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Home , David Willcocks, Philip Ledger

Sir A Musician’s Legacy Philip Ledger with the Alberni Quartet

NI6220 Sir Philip Ledger Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

A Musician’s Legacy At the Royal Conservatoire we are creating the Philip Ledger with the Alberni Quartet future for performance.

We provide vocational education at the highest Alberni String Quartet professional level in dance, drama, music, production, Howard Davis Violin and screen. We offer an extraordinary blend of intensive Peter Pople Violin tuition, world-class facilities, a full performance Matthew Souter Viola schedule, the space to collaborate across the disciplines, David Smith Cello teaching from renowned staff and industry practitioners, and unrivalled professional partnerships.

Philip Ledger Piano We have over 900 students from around the world studying on our specialist undergraduate and SIR EDWARD ELGAR (1857-1934) postgraduate degree programmes. Alongside, we offer Quintet in a minor for piano evening and weekend classes, short courses, summer and string quartet, Op.84 35.23 schools, and a programme of continuing professional 1 Moderato – Allegro 13.54 development. Our Junior Conservatoire for 7-18 year olds nurtures young musical talent and we also organise 2 Adagio 11.12 the Royal Conservatoire Music Centres programme, 3 Andante – Allegro 10.18 bringing music education to over 1000 young people throughout Scotland. ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) Elgar recorded 07.11.2001 / Dvořák recorded 09.11.2001 Piano Quintet No.2 in A major, Op.81 32.36 live in the Matt Thomson Concert Hall at the Our partners include the BBC, Scottish Ballet, Scottish Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. Opera, the National Theatre of Scotland, the Royal 4 Allegro, ma non tanto 9.41 Recorded by Graham Kennedy Scottish National Orchestra, Celtic Connections, 5 Dumka: Andante con moto 12.03 Produced by Bob Whitney Shakespeare’s Globe, Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland and 6 Scherzo (Furiant): molto vivace 3.53 Cover image Reg Wilson of Reg Wilson Photography (London) Classic FM, amongst others. 7 Finale: Allegro 7.04 © 2013 Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Issued under exclusive license to Wyastone Estate Limited We are one of the most prolific performance producers Total 68.05 in Scotland. We create around 600 music, drama, dance, Design by www.0427.co.uk and film events every year featuring our students, staff,

Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and world-leading artists, in our own and external 100 Renfrew Street professional venues, including the Theatre Royal, Glasgow Glasgow, Festival Theatre Edinburgh, Glasgow Royal G2 3DB Concert Halls, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Eden Court +44 (0)141 332 4101 Inverness, Horsecross Perth, Shakespeare’s Globe, the www.rcs.ac.uk Traverse, and the Tron. Philip Ledger’s career as a phenomenal pianist, Alberni String Quartet Sir Philip Ledger - It was therefore quite a surprise when he told conductor, church musician, and A Personal Memoir me he had been appointed to succeed David inspired us all. He could have concentrated Howard Davis Violin by Christopher Bishop Willcocks as Director of Music at King’s College, on any one of these areas and been hugely Peter Popl Violin Cambridge. I’d been producing David’s records successful, but it is clear that each influenced Matthew Souter Viola I knew Philip for fifty years, and we were rather with the famous since 1964, and was and strengthened the other and made him the David Smith Cello like two trains on tracks which sometimes ran slightly worried at the change. Philip told me unique musician that he was. parallel, sometimes lost sight of each other, but years later that he was also rather worried, and The Alberni String Quartet is one of the never actually crashed. I had the pleasure of told David he wasn’t sure he could keep up the William Owen longest established ensembles in the United engaging him as a performer, in all four periods wonderful standard of his psalms. David replied Kingdom. For more than a third of a century of his career. “Of course you can”. And of course he did. Reprinted with kind permission of the Journal of the it has maintained the highest standard of That was my first lesson about the versatility Association of Anglican Musicians performance, and