The Creel - MusicWeb · 2015-05-19 · The Creel Journal of The Rawsthorne Trust and The Friends of Alan Rawsthorne Volume 7, Number 1 Issue Number 22 Summer 2011 Contents Editorial

The CreelJournal of The Rawsthorne Trust and The Friends of Alan Rawsthorne

Volume 7, Number 1 Issue Number 22 Summer 2011

THE_CREEL_VOL7_N1.indd 1 1/7/11 08:21:18

The CreelJournal of The Rawsthorne Trust and The Friends of Alan Rawsthorne

Volume 7, Number 1 Issue Number 22 Summer 2011

Contents

Editorial 5

InSearchofAlanRawsthorneJohn Amis 7

AlanRawsthorneandStCeciliaJohn Turner 16

EditorialDisclosuresJohn Belcher 23

RawsthorneFilmsonDVDAndrew Knowles 42

FundinginaToughEconomicClimateAndrew Mayes 45

NewTrustees 46

Rawsthorne:liveperformances2009–2011 47

OxfordReunion2011 52

PublishedbyTheRawsthorneTrust2011

THE_CREEL_VOL7_N1.indd 2-3 1/7/11 08:21:19

�

Editorial

WelcomebacktoThe Creel–Iwouldsaytotheall-newCreel,exceptthatwehavegonetosomelengthstomakeitlookliketheoldone,forthesakeofcontinuity.Productionmethodsaredifferentnow,however:digitalprinting,asopposedtooffsetlithography,makespossibleshorterruns,flexibleextents–andcolourprinting,whererequired,atnoextracost.

Thesuccessionoftwenty-oneissuesceasedsuddenlyin2007afterVolume6,No.1.Lookingback,onecanseethatavolumeusedtocoverfouryears,andthattherewouldnormally(butnotnecessarily)befourissuesinavolume.Sincewearenowin2011,itisclearthatwemustleaveVolume6–withitssingleissue–behind,andembarkforthwithuponVolume7.

Butsurelythereasongivenforthecessationwasthatthesupplyofsuitablematerialhaddriedup?Hassomethingchanged–hasahoardofnewfactsaboutRawsthorne,oracacheoflostworks,cometolight?Sadlyno,butsincethelastCreelwehavewitnessedtheremarkableburstofsustainedcreativitydisplayedbyJohnBelcher(whoseautobiographicalarticlewewelcomeinthepresentissue)inexpandinghisnewsletterThe Sprattofillthevoid,andindoingsosomehowproducingnotjustthethreeissuesthatmighthavebeenexpected,butnofewerthannine,mostlyofasizecomparablewiththeaverageCreel.Indoingthis,heshowedthatmaterialisnotafterallimpossibletocomeby–especiallyifyouarepreparedtowritemostofityourself:there’stherub.

Athisfinaltrustees’meeting,JohnexpressedhiswishthatThe Creelshouldhenceforthbereborn.Iwasthesecondnewesttrustee,andwithoutportfolio,whereastheactualnewest(AndrewMayes)hadalreadysucceededtothepostoftreasurer.TheonlyjustificationformyexistencewasthatItooktheminutesofthetrustees’meetings,andalthoughIdidthiswithmightandmain,itdidn’tseemmuchintheschemeofthings.Ineededajob,andsoIwasforthwithwaftedbyafavouringgaleintothelong-vacantpostofCreeleditor–Ko-Ko,youmightsay,inthemightyshadowofJohn’sPooh-Bah.

Which,withalittlecontrivance,bringsmetomynextpoint.IfyouhaveseenthefilmTopsy-TurvyyoumayrememberthatatonepointRichardD’OylyCartedeclares:‘I’mnotinthebusinessofrevivals.’‘Youarenow,’snapsbackJimBroadbentintheguiseofW.S.Gilbert.Imentionthisinreferencetothefactthattwooutofourthreemainarticlesareinfactreprints.ForthisImakeonlyminimalapology,forneitherofthemhasappearedinThe Creelbefore,orThe Spratforthatmatter,andbothareextraordinarilyworthytodoso.JohnAmisneedsnointroductiontothereadership,andhisblendoflongexperienceandsubtlewitmakeawelcomeaperitiftothisbilloffare.JohnTurner’sarticle(wemadearulethatyoucouldnothaveanarticleinthisissueunlessyournamewaseitherJohnorAndrew)wasinanycasewrittenforusinthefirstplace.BecauseJB’sabilitytocreatematerialwassofecund,hewasunabletofindroomforitinthelastofhisnineSprats,soJTputitinManchester Sounds8(publishedthisspring)instead.EveryoneknowsthatJohnisaprofessional

Thecopyrightsinindividualarticlesareheldbytheauthors.

Theopinionsexpressedinindividualarticlesarethoseoftheauthors,andmaynotnecessarilyrepresentthoseoftheRawsthorneTrust.

Photocredits:P.2©DouglasGlass;p.7everyefforthasbeenmadetotracethecopyrightholder,withoutsuccess;p.12©JohnBlake;p.22©MichaelSmith

PrintedbyInformationPress,Eynsham,Oxford.www.informationpress.com

The Rawsthorne Trust

President:JohnBelcher

Trustees:MaryannDavisonMartinEllerbyAndrewKnowlesChairman and AdministratorAndrewMayesTreasurerMartinThackerJohnTurner

The Creel

Editor:MartinThackerDesign:SarahCauwood MichaelSmith

Contributions and copy to the editor at:[email protected]

ISSN0963–0244

The Friends of Alan Rawsthorne (ThepromotionalandeducationalarmoftheRawsthorneTrust)

President:JohnMcCabe,CBE

Vice-President:GerardSchurmann

‘Friends’ membership enquiries to:AndrewKnowles30FloridaAvenueHartfordHuntingdonCambsPE291PYTelephone:014804�6931email:[email protected]


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recorderplayer,andthathewasarespectedsolicitorformanyyears,butitishispassionforcollectingthatseemstobeinfluencinghiswritingatthemoment.Musicalinstrumentsandprintedandmanuscriptmusicarewhathedelightstounearth,andwhenhegetsholdofsomethinggoodhefindsoutallthereistoknowaboutitandwritesitup–inthiscaseproducingsomethingweareinsoreneedof:genuinelynewinformationaboutRawsthorne’sactivities.LookingatthedatabaseofrecipientsofThe Creel,IseethatsomearealsosubscriberstoManchester Sounds,andsowillalreadyhavehadtheJAandJTarticles,leavingonlytheinterestingcontributionsbyJBandthetwoAndrewstodivertyou.Beconsoled:atleastthejournalyouwerepayingforcarriedthearticlesfirst.Ifithadbeentheotherwayround,youmighthavehadcauseforcomplaint.

OnthatsamelistofCreelreaders,IrecognisethenamesofpeopleIhavemetasaresultofbeingaRawsthornetrusteeandattendingtheannualreunions;namesofpeopleIhavenotmetbuthaveheardofforvariousreasons,includingthefactthatsomeofthemareveryeminent;andnamesofpeopleIusedtoknowasaperkofhavingbeenattheHenryWatsonMusicLibraryforsomanyyears,butwithwhomIhavenotbeenintouchforawhile.ToallthesecategoriesofreaderIsendawarmgreeting,insomecasesfromarespectfuldistance,buttothelast-mentionedgroupIamparticularlypleasedtobeabletosay‘helloagain!’

MartinThacker

In Search of Alan Rawsthorne

John AmisJohn Amis wrote this article to mark the 2005 centenary of Rawsthorne’s birth. It originally appeared in Manchester Sounds vol. 6 (2005–6), and is reprinted by permission of the trustees of the Manchester Musical Heritage Trust.

The Rawsthorne Trust approached me in the early1990s about writing a biography of Rawsthorne.‘Whatagoodidea’,Ithought;thereisoneneeded,I likedAlanandhismusic,knewpeoplewhoknewhim–andasumofmoneywasofferedwhichseemedagreeable…in factI thoughtof it in termsofoneofAlan’sfavouritephraseswhichI’dheardsooftenfromhim:‘Timeenough forthatsortofthing.’IwastowriteaboutAlan’slife,JohnMcCabewoulddealwiththemusic–couldn’thaveanybodybetter,Johnknowsthemusicbackwards,morethananybody.

The Trust and I met, and a list of names andaddresses was handed over. ‘Here, they all knew

Alan, you’ll want to go and see them, won’t you?’Yesindeed,andthisarticleisanaccountofverypleasanttimesIhaddoingtherounds.MisgivingssoonsetinbutI’llcometothembyandby.

OneofthefirstandmostrevealingencounterswaswithMarion Leigh,widowofthecomposerWalterLeigh,whosetalentwascutshortwhenhewaskilledintheSecondWorldWar.AfterAlanlefthisfirstwife,theviolinistJessieHinchliffe,helivedforseveralyearswithMarion,whoworkedasanexecutiveintheNationalFilmBoardofCanada,aslim,attractive,vivaciouslady;eveninadvancedyears(shewasbornin1912)shewasbrightandcheerfulbutsufferingseverelyfromlossofmemory.Afterafewminutesshesaid,‘ThegreatthingaboutAlanwas,hewasverysecretive.’Shekeptreturningtothisobservation.Shespokeofherchildren,twoofwhom–VeronicaandJulian–weregoodfriendsofmine:Veronicaisaviolist, living inNewYorkwithher psychiatrist husband, and Julian, sadly nolongerwithus,wasacomposerwholivedinLancaster.Thereisalsoasecondson,Andrew,forlongamanagerattheOldVic,butIdon’tknowhimsowell.Heisverynicenowbutwasn’tsoyearsearlieratoneChristmaslunchIspentwiththeLeighsinBrewerStreet,Soho,whenhetreatedmetoawhoopeecushion,putlittleroundmetalobjectsinmypetitspoisandperpetratedotherdelightsuntilMarion remarked, ‘Mygoodness,hedoes seem tohave takenadislike toyou,doesn’the?’ButbynowMarioncouldnotremembermuchaboutAlanexcepthissecretiveness–leadingmetobelievethattheirpartingwasnotsuchsweetsorrow.AfterIleftherSohoflatIwaswalkingdownthestreetwhenIheardasummoning


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whistle; itwasMarionleaningoutofherwindowshouting,‘John,comeback,I’vejustrememberedsomethingimportant.’Iclimbedthestairsagainonlyforhertotellmeoncemore,‘ThegreatthingaboutAlanwas,hewasverysecretive.’ThisinterviewwasrevealinginthatIrealisedthatmostofAlan’sfriendswerenowveryoldandlikelytohaveinfirmmemories.

Thisproved tobe thecasewith thecomposeraLan Bush,whocould recallnothingofhisearlyBerlinmeetingswithARintheir studentdays,noranyoftheirseveralvisitstogetherbehindtheIronCurtain.ARadmiredABgreatlyand,ifhelikedastudentwantingtuition,wouldalwaysadvisehimorhertogotoAB.AB’smemory,alas,wasdownpracticallytonil;ratherpathetically,thiscommunistthroughthickandthinwasunawareevenofthedismantlingoftheIronCurtainandIthoughtitwouldbeunkindtotellhim.Sothefirsttwointerviewswerenotanencouragingstart–twodown.

But meeting MoLLie Barger was quite different: positive, good memory,informativeandutterlydelightful.ShehadbeenastudentinBristolandbecamefriendstherewithJessie,Alan,ConstantLambert,theharpistSidonieGoossensand Sidonie’s first husband, the conductor Hyam ‘Bumps’ Greenbaum. Inits infinite lackofwisdom theBBChad evacuated its SymphonyOrchestra toBristol. (Jessiegraced the seconddeskoffirstfiddles, sharing itwithKathleenWashbourne, with whom she gave the premiere performance and recordingof Alan’s Theme and Variations for two violins. This was the piece that gaverisetoConstantLambert’sreviewexpressingastonishmentthatitcontainedsomuchdouble-stoppinguntilherememberedthat,beforetakingtocomposition,Rawsthorne had studied dentistry.) Until the bombing got disastrous manyprogrammes,comicaswellasorchestral,originatedfromBristol.Butwhenthebombingcame,Jessie’sandAlan’splacewasdestroyed,asweremanypreciousand,itturnedout,irreplaceableRawsthornemanuscripts.Alan,JessieandBumpstook over the old Clifton Arts Theatre, closed for the duration, and made ithabitable;Bumps’sbedroomwasthestage,theRawsthornes’hadbeentheGreenRoom.MolliedescribedAlanasquitethedandywithhisblondhair,capeandposhsilver-toppedwalkingstick,unableeventoboilaneggandwithdrinkingalreadyquiteaproblem:thespecialistDrSheilaSherlockcommented,‘IfIwereservedupyourliverinarestaurant,I’dsenditback.’MollierecallsthebombingsvividlyandremembersLambertquotingGorkyashetriedtoputoutafirewithawateringcan.MolliealsogavememoreinformationthantheArmywaspreparedtovouchsafetoanenquirerlikemyselfwhowasnotabloodrelativeor‘nextofskin’.Alan started in theRoyalArtillerybut fortunatelyneverhad touse anyweapons for real. Somebodyhadhim tagged in thefiles as a compositor and ahandyman (which he eminently was not) capable of dealing with machinery.WhentheygotnearerthetruththeylethimgototheArmyEducationalCorpsandhewassenttoWembleytomakeafilmwithPeterUstinov.HeencounteredEdmundRubbra,whorememberedARtellinghimhowhecameacrossacadetnamedHastings;oninvestigationitwasfoundthathisriflewasnumbered1066.Another army storyhasourherobeingorderedbyhis sergeant, ‘Rawsthorne,

bandpracticetomorrowmorning–clarinet!’‘Butsir,Idon’tplaytheclarinet;myinstrumentisthecello.’‘Rawsthorne,howmanytimesdoIhavetotellyou:there’sawaronandwecan’talldojustwhatweplease.’MollieremainedfriendstotheendwithAlan,Jessieand,later,IsabelLambert(néeNicholas).Itseemsthat thecrumblingof thefirstmarriagewasnotbitter. Jessie triedherbest tobehave like a Bohemian but it wasn’t really her character. She was a sensible,level-headedYorkshirelassblessedwithwonderfullooks;threesensiblemealsadayatregularhourswerenot,itseems,thewaytoAlan’sheart.DidJessiehaveamiscarriagewhichsomehowqueeredthemarriagepitch?AfterleavingtheBBCsheendedupasapillarof thePhilharmoniaOrchestra,andeventuallydiedofcancer.Mollie’scareerandmarriagetookherallovertheworld–totheMiddleEast,Greece,China,Paris,theUSAandIndia,mostlyworkingforUNRRA–butsherenewedherfriendshipswhenshecamebacktoEnglandandSoho.IneverquitedaredaskMolliewhethersheandAlanever…IfJessiehadbeauty,Isabelhadbeautyandintellect.MyimpressionisthatnoneofthewomencaredmuchforMarionLeigh(notsurprisingperhaps,giventhecircumstances).

