside Europe : £17.00. Renewable on 1 January each year. Joint membership is available for two persons residing at the same address and sharing a single copy of the Journal and News. Renewals, and applications for membership should be sent to the Hon.Membership Secretary at the address below. A surcharge of £4.00 is applied to payments not remitted in sterling, to cover exchange commssion and conversion loss. Payments may be made by Visa, Maestro or Mastercard, quoting the type of card, its number, three–digit card security number and expiry date, the amount to be paid and the name on the card if different from the member’s name. Those paying by credit card may do so by telephone, or by e–mail using the on–line membership application, renewal, Gift Aid and Standing Order forms which can be found on the Society website at http://elgar.org/elgarsoc/membership. They are also available from the Hon. Membership Secretary. CHAIRMAN : Steven Halls, 28 Nottingham Road, Bingham, Notts NG13 8AT Tel: 07900 162170; e–mail: [email protected] VICE–CHAIRMAN : Stuart Freed, 6 Carriage Close, St John's, Worcester WR2 6AE Tel: 01905 339371; e–mail: [email protected] HON.SECRETARY : Helen Petchey, 12 Monkhams Drive, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 0LQ Tel: 020 8504 0295; e–mail: [email protected] HON.TREASURER : Helen Whittaker, Long Lea, 9 Green Fall, Poringland, Norwich, NR14 7SP Tel: 01508 494591; e–mail: [email protected] HON.MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY : David Young, The Rectory, Lydeard St Lawrence, Taunton TA4 3SF Tel: 01984 667735; e–mail: [email protected] BRANCHES AND BRANCH SECRETARIES

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