is now recognised as one of Our friendship began in 1961 when he had of Philip. the outstanding chamber music groups of our just been appointed organist of Chelmsford time. Their tours have taken them to all parts of Cathedral. I invited him, through Cambridge The first record he conducted at King’s, in the world, including the Americas, Australasia connections, to give a recital with the March 1974, was of Britten, coupled with and China, where they have been described as clarinettist Gervase de Peyer at the school the first male-voice recording of Leonard “Reflecting the best of British musical tradition”. where I was teaching. The recital was a great Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms. It was a bold success, and the boy who reviewed it for the departure, but one he achieved with great The many recordings made by the Alberni have school magazine wrote: “Mr Ledger deserves panache. The Britten included a version of over the years gained some of the finest critical a great deal of credit for his very sensitive Rejoice in the Lamb with a timpani part which accolades, and they are regular contributors to and beautifully balanced accompaniment had been composed for a performance at the the broadcasting networks. throughout.” He was absolutely right. In spite of , and Philip told me he had Philip’s great achievements in other fields, it has telephoned Britten to get his approval. I was Parallel with their concert giving they always been as a pianist that I think of him first. most impressed. have gained a unique reputation for their educational work with string players of all ages. I saw Philip and his wife Mary from time to While he was at King’s we recorded twelve They are professors at the Royal Academy of time when he was in charge of music at the more LPs, including his brilliant performance Music, Wells Cathedral School and Chetham’s University of East Anglia, while my family had of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with starry School of Music in Manchester. a cottage in north Norfolk. I was by then at soloists: Elly Ameling, , EMI, and the first record I produced with him and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who sent me a They were resident quartet at the then Royal was in January 1973, with the tenor Robert telegram just before the December sessions Scottish Academy of Music and Drama for a Tear. He sang three song cycles by Benjamin which read “Please make sure Cambridge is period of ten years from 1980, giving concerts, Britten, with whom both of them had worked warm”. I knew how Hercules felt. classes and working with the students and extensively. Philip’s playing on that record members of staff. This culminated in their being confirmed my view of him as one of the very My favourite of Philip’s records at King’s was of awarded Fellowships of the Academy. finest accompanists of his generation. Elgar’s Coronation Ode, with the King’s Choir, CUMS chorus, the and Kneller Hall Brass, all making a glorious noise, which I think we managed to capture on disc. Mary for some years, but that was happily Opera was flourishing at the Academy, and He wrote several, and one, Loving Shepherd It was the greatest sadness to me that he was to change in 1988 when I went to Glasgow to Ledger saw the need for a new building for the of thy Sheep, has become especially popular. not well enough to conduct that work again in manage the Scottish National Orchestra, which Opera School. His good friend, Sir Alexander Tim Rogers at Encore Publications encouraged what turned out to be his final visit to King’s in the Queen graciously also made Royal, which Gibson, who had been the conductor of the him to write more , including his March 2012. removed any feelings of jealousy on my part. Scottish National Orchestra and the founder best-selling setting of , and It was a joy for me to have Philip and Mary of Scottish Opera, had died in 1995 and Ledger suggested to Ledger that he write a . Philip soon became an established EMI artist, in the same city, and to be able to enjoy their raised five million pounds for this new building, Ledger was dubious, but was so inspired by and not all the records he made while he hospitality. He would also conduct the RSNO, which opened in 1998 and bears Gibson’s name. the poems of Thomas Traherne (1636/7-1674) was at King’s were with the Chapel Choir. He particularly in his very popular Christmas These wonderful new facilities enabled