August 2004 Newsletter 29/02/2016 15:01 Page 1

17718 CMFS newsletter March 16 8pp.qxp_August 2004 Newsletter 29/02/2016 15:01 Page 1

C USI FES M T IV M A A L

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March 2016 CHELTENHAM MUSIC FESTIVAL SOCIETY VOL 35, NO. 1 www.cmfsoc.org.uk Chairman’s Message March 2016

The stormy weather at the start to 2016 has heightened the You can read about the first Festival Society and a series anticipation of the joys of summer and especially the Music of important Music Festivals in the late 19th century in this Festival, a highlight of that season for many of us. edition. This all came to my attention thanks to an approach from Patricia Young in Devon. She is the great-great- The Cheltenham Festivals brochure setting out the full granddaughter of J A Matthews and holds a large collection programme will be published shortly and there will be an of his correspondence some of which she kindly allowed me opportunity to hear about this in advance when Meurig to read, as well the extensive obituary that appeared when he Bowen gives a presentation following our Annual General died. Meeting on 21 March. Indeed that evening offers even more than just a business meeting and I urge Benefactors and During the Festival there will be a lunch for Benefactors Friends to come along if you can. and Friends on Friday 8 July. Details will be mailed with this Newsletter. Another Festival event is in the Diary listing This year, as well as the regular support we give to the below and we are developing plans for other events over the Education programme and the Programme book, the Society next twelve months including one during the Festival and will be supporting the Keyboard Inventions sequence which another very special recital early next year. As plans develop runs through the Festival exploring the repertoire of the there will be more information on the CMFS website and piano and its electronic successors. The Society is also circulated to Friends. supporting a commission for Jonathan Dove to compose a piano work for one of the recitals in this series which Meurig I take this opportunity to welcome the following new Bowen describes in more detail in this issue. members: Andrew and Liz Auster, Prof Clair Chilvers and Peter Cottingham, Sir David and Lady Pepper, Sally and To my mind this is an apt thread to follow in the Derek Richards. Cheltenham Music Festival. The piano played an important part in the evolution of the town now recognised as a place Finally I wish to pay tribute to Freda, Lady Berkeley, where music abounds in many forms. It so happened that the one of our Members, whose death has been announced very period in the 19th century, when pianos became more recently. As widow of the composer Sir Lennox Berkeley readily available and affordable, coincided with the time and mother of our Vice President and former Festival when a significant proportion of the town’s many seasonal Artistic Director, Michael, she was a regular visitor to the visitors and growing residential population wished to learn Music Festival in earlier times and always a pleasure to and to play the instrument for both social esteem and for meet. We send our sympathy to Michael, now Lord Berkeley pleasure. Cheltenham became a place attractive for of Knighton. professional musicians who spotted the opportunities for making a living by teaching and playing. Graham Lockwood 17718 CMFS newsletter March 16 8pp.qxp_August 2004 Newsletter 29/02/2016 15:01 Page 2

Music Festival 2016 Keyboard Inventions and Other Novelties by Meurig Bowen, Festival Director