IcannotrememberwhenIfirstmetAR;itmusthavebeeninthesecondhalfoftheforties.WehadvariousmutualfriendsandIwouldhave‘seenhimaround’.IsawslightlymoreofhimbecauseoftheSummerSchoolofMusicwhichIran,firstatBryanstoninDorsetfrom1948to19�2andlatterlyatDartingtonHall(whichofcourseAlanknewverywell;moreofthatlater).WilliamGlockwastheDirectorofMusicanditwaswithhisapprovalthatIcommissionedAlantowriteachoralpiecefortheSchool.OurweeksusedtorunfromSaturdaytoSaturday.OntheSundayofeachweekachoirwasformedwhichrehearsedeverymorningand,ontheFriday,performedthechosenwork.AtfirstAlandemurredaboutacceptingthecommission(forsomeludicrousfee,probably£�0,maybeabitmore):hesaidhewasn’tkeenonsettingwords,becausehelikedpoetrytoomuchandfeltthatmusictendedtodestroypoetry.AtlengthheagreedtocomposeapieceprovidedwecouldagreetoaskhisfriendRandallSwinglertowritesomewordsspecially.Thiswasdoneandthepiece,calledA Canticle of Man,wasdulyperformedinAugust19�2.Itwasagreatmonth:Enescowasthereplayingtheviolin,teachingandconducting,RogerDésormièrealsoconducted,ImogenHolstlectured,andsodidStanley Spencer; andAlan took a composition class and supervised thepremiereofhispieceforchoir,flute,baritoneandstrings.Theactualdatewas22August19�2andtheorchestrawastheBoydNeel,ourchorusbeingconductedbyNormanDelMar.Asalways,Alandidn’traisehisvoicebutquietlymanagedtogetwhathewanted.During thecourseof severalvisitshe taughtandgaveseminarsonworksbytwoofhisfavouritecomposers,HaydnandChopin.

Randall Swinglerwas a committed communist, a poet, teacher and amateurflautist,marriedtoGeraldinePeppinwhowashalfofatwo-pianoduowithhertwinMary.Gerry’sdaughterJudithismarriedtothecomposeredward wiLLiaMsandit isprobablethatthecouple’smovetoEssexpromptedARandIsabeltofollowsuit.TheWilliamseslivenowinBristolandIhadasplendidlunchattheirhousebeforeandafterwhichtheybothtalked,oftenatthesametime,intomy


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mike.WhenEdwardfirstmetAR(withMuirMathieson)1hisimpressionwasofadapper,genial,well-educated,civilisedman.AlanwassoonsharingtheBrewerStreetflatwithMarionLeigh,havingmovedinwhenhersonJulianandhisfriendRichardRodneyBennett left (don’t jump toconclusions: theywere justgoodfriends).ARatthattimewaswritingalotoffilmmusic.Sohowashisbailiwick:heandhisfriendsdrankeitherattheFrenchClub,runbyOlwenVaughan,orthe Colony Club, presided over by the foul-mouthed but fascinating MurielBelcher.ElisabethLutyensandherhusbandEdwardClark,thepioneeringBBCmusicadministrator,laterwould-beconductor,werepartofthescene,prodigiousdrinkersboth.LizLutusedtosaythatARhadonlyonetune(the Street Cornerone,itselfderivedprobablyfromHindemith’sMathis der Maler);IsabelusedtoupbraidARwiththatone,too.EdwardWilliamssaid‘WerathertookAlanforgranted’,andsodidmanyotherfolksIinterviewed.‘Hewasratherarandychap’wasanotheroft-heardremark.AtonepartyARtoldEdwardthathehadsleptwitheverywomanpresentbutone(can’thelpwonderinghowbigthepartywas).EWremembersARfallingoveronceintheBrewerStreetflat,buthealsosaid(asdidmanyothers)thatAlanwasalmostneveractuallydrunkdespitebeingfairlywellplastered.Afterdoctorshadatonetimeorderedhimsuccessfullyrightoffbooze,somefoolofanewmedicotoldhimthatanoccasionalglassofredwinewouldn’tdohimanyharm,which,alas,startedthe(terminal)rot;atonestage,towardstheend,ARwasontwobottlesadayofvermouth,onedry,onesweet,whichhewouldmix(whatawaytogo).

Edward recalled Alan saying that the worst thing in the world was to see(sometimesbad)publicityadvertisingthepremiereofaworknotyetstarted.Hewentonseveral‘official’visitsabroadwithAlan,onewiththeComposers’Guildin1963toBulgaria,an international festivalwhich includeda trip to thecavewhereOrpheuswassaidtohavegonetoretrieveEurydice.In1964therewasaChristmasgatheringattheWilliamses’houseinPiddletrenthideinDorsetwithAlan,thepianistJamesGibb,RandallandGeraldineSwingler,andtheirson.AsIwastofindfrequentlyduringmyresearches,peopledidn’tseemtohavealottosayaboutAlan;hewasawonderfulchap,nevernasty,neverloudordisagreeable,funnybutnoexamplesforthcoming,pityhedranksuchalot…butthensodidmostofus.Ohyes,anexceptioninthesharplinedepartmentwaswhenARsaid‘Ihear thatEdmundRubbrahaswrittenanewtedium’.Ifpeopledidn’thaveanythingilluminatingtosayaboutAlan,Iamsureitwasn’tsomuchthattheywerefailingtorememberorholdingbackasthattherewasnothingparticularlymemorableaboutAlanexcepthislovableselfandhismusic(andhedidn’tliketalkingaboutthat).

Anotherhindrancetotheresearchwasthat,Alanhavingbeenborn in190�(the same year asTippett andLambert),mostofhis palswere eitherdeadorgetting on in years. Two ‘golden oldies’ I enjoyed going to see were anne Macnaghten (1908–2000) inHitchinandiris LeMare (1902–97)nearYork;theirjointconcertsinLondoninthethirtieshadhelpedtosetARonthemusicalscene.AnneledastringquartetbearinghernameandIriswasaconductorwith

anorchestrabearinghers.AnnegavethefirstperformanceofAR’s1932StringQuartet,forexample,andIrisin1936conductedAlan’sfirstorchestralwork,anOvertureforchamberorchestra.Theywerenowapproachingfourscoreandtenyears.AnnewasstillbeautifuldespiteherfacebeingcraggyintheAudenstyle,withskinlikemudflatsdriedinthesun.Iriswasskiinginherseventiesbuthadanaccidentwhichcrippledher.Ihadgreat talkswiththembothbutIcannotpretendthattheybroughtmemuchnearertoAR.

NextIwentdowntoSussextoseethecomposerdenis apivor(1916–2004)whohadbeenacompositionpupilofAlan’sbutsaidthathisturningtoserialismseemedtoputabarrierbetweenthem.HethoughtthatARdidn’tfindhimverysympathetic;itistruethatLizLutyens’sserialismdidn’timpairherfriendshipwithAR,butthenofcourseshewasafriend,notapupil.DenisalsocomplainedthathecouldneverhaveaseriousconversationwithAlan(Ihadthesameexperience).He toldme that theonly timeheever sawARexpress emotionwaswhenheburstintotearsonthewaytoConstantLambert’sfuneral.Denisputforwardthenotionthat,sexually,ARfoundthegrasswasgreenerinotherpeople’smarriages,whichwasperhapspartofIsabel’sattractionforhim.Butonlypart,Ithink:AlanwasclearlyutterlydevotedtoIsabel–andshe tohim.WhatIdofindmightycuriousisthat,afterhervariousamoursandmarriage,afterthehighlifeofParisand London, Isabel settled down apparently happily in rural East Anglia withAlan.

Isabel Nicholas changed her name three times before finally becoming MrsRawsthorne. Before that she was Epstein, later Delmer, then Lambert. Herbiographywouldbea farmeatieronethanAlan’s.Shefirstchangedhernamebydeedpoll to thatof JacobEpstein, thegreat sculptor; she initiallyknockedonthedoorofhishousetoseeiftherewasanymodellingworkgoing.Epstein’sbustof Isabel showsa ravishinglybeautifulyounggirl.Like someofhisothermodels shebecamepregnant.Although inher sixties at the timeMrsEpsteintouchinglysoughttominimiseanynewscandalbyshoppinglocallywithacushionstuffedinherclothes.Isabel’sfirstmarriagewastoSeftonDelmer;shelivedinPariswithhimwhenhewastheDaily Expresscorrespondentthere.DuringtheSecondWorldWarDelmerdirected the so-calledBlackRadio as a vitalAlliedpropagandainstrument;helaterwroteafascinatingbookaboutit.InParisIsabelenjoyedcontact,toputitmildly,withmanyartists,includingDerain,PicassoandGiacometti.ShelivedwithGiacomettiforalongperiod,butrecentbiographersseemtosuggestthathiscapacityforsexwaslimitedtothepointofnullity.Isabelonce left a party of his hand in hand with the conductor and serialist expertRenéLeibowitzandwasfromthatmomentoutofthesculptor’slife,althoughmanyyears(andacoupleofhusbands)laterGiacomettitookataxioneeveningfromLondontovisittheRawsthornesatLittleSampford,hadalottodrinkandreturnedbytaxitoLondoninthesmallhours.IsabelwasalsoagreatfriendofFrancisBacon.Perhapstheonlythingaboutherthatwasnotbeautifulwashercorncrakevoice,buttowardstheendofherlifeitwashereyesthatgaveout:shewasnearlyblindinheroldage.ShehadherownstudioatSampfordtowhichshe


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couldretiretoworkorescapeunwelcomevisitors.Allthelocalinhabitantsadoredherandwoulddoanythingforher.

ThepianistJaMes giBB,now inhis eighties,was agood friendofpracticallyeverybodyIhavewrittenabout.Aswithmanyof them, thecomradeshipwithAR had begun and been cemented, as it were, in the pub, in this case theWashington in England’s Lane, Hampstead. Jimmy’s initial impressions wereof a mild-mannered, dignified, fastidious, almost Edwardian gentleman. Theytooktoeachotherstraightaway–indeed,quitesoonAlanentrustedJimmywiththepremiereofhispianoSonatina,whichwastypicalofAlan’s faith incertainperformers.JimmyfounditdifficulttogetAlantocommentonorcriticisehisplayingofhismusic, althoughwhenhe couldbeprevailedon,his viewswerealways understanding and instructive. Even when Jimmy did something notquite as written, Alan would be prepared to consider or even accept the newinterpretation.AlthoughAlanprofessednottolikeBrahms,GordonGreentoldJimmythatAlan’sownperformanceoftheoldHamburger’sHandelVariationswasexcellent;AlanneverreferredtohisownplayingandJimmy,likemostpeople,scarcelyeverheardthecomposerplayanote.ARwasalwaysreasonable,too,toopponentsorwith thosewhoseviewshedidnot share.TheonlyoccasiononwhichhedidroundonsomeonewaswhenPeterHeyworth,whohadcriticisedapieceofAlan’sinThe Observer,startedtoapologisewhenofferedaliftinAlan’staxi.(ItisalsoonrecordsomewherethatAlanoncealmostcametoblowswithananti-Semiticbigmouthinapub.)ToreverttoBrahms,itwasnoticedthatARoftenadvisedyoungcomposerstostudyhisworksiftheywantedtoimprovetheircraftsmanship.

IftheyneededateacherhewouldrecommendthattheystudywithhisfriendAlanBush.ARhimselfsaidthathelearnedmostabouthisowncraftnotfroma teacher of ‘compo’ but from Frank Merrick, his piano teacher at the RoyalManchesterCollegeofMusic.JimmygotonequallywithbothofAlan’swives.HeagreedthatitwasastrangemeasureofAlan’sandIsabel’smutualdevotionthat Isabel settled down happily in the Essex countryside, which she walkedvigorously,mapinhand,whereasAlanneverwalkedanywhereifhecouldhelpit,possiblybecauseoftherheumatismhesufferedfromasachildandlater.JamesGibb played most of AR’s piano music, the concertos many times, includingthefirstconcertoatTonypandywheretherewasanArmysymphonyorchestra(Rubbrawasstationedthereforatimetoo).