Ledger that he wrote the very moving Requiem—A conducted the first recording of The Hills by concerts which he introduced with charming to attract more foreign students to the Academy Thanksgiving for Life in 2007. He conducted the with the Cambridge University informality and humour. and to give it a more international reputation. first performance at my church, Christ Church Musical Society Chorus and the London The Academy was not a degree-granting Christiana Hundred in Wilmington, Delaware, Philharmonic Orchestra, and Britten’s Little The fact that Philip had turned his hand to institution, and many schools like it were being on All Saints’ Sunday and at King’s College, Sweep, in which Mary sang the main part of administration with such success should not absorbed into large universities. It was a long Cambridge the next Remembrance Sunday. Rowan delightfully. have surprised me. He was a very determined and arduous ordeal for the principal, but finally man, and brilliant at overcoming difficulties. His the RSAMD was allowed to award degrees, and This was followed by another large work, an Philip and I both sang in ’s Cambridge studies at Cambridge were interrupted when he Ledger bestowed its first one on its patron, the Easter called The Risen Christ, which Madrigal Society in the 1950s. In 1978 Philip got a detached retina, and had to lie in the dark Queen Mother. Ledger had already been made portrays three appearances of Jesus following published the Oxford Book of English for weeks. None the less, he got a double first a CBE in 1985 and was now knighted in the the crucifixion: first to Mary Magdalene at Madrigals, a wonderfully thought-out selection, class degree in music. He had raised £16 million Queen’s Birthday Honours in 1999 for services Christ’s tomb, the second to Cleopas and which has done a great deal to popularise for a wonderful new building for the RSAMD, to music. another disciple on the road to Emmaus, and madrigals. Philip’s somewhat tongue-in-cheek and among its many wonders it has a fine the third to Simon Peter at the Sea of Tiberias. indications of style and tempo cause much concert hall, and a very well-appointed suite Ledger had written some descants, but had The US premiere was given by Cathedral delight to performers. for the Principal. This was used one day by the not done much composing except for I will Voices, under the direction of Jeremy Filsell, Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who was attending lift up mine eyes (first setting), which Oxford at Washington National Cathedral on 7 May, I left EMI in 1979 to manage the Philharmonia a party conference in the hall. He was having a University Press had published when he was at 2011. The first UK performance, which I had Orchestra, and I shall never forget the concert bad hair day, and when Philip was made aware Chelmsford. He had edited two Oxford the honour of attending, was given a day at the Festival Hall when Philip came to of this, with typical gentle tact he lent him a can books for treble voices, and The Oxford Book later by the Choir of , conduct a searing account of Britten’s Sinfonia of hair-lacquer which was kept in a drawer in of English Madrigals, which Christopher Morris conducted by David Flood during . da Requiem. So intense was it that a man in the his desk. It belonged to Mary, of course. at OUP had told him would keep him and his The first liturgical performance was conducted next row to me died of a heart attack. Philip, family in “sherry and biscuits for the rest of by Ledger later in the month with the Choir of with his back to the audience knew nothing Very shortly afterwards, (there was no your life.” He did begin to do more arranging Christ’s College, Cambridge. Ledger’s final large of this until he was told by a helpful woman connection) Philip received his knighthood in the when he was at King’s, and this continued work is a Christmas cantata entitled This Holy afterwards. birthday honours of June 1999. By a lucky chance, during his years in Scotland. Child, and he also wrote a lovely lullaby for his the next day I went up to Edinburgh to give a granddaughter Becky (daughter of Kate and In 1982 Philip left King’s to become Principal talk to the Scottish Elgar Society and the day While Ledger was at the RSAMD, the Lorenz Bob Chilcott), which is a setting called Matthew, of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and after I went through to Glasgow to be