The Evolution of the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra 1926–1954
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Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin Doctoral Applied Arts 2017-3 The Evolution of the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra 1926–1954 Patrick Joseph Kehoe Technological University Dublin Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/appadoc Part of the Audio Arts and Acoustics Commons, Ethnomusicology Commons, and the Radio Commons Recommended Citation Kehoe, P. J. (2017) The Evolution of the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra 1926–1954. Doctoral thesis, DIT, 2017. This Theses, Ph.D is brought to you for free and open access by the Applied Arts at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License The Evolution of the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra 1926–1954 Patrick Joseph Kehoe, BA, BMus Thesis for the degree of PhD Dublin Institute of Technology Head of Academic Research: Dr Kerry Houston Academic Supervisor: Dr Mark Fitzgerald Conservatory of Music and Drama March 2017 Abstract 2RN, later to be re-named Radio Éireann, the Dublin-based Irish state broadcasting station, was established in 1926, and in that year it engaged five string players and a pianist to constitute the ‘Station Orchestra’. This chamber ensemble was incrementally enlarged over the following years by the recruitment of additional string players together with brass, woodwind and percussion. The ‘Orchestra’ performed a wide range of different kinds of music and was augmented to provide broadcasts of symphony concerts. In the late 1940s it was decided to bring the Orchestra up to symphonic strength, to devote it solely to art music, and to establish a smaller ensemble for lighter music. The outcome was the establishment of the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra (hereinafter referred to as ‘RÉSO’) in 1948 with a contract strength of sixty-two musicians. At that level it still had significant instrumental deficits, but by 1954 these were remedied, and by that stage also a Principal Conductor and an Assistant Conductor had been recruited. As the broadcasting service was an integral part of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, the cost of the orchestra was under the constant scrutiny of the Department of Finance, and approval from the latter Department was required for the expenditure of even trivial monetary amounts. This thesis is the first academic treatment of the early history of the RÉSO and predecessor ensembles at Radio Éireann. It explores the evolution of the radio orchestra over the years 1926 to 1954, and examines how the social, cultural, bureaucratic and political contexts within which decisions were made affected the development, constitution and operational policies of the Radio Éireann Orchestra during the period mentioned in the title. The thesis also includes a near-comprehensive listing of symphony concerts given by the RÉSO and predecessor ensembles during the period 1926–1954. i Declaration I certify that this thesis which I now submit for examination for the award of Ph D, is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others, save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work. This thesis was prepared according to the regulations for graduate study by research of the Dublin Institute of Technology and has not been submitted in whole or in part for another award in any other third level institution. The work reported on in this thesis conforms to the principles and requirements of the DIT's guidelines for ethics in research. DIT has permission to keep, lend or copy this thesis in whole or in part, on condition that any such use of the material of the thesis be duly acknowledged. Signature __________________________________ Date 3 March 2017 Candidate: Patrick J. Kehoe. ii Acknowledgements Firstly, I wish to record my sincere thanks to my academic supervisor, Dr Mark Fitzgerald, whose continuing encouragement, support and advice over many years has sustained me in this research project. His constructive criticism has helped greatly to improve the direction of research and the drafting of the text. Any defects, by way of factual errors, poor judgments, or stylistic deficiencies or infelicities are solely my responsibility. In the course of preparing the thesis I interviewed a number of musicians who performed with the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra and predecessor ensembles during the time span covered by this work: Máire Larchet, Sheila Larchet, the late Victor Malir, Eileen Parfrey and Teddy Pritzel. These interviews provided me with valuable insights into the lives of the orchestral performers, and for those who immigrated to Ireland to join the orchestra, the factors which impelled them to move to this country. I also benefitted from interviews with relatives of deceased members of the orchestra: Isabella Evangelisti, Evelyn Nachstern, Enda O Coineen, Deirdre Ryan Galassi, and Professor Corinna Salvadori Lonergan. Much was gained too from interviews with Andreja Malir, Brian O’Rourke and Evelyn O’Sullivan. I have availed of the services of various libraries and archives. First in this regard I must acknowledge the assistance given to me by Brian Lynch, formerly of the Archives Department of RTÉ. Ellen O’Flaherty of the Trinity Manuscripts and Archives Research Library has been most helpful, as have Gráinne Doran of the Wexford County Archive, Philip Shields of the Library of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Noelle Dowling of the Dublin Diocesan Archive, Penny Woods former librarian of the Russell Library at Maynooth University, and Gerard Whelan, librarian of the Royal Dublin Society. Thanks iii are also due to the staffs of the following facilities: the DIT Libraries in Rathmines and Aungier St, the Library of Trinity College Dublin, the National Library, the National Archives and the Military Archive. I wish to thank Dr Catherine Ferris for inviting me to present a paper, ‘Fair Days, Chocolate, and Music: The Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra 1948–1955’ at a DIT Symposium in April 2013. I also thank the Association of Franco-Irish Studies for providing me with the opportunity to give a paper on the French conductor Jean Martinon at the annual conference of the association in the National Concert Hall in May 2014. Thanks are due to the organisers of the DIT Conservatory of Music and Drama April 2016 conference ‘Music in Ireland: 1916 and Beyond’ for giving me a platform to present a paper ‘Easter 1926, Easter 1936, Easter 1946: The Long Gestation of the Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra’, and to the Society for Musicology in Ireland for accommodating my paper, ‘Brass, Balance, and Bureaucracy: the Radio Éireann Orchestra in the 1930s’, in the programme for the Ninth Annual Postgraduate Students’ Conference in Trinity College Dublin in January 2016. Others who have helped me in various ways include Professor Barra Boydell, John Kehoe, Frieda McGrath, the late Etaín Ó Síocháin, Dr Ruth Stanley and John Swift. Lastly, I wish to record my warm thanks to my wife Celia, who first encouraged me to study music, and who created a supportive environment for my scholarly endeavours. I dedicate this thesis to her with love and gratitude. iv List of Abbreviations BBC British Broadcasting Company/Corporation bn bassoon cl clarinet DIB Dictionary of Irish Biography EMIR Encyclopaedia of Music in Ireland fl flute GAA Gaelic Athletic Association INTO Irish National Teachers Organization NAI National Archives of Ireland ob oboe RÉSO Radio Éireann Symphony Orchestra RIAM Royal Irish Academy of Music RTÉ RTÉ Written Archive tpt trumpet UCC University College Cork UCD University College Dublin v Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 4 Primary Sources ...................................................................................................................... 5 Literature Review ................................................................................................................... 7 Methodology and Structure ................................................................................................. 14 Chapter One: Context .............................................................................................................. 19 Broadcasting and its Potential ............................................................................................. 19 Budgetary Considerations .................................................................................................... 24 Music and Ideology ............................................................................................................... 26 Chapter Two: Beginnings ......................................................................................................... 30 Irish Times Editorial and Press Criticism of 2RN .............................................................. 31 Relationship between Posts and Telegraphs, and Finance ................................................ 33 First Public Symphony Concerts ......................................................................................... 35 The Beecham Concerts ......................................................................................................... 40 Concert Held on 6 November 1931 .....................................................................................