Biddy noakeslivedwithherhusbandroyinfairlyremoteYorkshire.RoywasasculptorwhosedeathmaskofAlanwillbeknowntoreadersofThe Creel.Biddy,adaughteroftheactorBernardMiles,wasforalongtimetheguardianofIsabel’spersonaleffectsincludingabundleofherpassports.ItwasBiddywhotoldmeaboutacorrespondencebetweenAlanandIsabelduringIsabel’stravelsinAfrica.Letters fromAlan?Wow!Letters,accordingtoBiddy, thatwouldgrace, ifnottheNews of the World,perhapstheSunday Times.Wherewerethey?NotwiththetrunkfulofeffectsthathadbeeninBiddy’spossessionbutwerelatertransferred,I gather, to Isabel’s trustees at Tate Britain. The letters, Biddy told me, werewithIsabel’sbrotherWarwickNicholas,wholivedinCanberra.Iwroteaskingforsightofthem,butinhisreplyMrNicholasinformedmethattherewasnocorrespondencerelatingtotheAfricanvisit,onlysomepoemswhich,fromthehandwriting,couldbefromAlantoIsabel.2

IwasinterestedtoseethatadetailedbiographyofLouisMacNeicehadbeenpublishedbutdisappointedthatitcontainedonlyacoupleofreferencesofthe‘andAlanRawsthorne’kind,frustratingconsideringthattheyweresupposedtohavebeengreat friends. Iwas similarlydisappointedwhenHumphreySearle’swidow granted me access to his autobiography, Quadrille with a Raven.3 HisslightacquaintancewithAlaninLondongrewwhentheywerebothinBristolinwartime.HumphreyspeakswellofAlan’sKubla Khan,performedthereandlostshortlyafterwardsinthebombing.HetriedtopersuadeAlantoreconstructtheworkbutitneverhappened.4HumphreyfoundAR’scompanycongenialandhishumour‘pawky’.

EncouragedbythetwoJohnmembersoftheRawsthorneTrust,BelcherandTurner,IwenttotheStatesin199�,goingfirsttoLosAngelestogarnerfurtherinformation from Alan’s friend and protégé, the composer Gerry Schurmann.Gerry also took me to see the actor and mime Basil Langton, who was atDartingtonHallwhenAlanwasresidentpianisttothemimeanddanceclass.BasilhaswrittenafascinatingmemoirofhisfriendshipwithAlan,soIdonotneedtorehearseitagainhere.ButhedidputmeonthetrailofPaulaMorel(190�–96),thenstillatDartington.�Shestartedoff intheDanceSchool, fell in lovewithAlan, andwaswithhim in anasty car crash inDevon in1934;PaulamarriedandlaterbecamelibrarianandwardrobemistressatDartington,wheresheandI

Isabel pensierosa, with Alan and Giacometti bust


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oftenhadcontactduringthetimeIwasorganisingtheSummerSchoolofMusicbetween19�3and1981.LatterlyPauladidmarvellousflowerarrangementsattheHall.GerryenjoyedauniquerelationshipwithAlanandIneednotsaymoreaboutthatbecauseGerryhaswrittenextensivelyaboutitinThe Creel;Alanwasasmuchmentorasfriendtohim,thoughAlanwouldneverlaydownthelawtotheyoungerman.

DowninDorsetIsawJuLian BreaMwhotoldmeaboutAlan’slastcomposition,notquitefinishedatthetimeofitscomposer’sdeathbut,asJulianexplained,itwasclearlyinABAformandallthatwasrequiredwastorepresenttheA2sectionmaybewithsomeslightvariationandinventafinalchord.Julianwaspresentatthefuneralandsayshewillneverforgetthescenewhenthosepresentfiledpastthegraveandeach threw inaflower.WhenIsabel’s turncameshehurledherflowerwithallherforce.Rage,frustrationorgrief?Ormaybeshehadtankedupbeforetheservice.

aLun hoddinott adored AR’s music and the man likewise, but apart fromsomegobbetsaboutARthetrenchermanandARthebibbertherewasnotmuchfodderforthebiography,exceptthatheconfirmedAR’sinabilitytoboilanegg.Theviolinistandconductorharry BLechsaidsimilarthingsaboutAR’slackofdomesticitybutsinceHarry’sdomesticcompetencewasroughlyonaparwithAR’sIwonderhowhewouldeverhavenoticedit.HarryknewARfromtheirstudent days in Manchester and they shared a flat in London when AR camebackfromhisstudiesinBerlinandPolandwithEgonPetri.AR’sletterstoHarryare printed in the biographical section of Alan Poulton’s three-volume studypublishedin1984–6.

ItwasPoulton’swork,alongwithBarbaraRawsthorne’sDiary of an Edwardian Childhood (issued posthumously in 199�) plus my interview with her cousinElizabethBridge,thatenabledmetofinishthefirstthreechaptersofthebiographycommissionedfrommebytheRawsthorneTrust.Thesewerenottoodifficulttoputtogether,leaningheavilyonthesethreesources.Afterthatthereispracticallynothingforabiographertoworkon.Therearenodiaries,ahandful(onehand)ofletters,anarticleortwo–beyondthat,notathingtogoon.Whichiswhy,aftertwoyearsof interviewing,writingletters,visitingthearchiveattheRoyalNorthernCollegeofMusicinManchesterandthearchiveatAR’spublisher,theOxfordUniversityPress,Ithrewinthesponge.SirJohnManduellattheCollegehadnowt,thelateAlanFrank,AR’sOUPminder,thesame.ThepityofitisallthemoreconsideringthefewexcellentlettersthatARdidpen,chock-fullofvividdescriptionsandwittyaccountsofpeoplemetandplacesvisited.Hewasalwayssayingtome,‘Timeenoughforthatsortofthing,youngman’;hemighthavehadhiswould-bebiographersinmind.

But let me continue my odyssey. The late eLizaBeth Bridge, who shared aflatwithAlan’ssisterBarbara,wasmosthelpful.Mynotesafterourfirstmeetingbegin:‘Hale(whereshelivedinCheshire)butnothearty’.FortunatelyoursecondmeetingayearlaterinDunsternearMineheadfoundherinmuchbetterhealth.ShehadknownAlan since their childhoodandconfirmed theuniversallyheld

impressionofBarbara’sgreatqualities.Incidentally,LizLutyensoncecomposedapieceforunaccompaniedviolin(whichmylatewifeOliveZorianbroadcast)calledAptote,aseriesofportraitsofherfriends.Theyareratherspiky(moreenigmaticthan‘Enigma’)anditisnoteasytorecogniseinthemmuchlikenesstoanyone,thoughtheirverbaldesignationsare,well,apt.Herhusbandcomesoutasasnail,HumphreySearleacat,ConstantLambertabat,AlanRawsthorneamothandBarbaraasaglow-worm.Liz’sautobiographycontainssomeeighteenreferencestoAlan,mostlyofthe‘andAlanRawsthorne’variety,whichseemstobethecaseinanybooksthatdomentionAR.Typicallyfrustratingforabiographer–Alanwas‘there’butisallbutinvisible,likeawell-behavedmoth.

Notes

1 Mathieson,musicaldirectorofoverfivehundredfilmsandchiefconductoroffilmmusicinthiscountry,workedforKordaandlatertheRankorganisation,andwasresponsibleforgettingBliss,Alwyn,Rawsthorne,Walton,RichardRodneyBennett–thenonly19–andmanyotherstowriteforfilms;hewaskingofthebizatPinewoodandDenhaminthefortiesandlater,atatimewheneveryfilmhadahundred-pieceorchestraplayingawayinthebackground.(Strangely,therivalfirm,Ealing,hadMuir’sbrother,knownasDoc,asbigacheeseintheirmusicdepartmentasMuirinhis,althoughatEalingErnestIrvingwasthesupremowithDocashisassistant.)

2 TheletterseventuallyfoundtheirwaytotheArchiveoftheRoyalNorthernCollegeofMusic,andextractswereprintedinJohnMcCabe’sAlan Rawsthorne: Portrait of a Composer(OxfordUniversityPress,1999).

3 Thoughunpublishedinbookform,thememoirsareavailableonlineatwww.musicweb-international.com/searle.

4 Kubla Khan has been newly orchestrated from the vocal score by Edward Harper(commissionedbytheIdaCarrollTrust),andtheworkinitsnewformhaditspremiereat theBridgewaterHall,Manchester, conductedbyPhilipMackenzie, on30March2008.

� SomelettersfromAlansurviveinthePaulaMorelpapersatDartington:www.dartington.org/archive/display/PM.


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Alan Rawsthorne and St Cecilia

John Turner

John Turner has recently acquired the autograph manuscript full score and copyists’ orchestral parts of Rawsthorne’s arrangement of the Overture to Purcell’s 1692 Ode, the whereabouts of which were unknown, and he writes about the background to this work. This article first appeared in ManchesterSounds, vol. 8 (2009–2010), which was published in April 2011, and is reprinted with the kind permission of the trustees of the Manchester Musical Heritage Trust.

In1683the‘MusicalSociety’startedaseriesofannualcelebrationsofStCecilia’sDay (by tradition 22 November), and poetic odes in praise of the saint werewrittenbyDryden,Pope,Congreveandothers,settomusicbyPurcell(1683and1692),Blow,Ecclesandothers.Thecelebrations,atfirstinStBride’sChurchandlaterinStationers’Hallandothervenueswereheldannuallyuntil1703(exceptfor1686,1688and1689),butthereafteronlyoccasionally.SimilarcelebrationstookplaceinOxford,Winchester,Edinburghandelsewhere.Purcell’sgreat1692Ode, settingwordsbyNicholasBrady,wasgiven inStationers’Hall,with the

choirs of St Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and the Chapel Royal, withsoloists(includingPurcellhimselfwhosangthebeautifulandelaboratesong’Tis Nature’s Voice‘withincrediblegraces’)andinstrumentalistsfromtheKing’sBandandtheatres.

ThetraditionwaskeptaliveintermittentlybylatercomposersincludingBoyce,SamuelWesleyandParry,andmostnotablybyBenjaminBritten(himselfbornon22November)inhisAudensettingA Hymn to St Ceciliaof1942.

The Cecilian tradition in England was revived in spectacular fashion by aconcert under the patronage of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth at theRoyal Albert Hall on 22 November 1946, sponsored by the Daily Herald inaid of the Musicians’ Benevolent Fund. A lavish programme book includedphotographsof theKing andQueenbyCecilBeaton (aswell as photographsofmostofthecomposers(butnotRawsthorne),anengravingofStCecilia(‘byStocks froman engravingbyDomenichino’), a poem speciallywritten for theoccasionby thePoetLaureate JohnMasefield, and an article aboutStCeciliabyDermotMorrah,withinformationtakenfromAnglo-Saxontexts.Thearticleconcludes:‘Thepresentfestivalday...isofferedonbehalfofallBritishmusiciansandespeciallyforthebenefitofthoseamongthemwhoareinworldlyneed,intributetoherwell-lovedname.’TheperformersweretheLondonPhilharmonicOrchestra,theLondonSymphonyOrchestra,trumpetersfromtheRoyalMilitarySchoolofMusic,theAlexandraChoir,PhyllisSellickandCyrilSmith(pianos),and Arnold Greir (organ), conducted by Adrian Boult. There were three firstperformancesintheconcert–apartfromtheRawsthornearrangementtherewereVaughanWilliams’sConcerto for twopianosandorchestra(arranged fromhispianoconcertowithhelpfromJosephCooper)andRubbra’smotetThe Morning Watch Op.�� (Rubbra in 1981 wrote a Canzona for St Cecilia, for orchestralbrass). In addition the concert includedworks byBliss,Walton,Bax,WalfordDaviesandElgar–averitablefeastofEnglishmusic.

Rawsthorne’s original title for his arrangement was Overture to the Cecilian Ode(1692),whichappearsonalltheoriginalorchestralparts,butonthecoverofthemanuscriptscorethishasbeenamended(seephotographofthetitlepage).PerhapsRawsthornewas recallinghisownearlypublicationswith theCecilianPress.

TheoriginalPurcell scoring for theoverturewas strings, two trumpets, twooboes, and kettledrums. In later movements two recorders (possibly also abass recorder) were used, and I personally recall with some nostalgia my firstcommercial recording, which was of this very ode with the English ChamberOrchestraunderCharlesMackerras,whoadoredthesoundofthebassrecorderthatIplayed.ItisstillavailableonCD.

Rawsthorne’srescoringisforstrings,twoflutes,twooboes,twoclarinets,twobassoons,fourhorns,twoorchestraltrumpets,threeorchestraltrombones,tuba,andtimpani,aswellasparts forantiphonaltrumpetsandtrombonesrightandleft with side-drums – presumably these latter parts were played by in unisonbyseveralplayers,andthefactthattherearenoextantseparatepartsforthese


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antiphonalbrassinstrumentswiththeotherwisecompletesetoforchestralpartsmightsuggestthattheyplayedfrommemory.Theirpartsinthescoreweremarked‘R’and‘L’byBoult,presumablysoheknewwheretolook.TheorchestralpartswereapparentlypreparedbyR.BramsonMusicServiceofOxfordStreet,London.