graciously Corporation approached him about writing an Mark, Luke and John, subtitled ‘A Child’s Prayer Drama. I therefore saw very little of him and received by Sir Philip and Lady Ledger. anthem for church of average ability. from Norfolk’. Several of the boys said, “We don’t do these – Ledger attended the Memorial Service of Sir We had a lovely celebratory lunch. It gave me we sing the Willcocks ones!” Ledger was unsure John Dykes Bower at St Paul’s Cathedral in 1981 great pleasure when they managed to get down as to how to deal with this difficult situation, but and saw Sir David Lumsden, who was leaving to Suffolk to stay with me once or twice after I’d his head chorister saved the day and said, “Shut the post of Principal of the Royal Scottish retired there. In 2001, Philip and Mary retired up! Don’t you know that it is traditional for each Academy of Music and Drama (now the Royal to the Cotswolds, and were able to be near both Director of Music to write his own descants?” I Conservatoire of Scotland). He asked Ledger if their children, Tim and Kate. We used to meet have often thought that boy should have a high he might be interested in a move, and Ledger in the Cotswolds, often at New Year for very position in international diplomacy! Ledger decided to consider it. jolly parties. Philip, Mary and I always made made four or five recordings each year during each other laugh, and even when I visited him his time at King’s, but two are especially worth It was obviously a very difficult decision, but in hospital just before he died, the spark of his mentioning. One was the Christmas Oratorio he felt he was ready for a new and different dry wit was still there. with a stunning roster of soloists: Elly Ameling, challenge and there was a strong possibility of a Janet Baker, Robert Tear, and Dietrich Fischer- new building for the Academy as it approached Philip Ledger, the man I had first known as a Dieskau. The other was the Elgar Coronation its 150th anniversary. Moving to Scotland in pianist, revealed himself as a fine choir trainer Ode with the King’s College Choir, Cambridge 1982 was a real culture shock – as one of the and orchestral conductor, and then as a brilliant University Music Society, Philharmonia RSAMD Chairmen pointed out, when Ledger administrator and fund-raiser. But in retirement Orchestra, and the Band of the Royal Military was in Cambridge, a treble was a boy singer; there was one more trick up his sleeve; he School of Music, Kneller Hall. Ledger loved the now in Glasgow a treble was a large whiskey! turned to composing. sound, but thought the chapel might fall—he Glasgow had a great resilience – it was the said the sound generated sheer animal fear! 1990 European City of Culture. It had an opera He had made fine arrangements of carols and company, the Scottish National Orchestra, the other choral music, but this was real composing While at King’s, Ledger also served as BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and a large on the blank page. When he told me about it, conductor of the Cambridge University Musical number of professional players and singers. he was very self-deprecating, and it wasn’t till Society (CUMS), which gave him the wonderful Under Ledger’s leadership, the opportunity I heard the recording he made with the Choir opportunity of performing major works with for the new building was soon realized with a of Christ’s College that I realised what beautiful a large, young chorus. In working with a large beautifully designed facility consisting of four and original sounds he had created, particularly chorus such as CUMS, he often needed to auditoria, a concert hall, theatre, studio theatre, in his Requiem, A Thanksgiving for Life. encourage them and be a combination of a television studio, and first class rehearsal and clown and a bully. On the other hand, he treated practice rooms. The Queen Mother came in And what a wonderful life it was! How grateful I the King’s Choir as professionals. The choristers 1988 to open the new building, and Ledger am to have been one of his friends. learned the discipline of meeting deadlines at conducted a concert which concluded with a a young age – they would learn a piece in the set of Scottish folk songs arranged by Robert Christopher Bishop morning and be ‘on parade’ with it at Evensong Chilcott (one of his former King’s Choral that very afternoon. Scholars and now son-in-law!), ending with ‘Will ye no come back again?’.