Taking Satie’s 150th birthday in 2016 as its starting point, All of this will align with other related events, such as our festival-wide focus ‘Keyboard Inventions’ explores the the recital by Pascal and Ami Rogé (Satie, Debussy, Ravel legacy of the maverick Frenchman’s work; a mini-festival of and Les Six), a repeat performance of my Satie two-hander the 21st century piano, if you like. for actor and pianist, the premiere of Jonathan Dove’s new solo piano work by Melvyn Tan (which CMFS is Erik Satie was one of music history’s great pioneers and supporting) and an all-Chopin recital by Janina Fialkowska. provocateurs. In his own uniquely eccentric and We are also commissioning pianist Anne Lovett to create a unpredictable way, he was a radical cultural force whose workshop for 9-14 year olds that will tour to a number of thinking paved the way for great change as the 20th century local schools. Anne will mesh a wide range of piano music unfolded – not just down the ‘art music’ route, but through into a hands-on demonstration of how pianos work. If my pop music’s progressively triumphant ascendancy too. daughter’s Cheltenham primary school is anything to go by, ‘Keyboard Inventions’ – with its nod towards J.S.Bach’s acoustic pianos are a rare sight in state schools now, so we works of the same name – celebrates Satie’s legacy as the feel this will be important and inspiring work. trailblazer, the architect of change in the way the piano has been played and written for since his own lifetime. Whether Other new, or quite new, music coming to Cheltenham it’s the minimalist piano, the ‘prepared’ piano, the piano’s this July includes: Sally Beamish’s The Sins – a piece for role in multimedia explorations or the wider bounds of actor and ensemble based on the Seven Deadly Sins from ‘conceptual art’, Satie was there at the beginning. Langland’s 14th century Piers the Plowman; James MacMillan’s major new work for Ex Cathedra choir and Featured in a range of performances over each festival ensemble, Seven Angels; Piers Hellawell’s collaboration weekend will be the exploratory verve of young pianists with TS Eliot prize-winning poet Sinead Morrissey and the Clare Hammond, Sarah Nicholls, Zubin Kanga and Fidelio Trio; and superstar Swedish trombonist Christian Christina McMaster, Will Gregory’s Moog Ensemble, Lindberg’s new double concerto for himself and composer-pianist Dave Maric and an overnight performance percussionist Evelyn Glennie. of Satie’s Vexations. Avatars, wearable technology, animation, an inside-out piano/pendulum, radiophonic toy Last but not least, our Composer Academy returns for its pianos, narration and new scores for old films. All these will 4th year, and with a new Guest Director Michael Zev be encountered in the ‘Keyboard Inventions events’, Gordon, Professor of Composition at the University of featuring music by over 20 composers including Michel van Birmingham. der Aa, John Cage, Will Gregory, Jonathan Harvey, Kenneth Hesketh, Ed Hughes, Dave Maric, Tristan Murail, Steve Reich, Arlene Sierra and Freya Waley-Cohen.

CMFS Annual General Meeting and Presentation 21st March at 5.30 p.m. 6.30 p.m. Presentation by Meurig Bowen. Director of the Music Festival, in which he highlights performances and The Sanders Room, Cheltenham Ladies College. (Please themes to be enjoyed in the 2016 Festival. enter the Cheltenham Ladies College by the Porter’s Gate in St. George’s Road) 7.00 pm (approximately). In an informal session Christopher Cook invites Meurig Bowen to reveal, with The formal notice and agenda for the AGM are on the musical examples, his choice of Desert Island Discs. back page of this Newsletter. The evening’s events are expected to conclude by Arrangements have now been made for the Annual 8.00 p.m. General Meeting to be held on the above date – NOT during the Festival as has happened in the past. NOTE. For reasons of catering and security Friends who intend to attend the AGM are asked to give advance notice The meeting will be followed by a short break for drinks by notifying the Secretary, Mary Mackenzie – contact during which guests invited by the Music Festival team will details on the back page of this Newsletter be welcome to join with Society Friends for the remainder of the evening.

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More dates for your Diary Tuesday 29 March 2 p.m. Parabola Arts Centre A programme including the PRIORITY BOOKING for CMFS members (in person and premiere of a piano concerto by Dave Maric followed at on-line) from 1 pm.onwards. 3.30 p.m . approx. by a Special Event for CMFS Friends when Dave Maric will be interviewed by Christopher Cook. Booking Office, 15 Suffolk Parade, Cheltenham GL50 This will also be at the PAC where refreshments will be 2AE, www.cheltenhamfestivals/booking, Tel 0844 880 available for purchase both before and after the interview. 8094; Friends may wish to stay for the 5 p.m. performance 27 April – 2 May Ritual in Transfigured Time. Cheltenham Jazz Festival There is no charge for the interview session but Friends 7-12 June will need to purchase their own tickets for the performances Cheltenham Science Festival at 2.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m.