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RawsthornetransposedtheoriginalscoredownamajorthirdfromDtoBflat.The fanfare section in triple timewas rescored forbrass andpercussionalone,andtheovertureconcludeswiththeGravesection(withouttheusualrepriseofthefanfares)forthefullorchestra,climaxingwiththeentryoftheorgan.ThissplendidconcertwasthefirstoftheRoyalConcertsgivenundertheauspicesoftheMusicians’BenevolentFund.ThetraditionoftheRoyalConcertcontinuedthroughtheyears,thelastbeinggivenin2008bytheNationalYouthOrchestraofGreatBritain,underPetrenko,andincludinganewworkbyMarkSimpson.However,theMusicians’BenevolentFundcontinuestocelebrateStCecilia’sDaywithaFestivalService,includingcommissionedanthems–thatfor2010beinginWestminsterAbbey,withanewworkbyJonathanDove.


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Editorial Disclosures

John Belcher

ForewordbyJohnTurner

Those of us who have Rawsthornian involvement know John Belcher for his encyclopaedic knowledge of the composer and his music, and have long admired his stylish, articulate and informative writing and notes for CD booklets, as well as his enterprise and efficiency in arranging and participating in the Society’s annual celebrations in Oxford. He has himself energised the recent rehabilitation of the composer’s reputation, so that Rawsthorne now stands higher, albeit still not high enough, in the pantheon of British composers.But John has always been a very private man (as evidenced by his personal reluctance to countenance any gossip or tittle-tattle about Alan Rawsthorne and his private life). None of us has known much about John’s own personal life, or his professional career, and how these have been germane to his dedication to and promotion of Rawsthorne, who patently came to mean so much to him. Throughout, his much-loved partner Sybil Pentith, a charismatic music teacher, was a kindred spirit and a great supporter to John in all his musical activities, and we know just how keenly he felt her loss.I personally begged John (who was hesitant to say the least!) to write this article, since his and Sybil’s contribution to the history of twentieth-century British music demanded some documented knowledge of the person and the personality behind the printed words and the far-sighted actions to benefit the music. I know that we are all grateful to him for agreeing to reveal so much about his life and his thoughts.

WhenIwasaskedbymyfellowtrusteestowriteavaledictoryautobiographicalessay,twoquestionsimmediatelycametomind:whatpurposewouldthisserve,andwhatformmightittake?ThesuggestionwasthatIshouldprovidepersonalandextra-musicalbackgroundinformationwhichwouldcontributetoanappreciationofthesettingwithinwhichmymusicalenlightenmentevolved.Takingaholisticapproach – a symbiosis of life plus art – provides the opportunity to assessthecredentialswhich liebeneath thewide rangeofviewsandopinions Ihaveexpressed,mainlyinwriting,aboutmusicingeneral,Britishmusicinparticular,andthemusicofAlanRawsthorneindetail.Iconcludedthatastraightforwardnarrative best served these objectives. From such a record, readers can decidefor themselveshowfar theextra-musicaldisclosureshavebeengermanetomyjudgements, especially when evaluating Rawsthorne’s contribution to the richtapestryofBritishmusic.

Theactofwritingabouttheeventsofmychildhoodandearlyadolescencehasledmetoconcludethatthisperiodofmylifewasthemostseminalforthegrowthof my subsequent musical awareness. These were exceptionally eventful years,


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overshadowedbyaworldwar(itselfastimulustoartisticcreativity).AdependablemeasureofthatperiodanditsspancanbeexpressedbythecreativeoutputofVaughan Williams. He responded eloquently to the environment in the yearsextending fromthegestationofhisFourthSymphony(1931–34)totheSixthSymphony(1948);surelyanexcitingerainwhichtobecomemusicallyaware.

Antecedents‘Reports of the events surrounding my birth have been greatly exaggerated.’1Nevertheless, theeventwasofamagnitudetocausemother toexclaim‘neveragain’,whichexplainswhyIhavenosiblings.InafirstfloorflatinSalfordRoad,behindStreathamHillstation,LondonSW2,IenteredtheworldattenminutespastmidnightonSunday13March1932,fifteenmonthsaftermyparentshadmarried.

Myparentshadfirstmetearlyin1918whenmyfatherwaspostedtoWhitbyforcoastaldefenceduties,hisdesignatedportionbeingthestretchofrailwaylinebetweenWhitbyandSandsend.EquippedwithaLee-Enfieldrifleandmagazineofbullets,hewasthemostunlikelyinfantrymantohavebeengiventhetaskofholding back Kaiser Bill’s invading hoards, had they in fact invaded – at thatstage of the Great War they had other pressing engagements far away on theWesternFront.Hehadbeenconscriptedin1917anddrilledintheexpectationthathewouldgotoFrance.Forsomereasonhisregimentwasoverlooked(shadesofLieutenantKijé):anearly instanceofthegoodfortunewhichattendedhimthroughouttheensuingsixty-eightyearsofhislife.

My parents’ first meeting was in a musicalmilieuandwastobethefirsttimeEuterpe,themuseofmusic,songandlyricpoetry,enteredourlives.Motherwasasemi-professionalcontraltoonthelocal‘Messiah’circuitandamemberofthe renowned choir of the largest Methodistchapelinthetown.She,andherfellowchoristers,attendedthelocalYMCAtosingtotherestingtroops. Shortly after this first meeting fatherwas posted far away to the Isle of Sheppey,to carry out his coastal defence duties thereinstead.Itseemsthatnothingfurthertranspiredbetweenthemforthesubsequentelevenyears,until, unprompted, he wrote asking after herhealth and marital status. It transpired that inthe intervening years both had experiencedfailedrelationships.TheoutcomewasthattheymarriedonBoxingDay1930,andthefollowingdaydepartedfortheplaceoffather’sbirthandupbringing:Stockwell,LondonSW9.

Forthewholeofhisworkinglifefatherwasa

clerkorcashierinavarietyofjobs,dutifulbutbyallaccountslackinginambition–amanwholikedtocontrolhisenvironment.Motherwasattheotherendofthespectrum:gregariousandoneofalargegroupoffriendsmadeupofbothsexes.BereftofthiscamaraderiehertranslationtoLondonwasparticularlydistressing.

Mychildhood,spentintheblue-collarquarterknownasStreathamHill,appearstohavebeenuneventful,apartfromourannualvisittoWhitbyforathree-weekholiday.Betweenthesevisitswehadachoiceof localparks forourrecreation.Within walking and pram-pushing distance were Tooting Bec and StreathamCommons and Brockwell Park, where the nearby photograph of a precociousconductorwastakeninthesummerof1933.Thisimagebecameafamilyicon,fancifullyheldtobeaportentofmylatermusicalinterests.Thepicturehasbeeneditedtoexcludefather,seatedonthe leftandinhisover-cautiouswaysaying‘Mindhedoesn’tpokeoutyoureyeDot,’becauseFatheranticipateddangereveninthemostbenignofsituations.Throughoutmylifeathomehewasthesourceofdirewarnings;itwaslikehavingthemaleequivalentofCassandra,equippedwithsecondsight,asalodger.

Mychildhoodtraversedthefamiliarpathsignposted‘chickenpox’,‘mumps’,‘measles’, ‘whooping cough’ and ‘glandular fever’. Suffering from one oftheseafflictionsmeantthatIhadtovacate theonebedroomintheflat, tobeaccommodatedinsteadinthefrontroom.Euterpeintervenedagainbydirectingmyattentiontofather’s‘Columbia’graphophoneandhisrecordcollection,bothlocatedbesidemother’suprightpiano.InatradeoffIwaspermittedtousethegraphophonebutnotthepiano.ThisconcessionawokeinmefeelingswhichIwasthenunabletoarticulate.IexperiencedpleasureeachtimeIplacedtheneedleoftheheavytonearmontheshellacdisc.Inowconcludethatitwasthethrillandmagicofconjuringuppleasurablesounds.That feelinghasremainedwithme,whateverthemedium–shellac,vinyl,audiotapeorthesilverdisc–andisfeltmostintenselyatafirstplaying.

As to the record collection, this ranged from Ketelbey’s ‘Bells across theMeadows’,throughpiecesarrangedfortheorganandplayedbyEdwinH.Lemare,JohnFoulds’s‘CelticLament’,ErnestLoughsinging‘HearmyPrayer’,extractsfromMessiah,andthe‘PeerGynt’Suite,tothecrowningglory:thePreludetoDie Meistersinger.Butaboveallthesewasmyfavourite,PeterDawsonsinging‘TheBoysoftheOldBrigade’,whichIplayedtimeaftertimeuntilmothercouldbearitnolongerandtookawaythewindinghandle.Acquaintancewiththiseclecticcollectionservedmewell;repeatedplayingstaughtmehowtodiscriminate.

InearlyadolescenceItookthisinheritedcollectionasastarting-pointinformingmy own – a process which was not without difficulties. Mother, ever sensiblythrifty,didnotapproveofadditionalpurchases.Forher,musicwassomethingyoumadeforyourselfaroundthefamilypiano.Additionshadtobesmuggledinbeneathmypullover,atwelve-inchrecordproducingamostunnaturalprofile–adeformitywhichrarelyescapedmother’seagleeye.

Beingasinger,motherencouragedmetofollowinherfootsteps.Asaprivateactivity this did not present a problem; performing before third parties was,


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however,ruledoutbyshyness.Othermusicalknowledgecamevicariouslyfrommother’sfriendshipwithasopranomemberoftheBBCChoralSociety,whoserehearsalsmotherattended.Thisassociationculminated in1937whenmotherwasaguestatadinnercelebratingaseasoninwhichToscaniniconductedaseriesof Beethoven concerts with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Her enthusiasmconveyedthemessagethatmusicmustbesomethingveryspecialandworthyofexploration.

The Day War Broke OutWeweretakingourannualholidayinWhitbyinSeptember 1939 when war was declared. Themoments immediately following the declarationare etched indelibly on my memory. They arecentredonthefigureofGrandmotherSmith,mymother’smother.Shewasdressedinablue-and-white patterned, wrap-round apron and a navy-bluestrawhat,andstanding,armsakimbo,inthemiddle of the crossroads adjoining her house,surveyingthesky.Otherneighbourswereontheirdoorstepsinlisteningposes.Therewasanairofexpectancy; they were awaiting the sounding ofthesirensfollowingMrChamberlain’sbroadcast.Theydidn’thavelongtowait.Itwasadefiningmoment because nobody made to move, as ifnot knowing what to expect or how to react.

Embarrassedhesitationwasrelievedwhenthe‘allclear’wassounded.It was decided that I should remain with grandmother,

for whom a boisterous and unhappy boy of seven was toproveahandful.ThiswasfurtherexacerbatedbyhertakinginanotherevacueefromHull.Whenmotherreceivedacopyoftheschoolphotograph[right]ofherscruffyevacueeson,shearrangedahalf-termvisit,her fearbeing that thiswasevidence that her mother was not coping. It was decidedthat I should return toLondonatEaster1940. Itwas toa changed suburb that I returned:onewreathed in an airof anticipation, characteristic of this period known as the‘phoney war’. Anxiety was to some extent soothed by aglorioussummer.Thedescriptionofsummer1938,vividlycapturedbyLouisMacNeiceinAutumn Journal,mightequallyapplytothatof1940.2Theclearblueskieswerepatternedbyvapourtrails,asthewarwasfoughtaboveusintheBattleofBritain.

School lifewasnotimpervioustochange.ThebuildingsoftheschoolIhadlefthadbeenrequisitionedbytheAuxiliaryFireService.Consequentlywehadtobeaccommodatedinanadjoiningschool.Theresultingaggregaterollmeant

thatwehadtoattendalternately,morningsoneweekandafternoonsthenext.WhentheafternoonswerefreewespentthemonTootingBecCommon,thesiteofabarrageballoondetachment.Thisprovidedhoursofinterestaswewatchedtheelephantinesilvercreations,madeunrulybytheslightestofbreezes,beingwinchedin,recharged,andthenfloatedaloftontheircabletethers.

IrrespectiveofthedailyreportsoftheGermansoverrunningmuchofmainlandEurope,theprevailingapathyinthesummerof1940wassimilartothatwhichW.H.Audendescribedsoeloquentlyandpropheticallyin1933,inhispoem‘ASummerNight’, inwhichhespokeofcarefree leisureactivities, friendshipandloveinEngland,whilepoliticalstorm-cloudsominouslygatheredincontinentalEurope.3

The end of the phoney war was abrupt and brutal, delivered one SaturdayafternooninSeptember1940andfocusedonLondon’sDocklandandWoolwichArsenal.Theattackproducedacollageofsounds:aircraftengines,thecrackoftheanti-aircraftbatteryontheCommon,thecrunchofbombsreachingtheirtargetsandthebellsoffireenginesconvergingfromthesouthernhomecounties inaseeminglyendlesscavalcadealongStreathamHighRoad.Daylightdisclosedthecarnageofthefirstofmanynights’visitationsbytheLuftwaffe.

Gone to EarthSchool routines began to be interrupted by daylight air raids. We would beusheredintowindowlesscloakroomsandseatedonthelongwoodenbenches.Weweregivenchewinggumasaspecificagainsteardamagecausedbyblastwaves.Ireflectedthatwhenchewingguminclassthe‘blast’usuallycamefromtheteacherwhoprofferedawastepaperbasketwiththeexhortation‘Spititout!’Wenursedourgasmasks,whichwenteverywherewithus.Weevenhaddrillsinputtingtheseoninhaste,thusemulatingWilfredOwen’sappositedescriptionofthisactas‘Anecstasyoffumbling’.4Theteacherwouldvisiteachpupilinturntoseethatnogapsexistedaroundtheedgesoftherubberfacepiece.Itdidn’ttakelongforustodiscoverthatbycompressingthemaskandbreathingoutheavilythevoiceofflatulencefilledtheclassroom.