Britten and Holst both felt Ledger was the right After the performance, which went very well, person to be director of music and dean of the the Dean informed Ledger that the position was School of Fine Arts and Music. He started in indeed opening, and he hoped Ledger would October of 1965 with two students in music, allow King’s to consider him for the post. He and oversaw the completion of a first class new was appointed Director of Music in 1974. Ledger building. Ledger built up the choral tradition felt the position was awe-inspiring, and that there and developed a large choir for both King’s was running at peak and in fact could the city and the university. His association only get worse! with Britten, , and Imogen Holst continued, and in 1968 Ledger was invited to However, he remembered that whenever join the three of them as an artistic director you put any two people in front of a choir, of the Aldeburgh Festival. He conducted the sound will be different. Willcocks had and played regularly in the wonderful Snape achieved a pure tone, perfect intonation, and Maltings concert hall, including the opening perfect ensemble. Ledger’s long experience concert after it was rebuilt following its in chamber music and accompanying singers destruction by fire. Ledger played many would naturally bring a different approach. His first performances for Britten, and was the wonderful sensitivity to the shape of musical continuo player on Britten’s recordings of phrases had a great impact on the singing of Bach and Purcell. At Aldeburgh, he had the the choir, and its sound during the Ledger years opportunity of working with some of the top was unique. He started in January, and made musicians in the world. Ledger has often said his first recording that March – the Bernstein that these years at the University of East Anglia Chichester Psalms and the Britten Rejoice in and his work with Britten at Aldeburgh were the Lamb. People have often asked about the some of the happiest of his life. In 1976, when timpani/percussion part used on that recording Britten died, Ledger played for his funeral in in Rejoice in the Lamb. Britten had written it Aldeburgh Parish Church, including in the for a performance where the organ was limited, service a performance of Britten’s only solo but never really liked it. However, he allowed organ work, Prelude and Fugue on a Theme Ledger to use it for this recording, but never of Vittoria, written for St Matthew’s Church, permitted it to be used again. Northampton in 1946. The first real test for Philip Ledger was the high In 1973, there were rumours that profile Festival of , was going to leave King’s College and go to which is broadcast live around the world every London to be the new director of the Royal . He decided to write some of his College of Music. Ledger returned home one own descants for the service, and distributed day, and Mary told him to call King’s immediately copies of them to the boys at their 8 a.m. because David was ill and they needed him to rehearsal. come and conduct Haydn’s The Creation. In a chorus rehearsal, Ledger was trying to get and drove over to Chelmsford with Thurston Dart Sir Philip Ledger – Philip’s twenty years in Scotland were the the chorus to sing with more enthusiasm and in and Philip Radcliffe. Bob Tear was the best man. A Life of Indomitable Achievement crowning glory of a life of indomitable better tune, so he was filling out the chords in Imogen Holst presented the young couple with By John Wallace CBE achievement. During his time as Principal, Copland’s sparse and open harmonies.Copland a copy of Sweelinck’s organ music—that has to be he built an entire new Conservatoire, gained was present, and came up to Ledger and said, one of the strangest wedding presents of all time! When Sir Philip Ledger handed on the degree awarding powers from the Privy “Say Ledger, why don’t you play what I’ve custodianship of the Royal Scottish Academy Council, and built the Sir Alexander Gibson written instead of what I implied!” Ledger’s long association with of Music and Drama to me in 2002 he had Opera School. began with an introduction by Imogen Holst, been my patient mentor as Principal-in-Waiting Ledger auditioned and selected Mary Erryl Wells who had conducted a concert Ledger played in over the previous seven months. His chief He assembled a prodigious senior team – Bunty for the soprano lead, Laurie, and a strong bond with the English Chamber Orchestra. advice lay in the political aspects of curating Fowler (Director of Finance), Rita McAllister developed between the two of them throughout an institution which was a white-hot artistic (Director of Music), and Edward Argent this performance, an occasion which was fraught Britten wanted to conduct the St John Passion environment of creative genius. Philip had the (Director of Drama) who carried all before with difficulties with the set, lighting, and staging. in 1963, and she suggested Ledger to play the gift of great clarity of thought and simplicity of it. In 1987 they finished building the finest At the end of