1st-17th July Sunday 17th July Cheltenham Music Festival Final Day of Festival Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd July: Schubertiade at Syde. 23rd July Wednesday 6th July: Main Festival starts Deadline for submissions to CMFS Newsletter Friday 8th July Opera Trips with Cheltenham Opera Society 1.30 p.m for 2.00 p.m. Lunch for Benefactors and Friends It is too early to say much about 2016-2017. There will be a at the New Club. trip to Cardiff in September to see Macbeth (Verdi) by A two course menu, a welcome drink and coffee for £26 WNO (date not yet fixed). The Royal Opera House and per head. Details and menu choices are enclosed with this ENO have not yet published their programmes. Newsletter. It is hoped that the musicians performing in the To get on the mailing list for opera trips, send your morning concert will be joining us for lunch. address, phone number and e-mail address to Robert Saturday 9th July Padgett, 14 Century Court, Montpellier Grove, Cheltenham 11 a.m. Pittville Pump Room GL50 2XR, 01242 571802, [email protected]. PREMIERE of CMFS Commissioned work by Jonathan Dove. Played by Melvyn Tan. Education Outreach – Looking back by Philippa Claridge, Education Officer In my pre-Festival missive last year, I mentioned Going for a Song, a music and song-writing project that had just begun in Hesters Way. I thought you might be interested to know how it all panned out.

Led by the very talented young composer and vocal leader Michael Betteridge, the overall aim was to engage local people of all ages in song-writing and performance in order to: • develop musicality and improve their self-confidence • support non-specialist primary teachers to teach music more effectively • achieve an enhanced sense of community through a shared experience • extend our network of partnerships with community organisations in Hesters Way The pupils finding out how their lyrics become songs Michael worked with Year 4 and 5 pupils and their Michael has that enviable ability to connect with people teachers in St Thomas More Primary School and with from all walks of life. His inclusive and thoughtful approach visitors to The Living Room, a drop-in centre that provides meant that, whatever their level of confidence and self- vital support to vulnerable people in the community. esteem, all participants were able to share their experiences, Participants ranged in age from 8 to 95 years old. their thoughts and feelings, and their hopes for the future – 3 Continued on Page 4 17718 CMFS newsletter March 16 8pp.qxp_August 2004 Newsletter 29/02/2016 15:01 Page 4

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resulting in a collection of eleven original songs. Upbeat, project that the school has adopted one of the songs as their wistful, funny, thought-provoking, the collection is a official school song, and that the Living Room group remarkable legacy for the groups, and includes a continue to sing together every fortnight and to write songs. particularly beautiful and affecting song written The groups performed together in Hesters Way Library, collaboratively; it deals with the children’s requests of the Monkscroft Care Home, and also on stage at the Music adults in their lives, and the wisdom and advice for the Festival Family Day in Imperial Gardens. Looking at the children from the adults. It is testament to the success of the participants’ feedback there is no doubting the impact of the project. If I had to choose one bit of feedback that says it all, it would be from an individual at the Living Room who, really quite sceptical about the whole thing at the beginning, metamorphosed into – well, read what he said: ‘In all my life I have never enjoyed anything as much as this event and all of the people.’ If you would like to read more about Going for a Song, there is a full evaluation report on our website, and a link to the songbook: http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/ education/take-part/community-outreach/ Next time I’ll tell you more about the exciting opportunities for schools in this year’s programme – Some of the Living Room group enjoying their performance at including a day with talented young string players and the Music Festival Nicola Benedetti at All Saints’ Academy.

Valerie Hodges – An Appreciation It is rare to hear music by Beethoven, Liszt and Haydn she was borough played in the South Chapel of Cheltenham Cemetery but it councillor for seemed highly appropriate on Tuesday 26th of January as All Saints' Ward. well-wishers gathered to pay their final respects to Valerie Hodges, who from 1977-1986 was secretary of The Friends the.Cheltenham Festival Society – as it was then known. of Cheltenham Minster were “Valerie will be sadly missed, but remembered with grateful for her gratitude and much affection by many,” writes Jo Miller.“I support when do not know how many times over the years I have said to the future of her: 'You are an inspiration to us all.’ She worked tirelessly Cheltenham's for the Festival Society when she was on the committee and only medieval especially so when in the role of secretary. Her musical building was in evenings were very popular and her Bring & Buy mornings doubt, and she brought in a lot of revenue for the Society. However, this “adopted” St was just a fraction of the good work she did for the town.” Mary de Lode's in Gloucester Peter Young recalls that she did good works in a lot more making than music. “I was at her last U3A Music Study class on embroidered 14th December when we held it in her absence, as she had hassocks for the been admitted to hospital the day before. She was a very church. She was splendid person!” She was also a dynamic manager of the also the impetus Prestbury Day Centre in the years before retirement. behind the formation of the Gloucestershire Aviation Collection and her efforts to commemorate the county's Valerie had a passion for music and was always keen to aviation heritage finally reached fruition with the opening of communicate her enthusiasms to others. Another passion the Jet Age Museum at Staverton. was Italian and she embraced the Italian language and culture with zest making several trips to the country and “Throughout her life and despite personal tragedies leading conversation classes in the language under the Valerie remained outgoing, altruistic and driven,” her sister auspices of U3A. She brought a similar sense of Maureen remembers. Her passing will leave a gap in the commitment and energy to civic matters during the 10 years lives of many of us. 4 17718 CMFS newsletter March 16 8pp.qxp_August 2004 Newsletter 29/02/2016 15:01 Page 5

