More birthday greetings

Born on 5 April 1903, on the occasion of his 79th birthday Thomas Pitfield wrote the following humorous verse:

"Now an untender age is mine
At three score years & ten, plus nine;
How long before the changed position:
Composing, to de-composition?"

Pitfield was a wonderfully talented individual who spent his life creating a large volume of works in music, art, poetry and crafts.  Much of his collection is now housed at the RNCM Archives and further information about this intriguing individual can be found by visiting the online catalogue (do a RefNo search for 'TP'). 

You may also be interested in the cross-curricular educational resource pack which has been produced and is available to download online: http://www.rncm.ac.uk/component/content/article/151/302.html.  Aimed at Key Stages 3-4 there are lessons designed for Art and Design, Citizenship and History, Drama, English and Music. 

Birthday wishes for Dr Adolph Brodsky

Adolph Brodsky, pictured with his violin (ref. AB/183)

Adolph Brodsky was born at Taganrog, Russia, on 2 April 1851.

He began learning the violin at the age of four, and enjoyed his first public appearance at the age of 8, playing in Odessa. Following this concert he was sent to Vienna where he was entered as a pupil at the Vienna Conservatoire, to study under Hellmesberger. During his time at the Vienna Conservatoire, he played second violin in the Hellmesberger-Popper string quartet.

Brodsky returned to Russia after completing his course at the Conservatoire. He spent some time touring as a soloist, and at the age of 24 was offered the post of assistant professor of the violin at the Moscow Conservatoire, which he accepted.

Adolph married Anna Skadowska in Sebastopol in 1880. The following year he became the first person to play Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, declared unplayable by Leopold Auer to whom the original dedication was made. Tchaikovsky was extremely grateful to Brodsky for the support shown by him in playing his work, as demonstrated by letters now held in the RNCM Archives.

The Brodsky Quartet was formed in 1883, and originally consisted of Adolph as leader, Ottokar Novacek (a pupil), Hans Sitt and L Grützmacher. Novacek initially played second violin but later became the violist. Hans Becker, another pupil of Brodsky’s, replaced Novacek as second violin, whilst Julius Klengel took the place of Grützmacher. The quartet made its first appearance in Leipzig on 6 Feb 1884.

In 1895 Brodsky became concert master of the Hallé Orchestra and, after the death of Sir Charles Hallé in October 1895, became the second Principal of the Royal Manchester College of Music. He held this post until his death in 1929.

For further information on the Brodsky collection, please visit www.archives.rncm.ac.uk (for the entire collection, do a quick search for the reference 'AB').


Please note, all pictures are copyright RNCM Archives and must not be reproduced without further permission.

                             

The Brodsky Quartet, 1909, featuring Brodsky, Rawdon-Briggs, Speelman and Fuchs (ref. AB/700)

The Guarnerius del Gesu violin which belonged to Adolph Brodsky

Adolph and his wife, Anna (ref. AB/189)

Henry Watson, 1846-1911 - 'All for love and nothing for reward'

7 January - 21 February 2011

The Henry Watson Music Library & Royal Northern College of Music are marking the centenary of the death of Henry Watson with a free joint exhibition. Using exciting original documents such as letters and photographs from the extensive Henry Watson archive collection this celebrates the life of a man who left a wonderful legacy to the citizens of Manchester. That legacy remains today in the public music library collection which bears his name and the Collection of Historic Musical Instruments at the RNCM.

For further details please contact either archives@rncm.ac.uk or r.edwards@manchester.gov.uk. 

Royal Connections

In light of the recent Royal engagement (and to distract us from all the snow), this week’s featured item from the Archives is a letter written by Jean Pike, Lady-in-Waiting to HRH The Princess of Wales.  The letter, from the Carroll collection, is addressed to Ida Carroll, Principal of the Northern School of Music between 1956 and 1972 and Dean of Management of the Royal Northern College of Music from 1972 until her retirement in 1976.

Ida Carroll has been described as a staunch royalist, and this letter thanks her for sending a letter and book to ‘Prince William and Prince Henry’. It could reasonably be surmised that the book Ida sent to the princes was one of her father’s (Walter Carroll) famous piano lessons for children, such as Scenes at a Farm or Sea Idylls perhaps. These books were first published at the beginning of the twentieth century yet remain popular today with children and piano teachers alike.  Prince William would have turned 7 on 21 June 1989 while Prince Harry would be nearing his 5th birthday (on 15 September) - both were thus the right sort of age to benefit from the lessons contained within Carroll's books. 

From Carroll/IGC/3, copyright The Ida Carroll Trust

The full text of the letter reads:

'2nd August 1989

Dear Mrs Carroll,

The Princess of Wales has asked me to thank you for your letter together with the book for Prince William and Prince Henry.

Her Royal Highness was most touched by your kind thought and has asked me to send you her sincerest thanks and best wishes.

Yours sincerely,
Jean Pike

Mrs Max Pike’

For further information about the Carroll collection or any other aspect of the RNCM Archives, please see the links on the right hand side.

We Will Remember Them

The following image is a touching one taken from the Elizabeth Harwood collection.  Elizabeth drew this picture celebrating the end of World War Two when she was approximately 7 years old.  Note the numerous 'V' for victory signs at the top of the picture. 

From EH/12, RNCM Archives.  Copyright Julian Royle.

Elizabeth Harwood was an internationally renowned soprano who studied at the Royal Manchester College of Music between 1956 and 1960.  Further information about her life and the collection of papers held by the RNCM Archives can be found by clicking the link to the Archives Catalogue on the right hand side.