it Ledger said to her, “If we could harpsichord. Britten told him afterwards he communicating the intent of that thought. Conservatoire facilities in Europe for Music and get through that performance together, we could was a ‘rock’, and many performances followed Drama on a single campus. On the same street – get through life!” – in 1964, Burning Fiery Furnace In a nutshell, his advice to me was fourfold: Renfrew Street – as the great and world-famous in 1966, and the Prodigal Son in 1968. Ledger Rennie Macintosh building of the Glasgow Upon graduation from Cambridge, Ledger was has said many times that Britten was the finest Listen: make only one decision a day School of Art, and next door to the Theatre appointed to Chelmsford Cathedral in 1961, musician with whom he ever worked, and Royal, home of Scottish Opera. The architect was becoming, at age twenty-four, the youngest that he had never met a musician like him – Keep the momentum towards a One Academy Sir Leslie Martin, architect of the Royal Festival cathedral organist in Britain. Chelmsford charismatic, ruthless, expressive, and one who philosophy between the disciplines of Drama Hall in London. Two years later, Martin’s Royal operated as a parish church cathedral, always knew exactly what he wanted. and Music Concert Hall, built for Glasgow European City functioning as a cathedral all week and then as of Culture 1990, opened on the same Renfrew a parish church on Sundays. His Bach could be a bit unusual; it was very Aim for absolute excellence in performance Street, a veritable Avenue of the Arts. Martin’s passionate, dramatic, and romantic, but totally – the RSAMD was not a University – it was a iconic conservatoire building is often compared One of the highlights of his time at Chelmsford convincing. He once said to Ledger, “I’m going Conservatoire to ‘the Tardis’, because of its endlessness inside, was a visit on Maundy Thursday by the Queen to Venice – it’s about my new opera (Death in and it continues to take the breath of visitors to distribute the Maundy money. The Cathedral Venice). I’ve written it, but I haven’t written it In the internationalism brokered through away, as they explore its matchless facilities Choir was joined by the choir of the Chapel down.” recent breakthroughs in digital technology lay and experience the wonderful acoustics and Royal, whose director told Ledger he would the future of the Conservatoire intimate ambience of its beautiful performance conduct and Ledger would play Zadok the Priest, Britten was a wonderful pianist, and Ledger venues. All masterminded by Philip and his and then Ledger would conduct and he would played duets with him – music by Percy Philip was a restless, striving person – he would peerless team. The cost: just over 14 million play Wesley’s ‘Wash me throughly’. Ledger Grainger. Britten played the lower part so he move mountains to achieve his object – not pounds at the time, and probably an eye- definitely got the worst end of that deal – the had control of the damper pedal! for him settling down to the mediocrity of the watering amount in 2013 equivalence. Duke of Edinburgh told Ledger afterwards that Six new universities were established in status quo. He transmitted this gene to his he enjoyed his five-finger exercise! He and Mary the United Kingdom, one of which was the successor. Wells were married the following Monday in the University of East Anglia in Norwich, founded Cathedral – David Willcocks played the organ, in 1963. Philip was way ahead of his time in many ways. and included a major theatre studio for drama Philip Ledger or offending chord or note as he would exclaim He was single-minded about parity of esteem and opera rehearsals and performances in the By William Owen a swear word. Hadley became an important between Conservatoire music and drama and round, seating 180 audience members. influence and arranged for Ledger to meet John the Arts, Humanities and Sciences as taught So – what the present-day staff and students Philip Ledger was born on 12 December 1937 Ireland and play his piano concerto to him. in the University Sector. He was convinced enjoy on a daily basis is down to the single- on the south coast of England in Bexhill- that the RSAMD should have its own degrees minded energy and focus and leadership on-Sea to a musical family – his grandfather Ledger continued to develop his piano playing, that were every bit as credible as a degree qualities of Sir Philip Ledger. His ability to lead was a church organist, his mother studied performing both the Grieg and Ireland piano from a University. But it had never been done a team from the front is the stuff of legend and singing, and his father played the piano. He concertos with the Cambridge University before. However, this was an added attraction much mythology in Glasgow. sang in the church choir and won prizes and Musical Society (CUMS). He discovered the joys to Philip’s get-up-and-go attitude. A degree- gold medals for his piano playing in grammar of chamber music, playing regularly for the awarding-powers task group – the Drymen This CD release celebrates Philip Ledger’s school, deciding not to study the organ until he Selwyn Music Society, accompanying some of Group – was set up in 1992, and two years later pianism and his musicianship, which were had received a diploma in piano playing – the the finest instrumentalists of the day such as after much serial burning of the midnight oil, never eclipsed by his vision of the future of associateship of the Gervase de Peyer (clarinet) and Barry Tuckwell the RSAMD became the first small specialist the performing arts and the operational and (ARCM) at age fifteen! Ledger came to King’s (horn) as well as countertenor Alfred Deller. institution in the UK to gain its own degree administrative skills which he brought to the College, Cambridge not as an organ or choral awarding powers through the Privy Council. conservatoire scene in the UK. scholar, but as a major scholar in music. Boris Eventually, when the Melos Ensemble needed Philip liked being first. Once he started there Ord, then organist at King’s, had auditioned a pianist, Ledger learned and played half of was no stopping him. The RSAMD became Following the same trajectory as Philip’s him for a choral scholarship (which included their repertoire. He especially enjoyed playing unique in Europe. It blazed a trail for other original vision of One Academy, the Royal singing an aria from the Bach cantata Christ lag for fellow King’s undergraduate Robert Tear, institutions to follow. Scottish Academy of Music and Drama changed in Todesbanden, in the Chapel), but Ord said he whom he accompanied in concerts and its name to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland was ‘shouting in his chapel,’ and suggested that recordings throughout Tear’s career, and Then, of course, as soon as a new building is in 2011. The RCS is to name a performance he go and have some singing lessons and come later, the important recordings he made with complete, institutions tend to run out of space. space the Sir Philip Ledger Recital Room in ‘his’ back. Ledger finally won Boris Ord’s respect Janet Baker. Ledger’s study of the harpsichord Artistic geniuses have to be hungry caterpillars Renfrew Street building, and is also setting up a with his piano playing, and had described Ord began at this time, and he learned the craft of on a daily basis to turn into beautiful butterflies. Scholarship Fund in his memory. as being fierce, charismatic, kind, tough, and continuo playing, becoming one of the most And so, right after degree-awarding powers a man who ‘just made music,’ the stylish players of his generation. He performed were gained the team of Philip, Bunty, Rita, Professor John Wallace CBE King’s College Choir with only one finger. and recorded regularly with Benjamin Britten, and by now, a new Director of Drama, Vladimir Principal Neville Marriner and the Academy of St Martin- Mirodan, and Dean of Drama, Russell Boyce Royal Conservatoire of Scotland While at Cambridge, Ledger also came under in-the-Fields, and Pinchas Zukerman and the built, for 5.4 million pounds, an extension to the influence of David Willcocks, Thurston Dart, English Chamber Orchestra. the rear of the Sir Leslie Martin Building, The Philip Radcliffe, and Patrick Hadley. Hadley was Sir Alexander Gibson Opera School. This was a loveable but sad man who had lost a leg in Ledger began conducting while at Cambridge, a major ensemble facility full of light (it always World War I and was in great pain. Ledger says and tackled the fiendish Tippett Concerto reminds me of the ‘Let there be light’ C major he had an innate sense of ‘what is right’. You for Double String Orchestra with CUMS, a chord in Haydn’s Creation when I step into it would present him with a composition and, as recording of which still exists. Raymond from the relative darkness of the Drama and he looked it over, he would make grunting noises Leppard suggested that the University Opera Music corridors in the Martin Building) with with his pointed finger circling in the air. At last Group perform Aaron Copland’s opera, The larger volume rehearsal and teaching spaces, the finger would descend on the inappropriate Tender Land, which Ledger conducted. Sir Philip Ledger A Musician’s Legacy Philip Ledger with the Alberni Quartet NI 6220

& © 2013 Royal Conservatoire of Scotland & © 2013 Royal 9.41 3.53 11.12 7.04 10.18 13.54 Made in the UK by Nimbus Records by in the UK Made licence to Issued under exclusive Estate Limited Wyastone www.wyastone.co.uk 12.03 35.23 32.36 Total 68.05 Total

Dumka: Andante con moto vivace molto (Furiant): Scherzo Finale: Allegro Andante – Allegro ma non tanto Allegro, – Allegro Moderato ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841-1904) SIR EDWARD ELGAR (1857-1934)

5 6 7 3 Op.81 in A major, Piano Quintet No.2 4 Quintet in a minor for piano piano Quintet in a minor for and string quartet, Op.84 1 2 Adagio Sir Philip Ledger Ledger Sir Philip Legacy A Musician’s Philip Ledger with the Alberni Quartet

Sir Philip Ledger A Musician’s Legacy Philip Ledger with the Alberni Quartet NI6220