Cheltenham’s Triennial Music Festivals and the first Festival Society Graham Lockwood has been delving into Cheltenham's Victorian past. From 1887 until 1896 music lovers from Cheltenham and The sheer scale of the three day programme in 1887 from further afield were able to enjoy a series of Music made an impression on the reviewers of the Cheltenham Festivals thanks to the initiative of one of the town’s most Looker-On as well as providing them with an opportunity to prominent musicians. John Alexander Matthews had settled take a side swipe at the design of the Winter Gardens. in Cheltenham following his marriage to a Miss Woods in ‘… never, perhaps. have the general public felt so kindly 1866. He was then 25 years old and had just been appointed disposed towards the originators and builders of our organist at the new church built as a temporary measure unsightly Winter Gardens as they did on Tuesday evening from 1859 when the Parish Church of St. Mary’s had been when the whole length of the vast interior was utilised for deemed unsafe and closed pending restoration work. Over the accommodation of the brilliant assembly who occupied the next 60 years Matthews became a leading figure in the it from end to end. The Orchestra also with its countless musical life of Cheltenham and when he died in May 1925 tiers of choralists, and a strong band of instrumentalists, his obituary in the Gloucestershire Echo covered many presented in itself an almost unique and striking spectacle, column inches and was headed ‘Our Musical G.O.M”. the organ, especially erected for Mr. Matthews for the occasion, occupying a conspicuous position in the centre.’ The obituary describes his musical life which had begun well before he settled in Cheltenham. From being a That first festival began with a public rehearsal on the Chorister at Gloucester Cathedral he became an organist, a Monday followed by the first full concert on the Tuesday modest composer and later developed a fine baritone voice and two more concerts on the Wednesday afternoon and good enough for him to perform at the 1857 and 1859 evening. In a remarkable foreshadowing of Cheltenham’s Handel Festivals in the Crystal Palace which had, by then, first post war festival in 1945, the opening concert featured been moved from Hyde Park. The 1857 festival there was a new work conducted by its composer. The recently effectively a rehearsal for the remarkable 1859 Festival knighted Sir Herbert Oakeley who occupied the Reid Chair which celebrated the centenary of Handel’s death. It was of the theory of music at Edinburgh and was also both a exceptional by any standards. The choir alone comprised composer and accomplished organist, conducted his new 2700 singers many of whom were amateurs following the Jubilee Cantata to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen boom in choral singing from the 1830s. There were 450 Victoria’s reign and specially written for the Festival. musicians in the orchestra and the vastness of the Crystal Matthews then took over the baton for a performance of the Palace was needed to house these numbers as well as the large scale choral work by Arthur Sullivan entitled The huge audiences. Over 80,000 people attended the three Golden Legend. Based on a Longfellow poem this performances. composition had been written for the Leeds Festival in the previous year and had already been performed in When Cheltenham’s Winter Gardens were constructed in Cheltenham by Matthews and his choir earlier in 1887. This the late 1870s Matthews must have seen that here was a repeat performance in the festival was well received. venue in which he could hold a music festival that could Another major highlight was a performance of replicate, on a smaller scale, those at the Crystal Palace Mendelssohn’s Elijah on the Wednesday afternoon in the which had continued to flourish after 1859. Cheltenham’s presence of a robed Mayor and Corporation and a full Winter Gardens in Imperial Square did not match the house. According to Cheltenham Looker-On those giving vastness of the Crystal Palace but it had large spaces and the performance came from ‘ …a vocal and instrumental had been constructed with similar materials and design. array of professional talent heretofore unattempted either in Moreover, by 1887, Matthews had accumulated both the the Winter Gardens or the Assembly Rooms’ The orchestra experience and sufficient musical resources to ensure a was said to number 300. The Festival concluded that successful event, especially with his Cheltenham Choral evening with a concert of instrumental works, operatic arias and Orchestral Society which he founded in 1870. This and other songs. society put on many concerts over subsequent years with a strong emphasis on oratorios which had become very Following that initial success Matthews directed two popular with the Victorians. For his choral concerts more festivals in the Winter Gardens in 1890 and 1893. Matthews would secure good professional soloists and Each time the musical resources were advertised as having augment his choir and orchestra with singers and musicians increased from the initial 300 to 400 and 500 respectively from elsewhere. The Society was to be under his baton for and for the choral works the Festival Society choir was over 50 years from that 1870 foundation year. Its name was augmented with choristers from other choral societies in the changed to the Cheltenham Festival Society at the time of County. These impressive forces massed to perform such that first festival in 1887. Unlike our own Society dating works as two versions of Stabat Mater – by Rossini and from 1952, Matthews ensured that its primary purpose was Dvorák respectively. The Messiah featured in both festivals to give performances of choral music but there is and the performance in 1893 was enlivened when the tenor photographic evidence that they enjoyed outings too. soloist cried off at the last moment. It was belatedly realised 5 Continued on Page 6 17718 CMFS newsletter March 16 8pp.qxp_August 2004 Newsletter 29/02/2016 15:01 Page 6