ThenightsoftheuninterruptedfirstLondonblitz,SeptembertoNovember1940, were spent underground in a public air raid shelter. This was no morethanacellarbeneathafour-storeybuildingwhichhousedshopsandflats.Ithadhastilybeenturnedintoaplaceofrefugebytheconstructionofawidestaircaseand rowsofwooden slattedbenches.Thepervadingodourof the shelterwasofthearomaticresinofpitchpineandfreshlimewash.Asnightprogressedintoearlymorningthesmellfromchemicalclosetsbegantotainttheair,addingtoitspiquancy.Theonlypronebodieswerethoseofchildrenwho,likeme,sleptontheconcreteflooronabedofcorrugatedcardboardbeneaththeseatsoccupiedbytheirparents,whohadtosnatchsuchsleepasdiscomfortandthesoundofanti-aircraftgunspermitted.Thesteadynoteofthe‘allclear’broughtrelieffromthissubterraneanconfinement.Asthecrampedbodiesstretchedtheirlimbsintheearlymorninglighttheastringentstenchofburningtimberassailedournostrils,


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causingustoquickenourstepshomewardtoconfirmwhetherornotourflatwascontributingtothemiasma.

Aswemadeourwaytherethesightofroomsexposedwheregablewallshadcollapsedbecameafamiliarsight.Theywereverylikedolls’houseswhosehingedouterwall hadbeenopened togain access.Here curtains flapped in the earlymorningbreezeandtheintimaciesofstrangers’bedroomswereexposedtopublicgaze.Mostimpressiveofallwasthesightoffrostcoveringtheroadandpavementoutside the shelter – only itwasn’t frost, itwas powderedglass, a creationof‘mercilessbeauty’.

Asweturnedintoourroadthedistantsightofourflat,apparentlyundamaged,broughtpartialrelief.Onopeningthedoortheacridsmellofsootsuggestedthatwehadnot entirely escapedminordamage.Splinteredglass littered thefloorsinspiteofthecriss-crossapplicationofstickybrownparceltapetothewindowpanes.Itwastemptingtosnatchsomesleepifwehadanearly‘allclear’.However,theprioritywastopreparefather’sbreakfastsothathemightmakehiswaytohisjobaschiefcashiertoafirmoflawprintersinHolborn–alwaysassumingthatthetramswerestillrunningandthathisworkplacewasstillstanding.Itwasamatteroftravellinghopefullyratherthanarriving–whethertoorfromhiswork.Shouldthe air raidwarning sound, the trafficwouldbehalted and thepassengersontramsandbusesdisembarkedanddirectedtothenearestpublicshelteruntilthe‘allclear’sentthemontheirway.Athomemotherbecamedistraughtwithanxietyatfather’sunexplainedabsences.

RetreatThe early weeks ofNovember broughtno let up in thenightlyraidsandthreemonths of only fitfulsleep coupled withangst took their toll.We sought respite bymoving to St Albansto stay with friends.This developed intoa semi-permanentarrangement. Euterpehadnotquitedesertedus.Duringtheraidsshe

hadappearedintheguiseofanamateur‘entertainer’whoinsistedonperformingonhispianoaccordionintheshelter,allforourdelight.ShewastoreappearinmoreseriousveinwhensheconspiredwithHitlertoprovideanopportunityformetoreceiveprofessionalmusictuition.Thiscameaboutasaresultofmother’sambitiontoseemeintheAbbeychoirstallsatStAlbansintheredcassockof

achorister.HerdeterminationwonformethefirstmusicalandvocaltrainingIeverreceived.

Forprobationers,trainingoftheearwasbasicandwasconductedbyMrMills,asub-organistwhocametousfromStPaul’sCathedralintheCityofLondon.Wegatheredroundagrandpianosituatedattherearofthehighaltar,inapaleglimmerprovidedbycandles– themeansofmeetingtheblackoutconditions.ThereMrMillswouldteachusbysolfège,firingrandompitchesonthepianoforusto identify.TheotherpartoftrainingwasratherWackfordSqueers-like,learningbydoing.DrAlbertTysoe,theAbbey’sorganistandchoirmaster,wasa formidable andpedantic tutor,whose temperwas as short as his stature. Inchoirpracticeswewrestlednotsomuchwiththenotesaswiththeunfamiliarityof the language of the Miles Coverdale version of the Psalms in the Book ofCommonPrayer.Apartfromtheusualdailychoralservices,weekdayafternoonswerereservedforfuneralsofcivilianscaughtupintheconflict.Mostpitiableofallwas the sightof adult coffinsaccompaniedbyoneormore smalleronesofchildren.Suchsightsinstigatedfurtherflight.

ResettlementTheraidsfollowedusasamagneticmineseeksoutthesteelhullofaship.Thisledtoafurtherrelocation,thistimetotheNorth,tomother’sbrother,Horace,inLeeds.Afterafrightfulrailjourney,stopping,startingandbeingshuntedintosidingsduetolocalraidsalongtheline,wearrivedatourdestination.WesoughtnomorethanaperiodofrespitebeforereturningtoLondon.However,Horacedrew father’s attention to the recruitment of clerical staff at the local RoyalOrdnanceFactory.Fatherapplied,wasofferedandtookupapostimmediately.Agedfortyatthetime,hewastoremainthereuntilhisretirementin196�.Hisearly days were exceptionally demanding. At that stage of the war he workedfromseveno’clockinthemorninguntilseveno’clockintheevening,sevendaysaweek.

Eventually we moved to the Leeds suburb of Crossgates near father’s placeofwork.HeremotherwasrestoredtoherMethodistroots,becominganactivememberofthelocalchapelanditschoir.JustasshehadsecuredformeaplaceinthechoiratStAlbans,shenowinvolvedmeinchapelmusicaleventswhichemployedmychildishvocalcontribution.AtthesametimeIwasputtothepianoratherreluctantlyandimpatiently,havinglittletimeforfive-fingerexercisesandscales.

Inalifetimeithappensthatonesometimesmeetsoneormoreindividualswhoexercisealife-changinginfluence.Ihadtheverygoodfortunetolivenextdoortothelocalvicarageandtobebefriendedbythevicar,FatherGerardRomeoTaglis,a childlesswidower.Eachmorning the soundof his piano emanated fromhismusicroom.Ilaterlearnedthatitwashishabittoplayeachday,andinpublishedorder, one of Bach’s Forty-Eight Preludes and Fugues. On one occasion as Iplayedinthevicaragegardenthemusicceasedabruptly.HeleftthevicarageandinvitedmetositinhismusicroomtolistentothepieceIhadinterruptedand


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whosedramahadfedmycuriosity.ToanaudienceofoneheplayedtheBrahmsB minor Rhapsody Op. 79. This was the beginning of a relationship which Iconcludewasbeneficialtoeachofus,hethementorandIthepupil.Hewouldlendmerecords fromhiscollection,mostlyBrahms,SchubertandSchumann.TheEflatPianoQuintetOp.44by the latterheld then, and still retains, thepower to thrill when I hear its arresting opening – one work in a rich legacyhebequeathedtome.Anotherpartofhisgiftwastotreatmeas ifolderthanmyactualyears.AlthoughatthetimeIwasincapableoffullyappreciatingthisnewrepertoire,IstoredituptobecomecapitaluponwhichIwastodrawasImatured.Myfather’sopinionwasthatthismademeprecocious(thefirstsignsofconflictbetweenus,ashefounditdifficulttoacceptthatIhadmoreknowledgethanhe).ItwasFatherTagliswhosowedtheseedsofcuriosityinme,leadingtoavoyageofmusicaldiscovery.

A Little LearningNeitherparenthadhadthebenefitofsecondaryeducation.Mother’sdeterminationthatIshouldhavethisopportunitywastodeliverwhatwasperhapsthegreatestbenefactionIwasever to receive,when in1943IwasenrolledatWestLeedsHighSchoolforBoys.Inthefuturethiswastoopendoorsformeandtopresentopportunitiesthatmyparentshadbeendenied.

Builtin1907,theschoolwouldnothavelookedoutofplacehaditbeensituatedin Stalinist Russia. It was, however,whatwentoninsideitswallswhichwasimportant. Here it was that Euterpewastointroducetomemynextmusicalmentor, Charles (Basher) Bainbridge.He might have been described as anambitious and pioneering teacher, onereadytochallengeconventioninordertoextendtheexperienceofhispupils.Hiswishwastoformaschoolchoralsociety.That was not exceptional, but since itentailedcooperationwiththeGirls’School,strictlysegregatedintheotherhalfofthebuilding,itwasatfirsttoomuchfortheestablishmenttocontemplate.Theprospectofafour-partensemble,singingnewandchallengingrepertoire,wasachancehewasnotpreparedtomiss,andonewhichdrovehimtopersistinbreakingdownresistancetotheproposal.Eventuallyhereceivedreluctantandlukewarmconsent.ThiswastoleadtoperformancesofdemandingworksculminatinginperformancesofHandel’sDettingenTeDeum,thefirstperformanceinLeedsofVaughanWilliams’Magnificat,andoftheMozartRequiem.

On7June194�thereoccurredaseminaleventinBritishmusic,thepremiereofBritten’sPeter Grimes.WithindaysCharlesBainbridgehadobtainedacopyofthevocalscoreandinensuinglunchhourshegatheredusaroundthepiano

and introduced the work, communicating his enthusiasm in the process. Thiswas my introduction to opera, which was to draw me to the Grand Theatre,theretostandatthebackoftheupperbalcony.Iheardallthevisitingtouringcompanies, especially the Carl Rosa and Covent Garden. There I learned the‘popular’operaticrepertoire.Concurrentlywewereencouragedtokeeplisteningdiaries.Inmine,hithertounknownnamesbegantoappear,manyofthemBritish:Elgar,Holst,VaughanWilliams,Walton,andacomposerwhothenfeaturedveryregularly:FrederickDelius.Asanardentcinema-goerIbegantoseethesenamesappearinginthemusiccredits,VaughanWilliamsandWaltoninparticular.

ItwasaroundthistimethatIfirstbecameacquaintedwiththenameofAlanRawsthorne.TheEntertainmentsNationalServiceAssociation(ENSA)arrangedaseriesofIndustrialConcertsformunitionsworkers,whichfatherwaseligibletoattendfreeofcharge.Irecollecttwosuchevents,onegivenbytheLiverpoolPhilharmonic Orchestra, the other by the London Symphony Orchestra. TheCzech-bornWalterSüsskindconductedoneof these.Twoworkscapturedmyimagination: Sibelius’ second symphony, my first acquaintance with him as asymphonist,andtheovertureStreet Corner.AstheopeningchordscalledustoattentionIwasspellbound;Ihadneverbeforeencounteredsuchsounds,suchastringencyandsuchmusicalenergyandswagger.ThejourneyfromKetelbey’s‘BellsacrosstheMeadows’tothisurbanstreetcornerwasalongstretch.ThusbeganaloveaffairwiththeRawsthornesound,coupledwithfrustrationatnothaving an opportunity to hear it again. I did try to obtain a score, as was tobecomemypractice.AllthatwasavailablewasacopyoftheBagatellesforPiano.Fortunately,in1946arecordingoftheoverturewasreleased,soonfollowedbySymphonic Studies.Itwasnotuntiltheadventofthelong-playingdiscthatfurtherexamplesofhisworksbecameaccessible.

In1947theYorkshireSymphonyOrchestrawasfounded,addingtothegrowingnumberofmusicalopportunitiesonhand.Forafeeofsixpence,studentswereable to sit behind the orchestra. Under its founder-conductor, Maurice Miles,it built up a repertoire which embraced a generous number of contemporaryworks,manyofthemrecentlycomposed.Theorchestraprovidedtheopportunityfornewworkstobegivenaplay-throughinthecomposer’spresence.EdmundRubbra’ssixthsymphonyandJohnVeale’sfirstwereperformed.TheLSOgaveperformancesoftheVaughanWilliamssixthandseventhsymphoniesveryshortlyaftertheirpremieres.Leedshadtwochoralsocieties(inoneofwhichIsanganetiolated bass), which provided the backbone of the Leeds Triennial Festival.Atthe19�8FestivalIwaspresentatthefirstperformancesoftheNocturnebyBrittenandPeterRacineFricker’sThe Vision of Judgement.TheCityLibraryhadawell-stockedmusicsection,towhichscoresofthenewworkswereaddedassoonastheywerepublished.ArecordlendingservicewasestablishedupontheadventoftheLP.Althoughgeographyaccuratelydescribesthelocationoftheculturalopportunitiesandresourcesas‘provincial’,inthiscaseitwouldbeunwarrantedtoascribetothewordthemeaning‘unsophisticated’.Tobearesidentwithaccesstotheseenrichingamenitiescausedmetocountmyselfa‘citizenofnomeancity.’�


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Gainful EmploymentItwasinLeedsthatIwasfirsttoearnmyliving.Againmother’s influence, determination and connectionssecuredformethepostofajuniorclerkinTheYorkshirePennyBankatasalaryof£120perannumon leavingschool in 1948. The expectation was that I would beconscripted for two years’ National Service in 19�0,but IwascategorisedGrade3Cand sohad to foregothisexperience.Whilstmycontemporarieswere‘squarebashing’mycareerwasmovingahead.IntheirabsenceI passed some parts of my professional examinations.Juniorshadtopursuetheirstudiesinthree-hoursessionsatnightschoolattheendofthebusinessday,concludingatnineo’clock;onerous,butthepriceofprogress.

InDecember19�0ImetSoniawhowas tobecomemywife in19�6.Thatmeetinghadtworecurringcomponents,thefirstmymother’sinvolvement,andthesecondmusic.BothcametogetherwhenshearrangedforustomeetatapianorecitalandformetoescortSoniahomeafterwards.Euterpenowmanifestedherselfasmatchmaker.Duringafour-yearengagementwepursuedourmusicalinterests,progressingfrombehindtheorchestrauptothebalconyoftheTownHall.WeattendedtheYorkFestival,mostnotablyin19�4tohearEnglishOperaGroupperformancesofBritten’sThe Rape of LucretiaandBerkeley’sfreshlymintedA Dinner Engagement,andDameEdithSitwellandPeterPearsrecitingWalton’sFacade.19�4wasagoldenyearforBritishopera.TherewerefirstperformancesnotonlyofA Dinner EngagementbutofNelson fromthesamepen;Walton’sTroilus and CressidaandBritten’sThe Turn of the Screw.Thenamesofcomposershitherto unknown to me began to surface. Tippett I came to know from therecording of his second String Quartet, which led on to trying to fathom A Midsummer Marriage.OtherswereNicholasMaw(oncetutoredbySybil),JohnMcCabe,RichardRodneyBennettandMalcolmArnold,tonameaselection.

Thebirthofourfirstchild,Mary,onmybirthday,turned19�9intoared-letteryear.ItalsofoundmeworkingontheenquiriescounterofthemainbranchofthebankinthecentreofLeeds,apositionwhichbroughtvariety,responsibility,andtheneedforabroadrangeofknowledge.PreviouslyIhaddecidedtoaddtomyprofessionalqualificationsomeadditionallegalsubjects,partlyoutofcuriosityratherthanofnecessity.Igatheredthatthisbroughtmetotheattentionofthemanagement.Togetherwith ahandfulofmycontemporaries Iwas taken to aLeedscitycentrehoteltospendthreeintensivedayswiththeseniorheadofficemanagers.SomeweekslaterIwascalledintothemanager’sofficeandinformedthat from the following Monday I was to be transferred to the Head OfficeSecuritiesDepartment.

Securitieswasthebank’slegaldepartmentandwasalmostentirelyconcernedwith preparing documents of charge on collateral deposited to secure loans,including mortgages and debentures. The work required a high degree of

accuracy and responsibility which was reflected in an above-scale salary. Thisyear and thosewhich followedbrought curtailmentofour concert and recitalgoing:ourattentionwasfocusedonthechildrenandwewerereluctanttorelyuponbabysitters.Records and theThirdProgrammebecame themainmeansofkeepingabreastofmusicaldevelopments,mostnotablyofnewoperas fromBrittenandadditionstotheVaughanWilliamssymphoniccycle.

New PasturesInspiteofamorethanadequatesalaryIbegantofeelrestless andunfulfilled. Itwas a routine, impersonalexistenceandIbecameconvincedthattheremustbeacaringroleformetofulfil,nottheexploitativeoneI was involved with – there had to be more to lifethan taking thebooksoutof the strong roomeachmorning and returning them there each night. Acrisis was threatening. Crystallization came from anunanticipated source: my mother’s health. She wasdiagnosedwithcancer,whichwastreatedsuccessfully.Whatmadethissodifficultwasfather’sdenial.Keepingthe diagnosis from mother in these circumstancescreatedtensionwhichderivedfromhavingtolivealie.Thetensionfelluponme,testingmyemotionalreserves

andcapacitytohandlethestressandconflictsofloyaltywhichthisgenerated.DuringmylunchhourIstartedtovisitHolyTrinitychurchintheheartofthecity,aquietplacetocontemplatethecircumstances.ThereImetthepriestwhowastobeanothermentorandhaveaparttoplayinthefuturecourseofmylife.CanonHowardHammertonwasasaintlyandhumblemanwhoworehiswisdomandscholarshipunobtrusivelyandwasgentleofmanner.Helistenedtomyconcerns,offeringnosolutionsbutguidingmetofindmyown.So

itwasthatIfoundthatIhadavocationtothepriesthood, which Isawasthepathwaytoacaringministry.

I attended a three-day residentialselection conferenceand was conditionallyrecommended fortraining.TheconditionwasthatIshouldwaita year, giving boththechurchandmyselftheopportunitytobe

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34 3�

certainthatthiswastherightcourse.ImadegooduseofthatyearbytakingacorrespondencecourseinNewTestamentGreek,aprerequisiteforenteringacademictraining.ItwastowardstheendofthesameyearthatIwascalledtoa further interview, theoutcomeofwhichwas that theBishopofRiponsponsoredmefortraining.Twofurtherthingswererequiredofme:firsttosecureagranttopayformytrainingandmaintenance–thisLeedsCityCouncildidfortwoyears–andsecondlytogainaplaceinatheologicalcollege.AninvitationtoaninterviewatRochesterTheologicalCollegefollowedshortly,coincidingwiththebirthofourseconddaughter,Margaret,on30January1962.IwasofferedandacceptedaplaceandbegantomakeplanstomoveourgrowingfamilyintoanatticflatinStNicholasvicarage,Rochester.Wesharedthevicaragewithtwootherfamiliesandalonestudent.

RochesterTheologicalCollegehadopenedin19�9withthespecificpurposeof trainingmenolder than theusual graduate intake –men frombusiness,industry and commerce, and those who had completed their tours of dutywiththearmedforces.Itwassituatedintheolddeanery,partsofwhichboreevidencethat ithadoncebeenamonastery.Thebuildingwas linkedtothecathedral, in whose crypt the college had its chapel. Being attached to thecathedralandthelifeofitscloseintroducedawayoflifewhollyunlikethatofourpreviousexperience:ourdayswereorderedbyaregimencompoundedofthedevotionalroutinesofamonasteryandtheacademiconesofanOxfordcollege.

The WardenHere it was that I encountered the man whose life and example had thegreatest influence upon me, a man the like of whom one only encountersonce ina lifetimeandwho leavesan indeliblemark.Hewas theWardenoftheCollege,OrielCanonStuartBlanch, laterBishopofLiverpoolandthen

ArchbishopofYork.OurOldTestamenttutor,he was the possessor of profound learning.The seminar system required us to presentbefore him and our peer group the resultsof our weekly assignments. To bare one’sacademicsoulbeforehimcouldhavebeenveryintimidatingbutforhisbenevolence;howeverfeebleoureffortshealwayscorrecteduswithasenseofhumourandthelightestoftouches.He excelled at all he undertook, includingvolleyball.OnthetenniscourtIneverwonamatchwhilstplayingsinglesordoublesagainsthim.SittingathissideinthecathedrallibraryattheRochesterHebrewStudy,eachalearnermember,Iwasabletoobserveatclosequartershisacademicfacility,measuredagainstmyown

inept performance. His outstanding powers of communication made him aconsummateteacher,abletodrawthebestoutofhisstudentswho,inturn,reveredandlovedhim.

Ontopoftheacademicrigourofthetheologicalcourse,wewereassignedregular pastoral duties, working with a variety of chaplains – at the localborstal,Maidstoneprison,theBPoilrefinery,thetrainingshipArethusaandinthelocalhospitals.IwasplacedwiththechaplainofStBart’sacutehospital,whereIgainedmuchvaluableexperiencewhichIwastodrawuponincarryingoutmypost-ordinationpastoralministry.

Musicalactivitycentredonthecathedral,wheretheDirectorofMusic,DrRobertAshfield,waschargedwith instructingus in theperformanceof thepriest’sliturgicalmusic.Hewasaperfectionist,thoughhehadtoconcedethatsome studentswere incurably tonedeaf. Imadeknown tohimmymusicalinterests andbackground.EachWednesdayhe taught at theRoyalCollegeof Music and had a regular place at our dinner table on his return fromLondon.Takingcoffeeinthecommonroomafterwardsprovidedmewiththeopportunitytolearnfromhimabouthislifeandmusic,notonlyasanorganistbut also as a composer. Just before I had come to college a major musicaleventhadbeenthefirstperformanceofBritten’sWar Requiemin1962.Thiswork,amajortopicofourexchanges,hadbeenaprominentsubjectofmusicaldiscussionat thetimeof itspremiereandremainedso forsomeyears,untilfamiliaritydulledtheedgeofthedebatewhichdividedcriticalopinionsafteritsearlyperformances.Therecordsandvocalscoreoftheworkweretheonlymusic purchases I was able to make; I could hardly afford them, financedonly by a bursary, but a broadcast of the first performance from CoventryCathedralproducedthisimperativeresponse:IjusthadtoknowhowBrittenhadcreatedsomanyinnovations.

I was the only member of the college who aspired to be a pianist – adesignationquicklyrevisedaftermycontributiontotheChristmasconcert.InspiteofthisIwaspressedintoplayingtheorgan,withevenmorerisibleresultsandteasingbytheWarden.Thiswascharacteristicofcollegelife,imbuedwithalight-heartedethoscultivatedbythestafftolightentheacademicloadandthe longdays.This viewwas endorsedbyStuartBlanch inhis reply tomyletterwishinghimwellonhisretirementin1983.

‘Youmentionthose“matchlessyears”atRochester.Lookingbackovermyministrynowwithacertainairofdetachment,IrealisehowmuchIenjoyedthem–notonlytheworkandthefellowshipbutthesheerfunofitall,despitethepressuresunderwhichsomanyofyouwereworkingandliving.’

Ontheeveofordinationhewrotetoeverystudentpreparingforthatday.HislettertomecontainedhisimprimaturandencouragementforthekindofministryhediscernedthatIhopedtoexercise:

‘You have the makings, I believe, of a sensitive, perceptive parish priest,opentotherealneedsof20th-centurypeopleandwitharealgospeltooffertothem.Whatelsematters?’


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Curate and VicarI graduated in May 196� and was ordained deacon on Trinity Sunday, 13June196�, inRiponCathedral, to a curacy in themarket townofRichmondinNorthYorkshire.ForthefollowingthreeyearsIwasgivengreat latitudetorealiseaministryconsonantwithStuartBlanch’sperceptionrecordedinhiseveofordinationletter.Theincumbentwhowasresponsibleformyfurthertrainingwas the Rector of Richmond, the Reverend DavidSillar.Hemadenoconsciousor formalplan for this:Ithinkhemayhavefeltdisadvantagedbymypreviousprofessionalbackground,oritcouldhavebeenthatmyacademicpostgraduatestudieswerebringingnewandradical insightstostimulatetheologicaldebate,whichhe may have considered to be unimportant. Perhapsthiswasreflectedinhisrathercrypticcomment,‘Whenin theological college John became interested intheology.’AtthisdistanceIhavetoconcludethathewasanextremelyshyandunworldlypersonwhoshelteredintheauraofhisprivilegedCambridgeUniversitydays.Thisdidnotdetractfromthewarmthandthespontaneouswelcomeheandhisfamilygavetothebirthofourthirddaughter,Anne,on13December196�.

MypositionwasfirmlymarkedoutbythelevelatwhichIparticipatedinthesociallifeofRichmond.Davidconductedallthefarmers’funerals,whichalwaysbroughtlargecongregations;Ilaidtorestthedestitute,inthepaupers’plotinthemunicipalcemetery.Hejoinedinholymatrimonythedaughtersofthelanded

gentry;tomeitfelltoprovidethesacramentforbridesalreadyheavilypregnant.HeattendedtheregimentaldinnersatCatterickgarrison;Iexpendedgreateffortto avoid being invited to such events. My ministry had its foundation in thecottagehospital,inthepolicecourt,ingroupactivitieswiththetown’sGPsand,ofcourse,inthatsolidfoundationofpastoralministry,parishvisiting.Musicallythesewerethinyears;highlightswererecitalsbyBrittenandPearsandbyRaduLupujustafterhehadwontheLeedsPianoCompetition.

Attheendofthreeyears,overacupofteaattheScotchCornerHotel,LordLonsdale,patronofthelivingofStartforthinTeesdale,offeredittome,andIaccepted.Startforthwasthenaverysmallvillageofsome600to700inhabitants,on the Yorkshire bank of the Tees, facing Barnard Castle across the water inDurham county and diocese. This was in stark contrast to Richmond, and Iswiftlydiscernedthatthesocialfoundationswerefeudal,withthelocalsquireas

figureheadandwithmeashischaplain.Changesweresubjectto the squire’s consent. Iwasuncomfortabletobeidentifiedwith this, sorely missing theancillary care facilities withwhich I had been used toworkingandwhichhadgivensatisfyingformandcontenttomysocialandpastoralministryhitherto.