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that his stand-in would be unable to arrive until after the festival was inevitably a scaled down version of the Winter concert finished but the day was saved by a volunteer from Gardens years and it was to be the last under the direction of the choir. Matthews. One recurring theme in the critical reviews of the first three festivals is that the large space of the Winter Gardens was invariably full despite its reputation as a poor venue for serious music. It had major comfort deficiencies and an acoustic that was poor at the best of times. It is hard to judge just how big the audiences would have been and what the seating capacity was after allowing for the space taken up by the choir, orchestra and organ each time. However the numbers were clearly large by Cheltenham standards. For the Music Festivals efforts were made to improve the austere interior. In 1890 the walls were reported as being ‘...beautifully fluted in pale green and pink, the pillars in white, the windows filled with panels painted in classic studies.’ A finishing touch was a line of small fir trees along the length of the walls. In keeping with the pattern established at Birmingham and other early music festivals there was a charitable purpose with a collection taken at the end of each festival to benefit local charities and the civic importance continued to be recognised by the presence of the Mayor and other dignitaries from the Cheltenham Corporation. Matthews received fulsome tributes at the end of each of the Winter Gardens festivals and he went on to direct a fourth tri-ennial festival in early November 1896 but this Photograph of J A Matthews reproduced by kind time it took place in the Assembly Rooms because the future permission of his great-great-granddaughter, Mrs Patricia of the Winter Gardens appears to have been under review Young and was reported as being no longer suitable, for the time Matthews had set a standard for music festivals in being, for large gatherings. Despite the change of venue the Cheltenham that others endeavoured to match at later events festival followed its previous format including new promoted as being of festival status. The current annual compositions commissioned by the festival and each Cheltenham Music Festival held every year since 1945 has, conducted by its composer. These included Morning by of course, not only maintained that standard but built upon it Iliffe, Spanish Scene from Edward Elgar, part songs from H a reputation for excellence and innovation that Matthews J Taylor and a choral work from Herbert Brewer who was would be delighted to see and which we, at CMFS, are here then about to become organist at Gloucester Cathedral. to support. Major traditional works again were featured, notably Mendlessohn’s Elijah, the first part of Haydn’s Creation This article is an extract from a longer version of the and, once more, Sullivan’s Golden Legend. There was a story of Cheltenham’s first Music Festivals appearing in band and choir of 300 performers, and special trains the Cheltenham Local History Society Journal 32 (2016) arranged to augment the audiences. However the fourth to be published April 2016.