Thevillageschoolintroducedtwoofourthreedaughterstomusic-making through themediumoftherecorder.Mary

graduated to the clarinet andMargaret to theoboe.Asboth showedpromisewewereintroducedtothelocalMusicCentreinBarnardCastle,whichwasrunby a charismaticmusic teacher,Mrs Sybil Pentith.On learningofmymusicalbackgroundsheofferedmeateachingpostattheCentre.Throughthefriendshipofherdaughterwithmy three, the two families spentquite a fewdaysof thesummervacationexploringtheremotecornersofSwaledaleandTeesdale.Duringthistime,afterconfidinginSybil,IconcludedthatIwouldbeunabletorealisewithintheordained,parochialministrywhatIhadsoughtwhenleavingbanking.Theconsequencesofthiswereunthinkable,butneverthelessnottobeevaded.

UprootingThecomingofautumnonlyincreasedthedepthofmymood,whichwasbecomingmelancholic. I tookvery longwalks through thewoods that fringed theTees,tryingtofigureoutawayforward.Afterapplyingunsuccessfullyforavarietyofposts,acriticalpointwasreachedwhenIrealisedthatIwasthewrongmaninthewrongplaceatthewrongtime.Thepatronagesystemthenconsidereditbad

Startforth Vicarage


38 39

formtoapplyforlivings;ratheronehadtowaittobeinvited–asystemhardlydesigned to solvemydilemma, sinceyoungandenergetic clergy tended tobegivenunsuitableplacements.Thisturbulenceplacedanintolerableburdenonmywifewhohadnevergivenmeanythingbutthemostunstintingsupportateveryturn.InspiteofthatIdesertedherandthechildrentogoandlivewithSybil,whichwastobefortheensuingthirty-twoyearsuntilSybil’sdeathin2004.IresignedthelivingandaskedtheBishoptosetintraintherelinquishmentofmyOrders:thisherefusedtodo.Ishallnotelaborateonalltherepercussionsofthisevent.Thisisanautobiographicalessayandnotanapologiaseekingtoexplainorjustify.

At a stroke this disruption rendered us penniless, jobless and homeless.Temporaryaccommodationcameintheformoftheloanofasemi-derelictfarmcottage.Icontinuedtoapplyfordiversepostswithoutsuccess.Oneday,whenSybilwaspreparingabundleofnewspapersforthedustbin,hereyelightedonanadvertisementinThe Timesforamanagertoestablishanewhousingassociationin Sheffield to be funded by SHELTER. I applied and was interviewed andimmediatelyofferedthepost;thejobhadfoundme.Iacceptedandtookupthepositionon1September1972.IwasawarethatIwasstandingonthethresholdoftheunknown,andthatIcouldnotaffordtofail.

A Compassionate MinistryI had been greatly moved by the first of KenLoach’sdocu-dramas,Cathy Come Home,shownonTVin1966.Theplightofthefamilyportrayedwasfamiliar,sinceeveninacountrytownsimilarcasescamemyway,andIwasfrustratedforwantof the only meaningful solution, the securityprovided by a permanent, affordable roof. Thediscussion immediately after the transmission,with a group of local authority councillors,angeredmebeyondwords.Theirdefencewasthattheproblemofhomelessnessdidnotexist,orthatif it did, it was due to the fecklessness of ‘thesepeople’,andthecouncilshadneitherthedutynorthefacilitiestodealwiththeproblem.ThiseventledliterallyovernighttothebirthofSHELTER:theCampaignfortheHomeless.Throughout the country Shelter campaigning and fund-raising groups wereformedtoconductlocalcampaignsandraisefunds.InSheffield,whilevolunteerswererattlingtheircollectingcans,theywerebeingmadeawareoftheincidenceofhomelessnessinthecity.Thiswasthegenesisofthedeterminationtohavealocalhousingassociation.SoitwasthatIbecamethesoleemployeeofthenewlyformed Sheffield Family Housing Association. I brought to the job my legaltrainingandmanagementexperiencegainedinfourteenyearsinbanking,addedtowhichwerethepastoralconcernswhichtookmeintotheAnglicanministry.

IfoundalargeflatoveracooperativestoreinalargeCoalBoardhousingestatein theheartof theSouthYorkshiremining industry.HereI setupofficewithcommunicationdependentuponthepublictelephoneboxonmydoorstepandaphotocopieronthekitchendrainingboard.OurfinancialsituationwasimprovedwhenSybilwasemployedasaperipateticstringteacher.

By the end of the first year I had secured the target number of terracedproperties for refurbishment, thus ensuring continuing financial support fromSHELTER.Essentially,myfirst yearwasgivenover topioneering:persuadingtheCouncilthatwewerenotcompetitorsbuthadacomplementaryrole.Manyeveningsweretakenupwithintroducingvoluntarygroupstoourwork,settingupreferralandallocationsystems,and joiningwithotherpressuregroups ina

campaign to impress upon the Council that their plans forwholesale clearance of the older terraces would eliminatethe opportunity to provide much-needed homes throughrefurbishment.Intheensuingyearsweweretopioneertheprovision of accommodation for special projects, licensingproperties tovoluntarygroupsconcerned: for instancewithmentalillness,drugrehabilitation,crashpadsforyoungpeoplewhohadrunawayfromhome,andapurpose-builthostelfortheHomeFarmTrustforthedisabled,openedbytheTrust’sthenPresident,HRHthePrincessRoyal (see illustration atheadofthissection).LikewisewedesignedandbuiltahospitalforAlzheimer’spatients,andthecity’sfirstwomen’srefuge.

We housed Chilean refugees and Vietnamese ‘boat people’, whilst continuingto improve properties and construct new-build ones for families. This multi-facetedprogrammewasmadepossiblebyateamofenergetic,dedicatedyoungemployeeswhowereinsympathywiththefoundingobjectivesoftheAssociation.WeextendedtheterritoryinwhichweworkedbeyondSheffieldandsochangedthenameoftheorganisationtoSouthYorkshireHousingAssociation.

Duringmytwenty-three-yeartenureaschiefexecutiveofficeroftheAssociation,whichterminatedwithretirementin199�,itgrewtohave2,000tenancies,100staff,andassetsof£�0m.Duringthoseyearsitacquiredaninnovativeandcaringreputationwithinthevoluntaryhousingsector.Duringthelastfifteenyearsthestaffcomplementhasincreasedto400.

‘Music for a While … ’It was against this background that music, with its capacity to counteract thetensionsofworkandtheanxietiesbornofseveralroundsofcutsingovernmentfinancialsupportofthekindnowagainhavingtobefaced,hadformeasustainingfunction.ThiswasthetimeofthefoundationoftheAlanRawsthorneSociety,thepromotionofwhichbecameaninterestthatfurthereasedformethepressuresofrespondingtothegrowthof,andchangesin,theHousingAssociation.IwasintroducedtoandcametoparticipateinmusicalactivitiesinRotherham,wherewehadsettled,undertheaegisofSybil,whoin1973wasappointedDirectorofMusic


40 41

atthelocalsixthformcollege,apostsheheldfortwentyyearsuntilretirement.ShepreparednumerouspupilsforOxbridgeentranceandmusicconservatoires,all of whom gained places, with some going on to follow professional careersin music. She also held positions with the main examination boards, in someinstancesasChiefExaminer.

Asagraduateof theRoyalAcademySybilhadmuchvaluableknowledge topassontome,aswellastoherpupils.Ourlifeofmusicbecameaclearinghouse(Euterpe had finally taken up residence); Sybil introducing me to the Frenchrepertoire,not justthemusicbutalso literature,findinginmeareceptiveandappreciativelearner.InturnIsharedwithherthemoreesotericworksofBritishcomposers, towhich shewould sometimesaddanecdotalglosses,havingbeenacompositionstudentofWilliamAlwyn.ShehadrubbedshoulderswithfellowstudentssuchasDennisBrainandNormandelMar,andagenerationofsingerswhichincludedJenniferVyvyanandHelenWatts.ShehadheardofRawsthorne,butapartfromStreet Cornerwasnotacquaintedwithhisoutput.HereducationinthatregardwascompletedwhenshejoinedthecommitteeoftheSocietyandlaterbecameaRawsthornetrustee.

Between the French and British enthusiasms there was a terra incognitainhabited by Wagner, Bruckner and Mahler. We were ambivalent about thesecomposers, especially the third-mentioned, though interested in the period inwhichtheywerecomposing.WeexploredtheirViennese‘derivatives’,Zemlinsky,FranzSchmidtandKorngold,addingtoourgrowinglibraryofCDsandscores.ThisprogressedtoembraceEntartete Musik,theHolocaustcomposersandtheremarkablephenomenonofmusic-making–bothcompositionandperformance–incaptivity.Weeachheldthatsharingourdiscoveriesandenthusiasmswasoftheessence.SybilfoundtheidealmeansofrealisingthisbybecomingalecturerfortheWorkers’EducationalAssociation.Sheinstitutedacourseentitled‘MusicalJourneys and theirAssociations’.The ‘associations’wereworksof art,historicevents,andwritingcontemporaneouswiththeworksbeingstudied.Thisshedidbymeansofillustrationsculledfromhervoluminouscollectionofpressandothercuttings,acquiredovermanyyears.

WhenIretired6Ijoinedher,andwasassigned,amongothertopics,thosewhichoccupied our terra incognita. This we decided had to be explored to providea comprehensive musical panorama. Thus I found myself researching, testingmyprejudicesandpresentingcoursesonWagner’sRing, Tristan and Parsifal,Bruckner’ssymphoniesandMahler’s,butnotventuringintotheterritorybeyondthe Wunderhorn-derived works. Seneca’s axiom ‘Even while they teach, menlearn’7provedtobesoundwhenappliedtoresearchandpreparation,especiallyinthosetopicstowhichIwasinitiallyaverse.ClasseswereheldinthreecentresinSouthYorkshire,andinaperiodoftenyearsmorethan200individualtopicswerepresented.Whendeterioratinghealthmademeincapableofdrivingtothecentres,wedeviseddistancelearningcoursesthroughthemediumofcassettetapesandaccompanyingnotes.EvenwithineighthoursofherdeathSybilwasdictatingnotesforwhatwastobeherfinalsessiononthesubjectof‘WomenComposers’;

suchwasherwork-ethic.Shewasagreatadmirer of the socialist, feminist, andpacifist novelist Winifred Holtby, whoseepitaphwouldalsobewhollyappropriateto Sybil: ‘God give me work till my lifeshallend,andlifetillmyworkisdone.’8

‘And so, My Friends, I Cease.’9

Muchmoremightbeaddedtotherecordoftheseyears,buttimeandspaceimposetheir limitations. What is written here isnottobetakenasachronicleofevents;thenarrativeistheproductofselectionratherthanofparingdown,havinginmindthat‘instrivingtobebriefonebecomesobscure.’10Significant,butexcluded,areeventssuchassupportforOperaNorthinitsearlyyearsasassiduousseasonticketsubscribers,andthenumerousconcertsandrecitalsweattended.HoweverIhopetohavefulfilledmyautobiographicalbrieftorevealtheparallel,yet integrated,worldsofthemanandhismusic.Ataverypersonallevelnothingcouldbeclearerthanthatmusicwasthecementwhichheldtogetherandmadesoundthethirty-twoyearsthatSybilandIweretogether.Itistoherlovingmemorythatthisessayisdedicated.

©JohnM.Belcher2011

Notes

1 JohnBelcher–fromanunpublishedautobiographyA Broken Stammered Tune,1988.2 LouisMacNeice,Autumn Journal(London:Faber&Faber,1939).3 W.H.Auden,‘ASummerNight’,Collected Shorter Poems 1927–1957(London:Faber

&Faber,1966).4 WilfredOwen,‘DulceetDecorumEst’,Collected Poems of Wilfred Owen,ed.C.Day

Lewis(London:Chatto&Windus,1964).� Acts of the Apostles21.39.Alsothetitleofthesecondpartofmyautobiography

1941–19�0.6 Theillustrationonpage41showsJ.M.B.’sretirementconcert,November199�,atthe

MerlinTheatre,Sheffield.Lefttoright:AlanCuckston(piano);NormaWinstone(jazzsinger);J.M.B;SybilPentith.

7 ‘Hominesdumdocentdiscunt’Seneca(‘theYounger’)c.4BC–6�AD–Epistulae morales.

8 EpitaphonWinifredHoltby’sheadstoneatRudston,EastRidingofYorkshire.9 FrancisBeaumontandJohnFletcher–fromKnight of the Burning Pestle (setby

BrittenattheconclusionofhisSpring Symphony).10 ‘Brevisesselaboro,obscurusfio’Horace6�BC–8BC–Ars poetica.


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DVDs of Films with Music by Alan Rawsthorne

Andrew Knowles

In his spare time from administering the affairs of the Rawsthorne Trust and the William Alwyn Foundation, and his many other activities, our Chairman is an enthusiastic film buff with an extensive collection of videos, DVDs, and reproductions of original posters. Bearing in mind the considerable involvement of both composers in the production of film scores (the income from which, in latter days, has greatly helped in the promotion and recording of their other music), this hobby is entirely appropriate. He keeps a close eye on the commercial availability of the films, and we are grateful to him for providing an up-to-date list. All should be available via Amazon, or your local dealer if you have one. You will almost certainly only be able to play DVDs in Region 2 format, unless you happen to have a multi-regional DVD player available.

Burma Victory (1945)British troops are dropped by gliders hundreds of miles behind Japanese lines.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region ImperialWarMuseum AV00668 2=UK DDHomeEntertainment DDHE121471 2=UK(TheVictoryFilmsBoxedSet) DDHomeEntertainment DDHE121�04 2=UK(TheVictoryFilmsBoxedSet) ImperialWarMuseum AV00618 2=UK

The Captive Heart (1946)Michael Redgrave, Jack Warner, Gordon Jackson, Jimmy Handley, and many others … featuring the well-known ‘Prisoners’ March’ as the title music.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region OptimumClassics OPTD1069 2=UK

The City (1939)Rawsthorne’s first film. Produced by Alberto Cavalcanti; one of the famous GPO Film Unit documentaries (two others were Britten’s NightMail and CoalFace).

Releasing Company Cat. number Region(30sBritainvol.1GPOClassicCollection) PanamintCinema RMA1003 2=UK(TheGPOFilmUnitCollectionvol.3) BritishFilmInstitute BFIVD760 2=UK

The Cruel Sea (1953)Jack Hawkins et al.: needs no introduction!

Releasing Company Cat. number Region OptimumClassics OPTD0628 2=UK(CompleteWarCollection) OptimumClassics OPTD0774 2=UK(CompleteWarCollectionvol.1) OptimumClassics OPTD0664 2=UK DDHomeEntertainment DDHE124�0� 2=UK AnchorBay Unknown 1=USA

The Man Who Never Was (1955)With Stephen Boyd, among many others. To confuse the Germans, a dead body carrying false papers is dumped in the sea.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region 20thCenturyFox Unknown 1=USA

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1950)James Mason, Ava Gardner, Nigel Patrick, John Laurie, Marius Goring, and others. A twentieth-century version of the legend referred to in the title.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region(BlueRay+DVD) ParkCircus PCB0008 2=UK(DVDonly) ParkCircus PC0008 2=UK KinoInternational Unknown 1=USA

The Port of London (1959)Documentary about Dock Land.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region DDHomeEntertainment DDHE1213�9 2=UK

Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948)Stewart Granger, Joan Greenwood, Flora Robson: historical romance.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region OptimumClassics OPTD0908 2=UK


44 4�

School for Secrets (1946)Ralph Richardson, Richard Attenborough, John Laurie, et al. Comedy about the invention of RADAR.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region DDHomeEntertainment DDHE120681 2=UK(RalphRichardsonClassicCollection) DDHomeEntertainment DDHE1238�1 2=UK

Tank Tactics (1942)Army Film Unit. Also known as TankBattle.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region ImperialWarMuseum AV00763 2=UK

Uncle Silas (1947)Jean Simmons as a young heiress, menaced by her uncle and his housekeeper.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region [Greekimport] Unknown 2=UK

The Waters of Time (1951)Documentary by Basil Wright about the River Thames and the Port of London.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region DDHomeEntertainment DDHE12068� 2=UK

Where no Vultures Fly (1951)Anthony Steel, Dinah Sheridan. Adventures of a game warden in East Africa.

Releasing Company Cat. number Region OptimumClassics OPTD1�07 2=UK

The Rawsthorne Trust: providing funding in a tough economic climate

Andrew Mayes

Takingoverasthetreasurerofatrustthatsupportstheartscanbeanintimidatingtaskatanytime,buttodosojustastheeconomyenteredoneofitsmostdifficultrecessionaryperiodsfordecadeswasevenmoredaunting.Thisisnottosaythatithasbeenalldoomandgloom;supportingperformance,publicationandrecordingprojectsofRawsthorne’smusichascertainlycontinued,butithasbeennecessarytoconsiderverycarefullywhatweareable tosupportandthe levelof fundingwe can provide. Recent reports of drastic cuts in Arts Council funding are anindicationofjusthowtoughthesituationhasbecome.

Lookingbackattheaccountsfor2001makesonerealisebyjusthowmuchourincomehasreducedsincethosefinanciallymorestabletimes.Theroyaltyincomefor thatyear (mostly fromMCPSandPRS)amounted toalmost£10,600(thefigurewasevenhigherforsomeyearsduringthe1990s),butin2010wasdowntoalittleunder£4,400.Thereductioninroyaltypaymentsissadly,inpart,owingtofewerperformancesofRawsthorne’smusic,buthasadditionallybeenaffectedbyareductioninthelevelofroyaltypaymentsasaresultofchangesimplementedbythePRS.Themostsignificantofthesearetheabolitionofwhatwasineffecttheirsubsidyofclassicalmusicperformance(thelinesbetweenwhatisdeemedclassical,lightorpopularmusichavebecomesomewhatblurred)andthatthedistributionofroyalty,previouslydividedequallybetweentheBBC’sbroadcastingchannels,isnowbasedonaudiencefigures.NeedlesstosayRadio3’ssharehasreducedbyabouthalf.Similarly,in2001interestonourdepositaccountwasjustover£430,whilst in 2010 plummeting rates reduced this to the almost negligible sum of£7.70!OuraccountwithRBSwasattractingbankcharges,soin2008wemovedourfundstotheCAF(CharitiesAidFoundation)Bankwhichprovidesuswithfreebanking.However,likeotherbanks,theyareabletopayonlyverylowinterestratesonthetypeofinstantaccessaccountwerequiretomakegrantpayments.

Nevertheless, some important projects have been supported in recent years,mostnotableamongwhicharetherecordingbyDuttonofPractical Cats(thatalso included premiere recordings of Theme, Variations and Finale, Medieval Diptych and Coronation Overture);thepremiererecording(ontheSommlabel)oftheoriginalversionwithstringsandpercussionofPianoConcertoNo.1,andtheorchestration,bythe lateEdwardHarper,ofKubla Khan togetherwith itspublicationbyOxfordUniversityPressandsubsequentperformancebytheAmadeusOrchestraatManchester’sBridgewaterHall.Inadditiontotheselargerrecordingandpublishingprojectswehavecontinuedtosupportliveperformances,whichin2010includedgrantstotheRNCMforperformancesoftheClarinetQuartetandCelloSonataduringtheirchambermusicfestival;toBusheySymphonyOrchestrafor a performance of the Divertimento for chamber orchestra; to the English


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MusicFestivalforaperformanceofFour Romantic Pieces ;totheOxfordCoffeeConcertsforperformancesoftheClarinetQuartetandtheViolaSonataduringtheweekendofourannualreunion,andtotheWorthingSymphonyOrchestraforaperformanceofthemusicforThe Cruel Sea.Insomeinstancesthesumsinvolvedhavenotbeenlarge,butgrantsofafewhundredpoundscanmakeasignificantcontributiontosuchevents.

The publication of a number of the film scores and a song album are twoimportantprojectscurrentlyinprogressforwhichfundingisbeingprovided.InthecaseofthesongalbumsomeofthiswillcomefromtheElizabethBridgeBequest.AnotherimportantitemofcontinuedexpendituretowhichwearecommittedisproductionofThe Creel,nowreintroducedandreplacingthenew-lookThe Spratofwhichweenjoyedninefirst-rateissues.ThereremainstheneedforapublicationdevotedtoRawsthorneandhismusic,whichThe Creelcancontinuetofulfil.

Anunfortunatecasualtyofthepresentlowlevelofourfundsis,however,theOxfordreunionweekendplannedforSeptember2011.Thoughwewillnotbeabletoenjoytheusualgettogether,withlecturesandthedinner,itisencouragingtoreportthattheAdderburyEnsemblewillbeincludingRawsthorne’sfirstStringQuartetintheCoffeeConcertonSunday18September–perhapsworthaday,orperhapsevenaweekend,visittoOxford.

TheTrustisalwaysverygratefultoreceivedonations,andanyonewishingtocontributeinthiswayisencouragedtoconsiderdoingsothroughgiftaid.

Rawsthorne: live performances, 2009–2011

Thefollowingtable,indateorder,providessomeevidenceforthefeelingexpressedelsewhereinthisissuethatperformanceshaverecentlybecomefewer.Butthelistmaywellbeincomplete.Wetendtoknowaboutperformancesforthereasonthatwehaveaidedthemwithgrants–andgrantsthemselveshavenecessarilybecomerarerduetofallingincome.

11/1/2009 StringQuartetNo.1 BarbirolliStringQuartet HolywellMusicRoom, Oxford

1�/1/2009 StringQuartetNo.1 BarbirolliStringQuartet AssemblyRoom, Chichester

18/1/2009 StringQuartetNo.1 BarbirolliStringQuartet CairnHotel,Harrogate

29/4/2009 ViolinSonata JackLiebeck,KatyaApekisheva HolywellMusic Room,Oxford

23/�/2009 StringQuartet(193�) BridgeStringQuartet RadleyCollege, Oxfordshire

17/6/2009 ThemeandVariations HarrietMackenzieand StJames’Church for2Violins PhilippaMo Piccadilly

26/6/2009 ThemeandVariations HarrietMackenzieand StBartholomew’s for2violins PhilippaMo Church,Corsham

12/7/2009 ThemeandVariations HarrietMackenzieand WestRoadHall, for2violins PhilippaMo Cambridge

20/9/2009 CelloSonata GemmaRosefield,AshleyWass HolywellMusicRoom, Oxford

20/9/2009 SonatinaforPiano AshleyWass HolywellMusicRoom, Oxford

20/11/2009SonataforViolin MadeleineMitchell, Rimsky-Korsakov andPiano RudiEastwood Museum StPetersburg

08/1/2010 ClarinetQuartet RNCMstudents RNCMTheatre, Manchester

New Trustees

FollowingtheresignationsofJohnBelcherandTimMottershead,twonewtrusteeshavebeenappointed.BothhavespecificexpertisewhichwillbeveryvaluabletotheworkoftheTrust:

Maryann Davison has been archivist of the RoyalNorthernCollegeofMusic–whereamongmanyothercollections she has responsibility for the Rawsthornearchive – for six years.Previously, sheworked at theDerbyshireRecordOffice.

Martin Ellerby is acomposer, specialising inworksforconcertbandandbrassband.HestudiedattheRoyalCollegeofMusic

with Joseph Horowitz andprivatelywithWilfredJosephs.HewasformerlyHeadofCompositionattheLondonCollegeofMusic,atthetimewhenJohnMcCabewasPrincipal.


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08/1/2010 CelloSonata EmmaFerrand,JeremyYoung RNCMConcertHall, Manchester

24/4/2010 Divertimentofor BusheySymphonyOrchestra BusheyAcademy, smallorchestra LondonRd.

27/�/2010 Four Romantic Pieces AnthonyWilliams RadleyCollege, Oxfordshire

04/8/2010 SuiteforRecorder OlwenFoulkes WoodhouseRecorder Week

19/9/2010 ClarinetQuartet RobertPlane,Members HolywellMusicRoom, ofMagginiQuartet Oxford

19/9/2010 ViolaSonata MartinOutram, HolywellMusicRoom, SophiaRahman Oxford

14/11/2010Cruel SeaSuite WorthingSymphonyOrchestra AssemblyHall, Worthing

19/11/2010Divertimentofor StPaul’sSinfonia StPaul’sChurch, smallorchestra Deptford

30/4/2011 Cruel SeaSuite StAlbansSymphonyOrchestra StAlbansAbbey

29/�/2011 Four Seasonal Songs SyredConsort/BenPalmer DorchesterAbbey, forSATB Oxfordshire

18/9/2011 StringQuartetNo.1 AdderburyEnsemble HolywellMusicRoom, Oxford

For details of the complete programme contact Andrew Knowles


�0 �1


�2

Oxford Reunion 2011

Forfinancialreasons,thiswillbe‘thereunionthatneverwas’,toadaptoneofRawsthorne’stitles.AsAndrewMayesexplainselsewhereinthisissue,theTrust’sincomehasfallendramaticallyinrecentyears(as,indeed,hasattendanceattheannualgathering).AccomodationatWadhamCollegeisnotasignificantexpensetotheTrust,butsponsorshipoftheSundayCoffeeConcertintheHolywellMusicRoom(theartisticheartaroundwhichtherestoftheweekendisplanned)costsover£1200,evenafter taking intoaccountthefinancialhelpwehavereceivedfromtheWilliamAlwynFoundationforseveralyears,inanarrangementunderwhichAlwyn’sworksareprogrammedalongsideRawsthorne’s.Asithappens,theAdderburyEnsemblehavekindlyofferedtoincludeRawsthorne’sStringQuartetNo.1intheirCoffeeConcertof18September2011,withoutanysubsidyfromtheTrust,sothatwewouldafterallhavehadaraison d’êtreforourgathering.Butwehadnoknowledgeofthisatthepointwherewehadtochoosebetweenbookingandabandonment,sothesafercoursewaschosen.

Wehope,however, that thiswillnotmean the endof suchgatherings.Thetrusteesareconsideringanevent for2012,probablytobeheld inManchester–whichis,ofcourse,thecityinwhichthemajorityofRawsthorne’sstudiestookplace.TheRoyalNorthernCollegeofMusicmakesasuperbvenueformeetings,talks and concerts, with accommodation close by at the Manchester BusinessSchool;theRawsthornearchiveishousedatthecollege,makinganexhibitionofhismanuscriptspossible;andwehopetoencouragestudentperformerstoplayworksbyRawsthorneinaconcertduringtheweekend.Atpresent,itlookslikelythat thiswould takeplace inOctober rather thanSeptember2012,butat themomentnofirmplanshavebeenmade.

THE_CREEL_VOL7_N1.indd 52 1/7/11 08:21:46

Documents

The Creel - MusicWeb · 2015-05-19 · The Creel Journal of The Rawsthorne Trust and The Friends of Alan Rawsthorne Volume 7, Number 1 Issue Number 22 Summer 2011 Contents Editorial