News from Here and There The memorial concert for the late George Mathers on Longborough Festival Opera opens on June 9th with Sunday 10th January attracted a large audience and raised Tannhaüser followed by Le nozze di Figaro, Jenufa and over £2,000 for charity. Listeners were treated to an eclectic Handel's Alcina . (www.lfo.org.uk) range of music performed by Christopher Elton, the In Cheltenham itself there are plenty of musical delights Kapsetaki twins (piano) from Crete, Rustem Hayroudinoff, in the run-up to the Music Festival including the Royal the Oriel Singers and professional musicians from George's Philharmonic (April 23rd), the Hallé (May 25th) and the own family. CBSO (June 15th). Other events worth looking out for are News has reached us that tickets for two music festivals the National Youth Wind Ortchestra of GB on April 2nd in the Cotswolds are selling like hot cakes. Angelike (Town Hall), Tamsin Waley-Cohen and Huw Watkins on Kirchschlager, Alfred Brendel and the Borodin Quartet are April 14th (Pittville Pump Room) and the Christian Arts among the musical stars heading for the Chipping Festival at various venues from April 8th to 24th. The Campden Festival which runs from Sunday 8th May until Carducci Quartet will be organising their festival at Saturday 27th May (www.campdenmusicfestival.co.uk). Highnam betweeen May 13th and 15th. 6 17718 CMFS newsletter March 16 8pp.qxp_August 2004 Newsletter 29/02/2016 15:01 Page 7

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Cheltenham Music Festival Society Annual General Meeting: 21st March 2016

Notice is hereby given that the AGM of the Cheltenham Music Festival Society will take place on Monday 21 March 2016 at 5.30pm in the Sanders Room, Cheltenham Ladies College, Cheltenham. (Enter via the Porter's Gate, St George's Road).

AGENDA 1. Welcome 2. Apologies for absence. 3. Minutes of the AGM held on 1 July 2015. 4. Matters arising. 5. Chairman's Report 6. Treasurer's Report and Accounts. The accounts are printed on the previous page of this Newsletter. 7. Appointment of an independent examiner of the accounts. 8. Election of Officers Chairman Honorary Secretary Honorary Treasurer/Membership Secretary 9. Election of THREE committee members. 10. Newsletter. 11. Any other business.

NOTES Nominations for the posts of honorary officers and two committee members should be lodged with the Honorary Secretary, Miss Mary Mackenzie, Rivendell, Hill Lane, Elmley Castle, Pershore, WR10 3HU on the nomination form enclosed with this mailing. Alternatively the completed form can be e-mailed to [email protected]. Nominations should reach the Hon. Secretary at least 48 hours before the start of the Annual General Meeting. Completed nomination forms should include the name of the person proposed for nomination with his/her signature indicating his/her willingness to stand for election to the Committee and should also include the names of the proposer and seconder. The current Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer & Membership Secretary have indicated their willingness to serve for another year. Committee Members are elected for 3 years, and since Mrs Jo Miller and Mr Philip Stapleton will have completed their 3-year periods at the AGM, and Mrs Nicola Lawson is having to tender her resignation so three vacancies arise. A full list of current committee members is provided below.

Cheltenham Music Festival Society Committee Charity No 281044

Chairman: Mr Graham Lockwood. Tel: 01242 524814; [email protected] Honorary Secretary: Miss Mary E Mackenzie. Tel: 01386 710517; [email protected] Rivendell, Hill Lane, Elmley Castle, Pershore WR10 3HU Honorary Treasurer & Membership Secretary: Mrs Jennifer Stapleton. Tel: 01242 692764; [email protected]. 17 Montpellier Terrace, Cheltenham GL50 1UX. Newsletter: Mr Roger Jones. Tel: 01242 515533; [email protected] 43 Arle Road, Cheltenham GL51 8JY Social Events: Mrs Nicola Lawson. Tel: 01242 242064; [email protected] Website Manager: Mr Philip Stapleton. Tel: 01242 692764; [email protected] Committee Members: Mr Christopher Cook: 0207 289 8794; Mrs Jo Miller: 01242 527364; Mr Peter Young: 01242 520459 Mrs Gina Wilson: 01242 580333