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Ernst Henschel collection: London: Royal Albert Hall (1939-56)

Collection Summary

Collection Title

Ernst Henschel collection: London: Royal Albert Hall (1939-56)

Unique Identifier

Henschel

Description

A collection of individual programmes and handbills for performances given at the Royal Albert Hall between 1939 and 1956, forming part of the Ernst Henschel Collection (1892-1966).

For an introduction to this collection see Ernst Henschel Collection: General.

1. Royal Philharmonic Society
2. Royal Choral Society
3. Henry Wood Promenade Concerts
4. Other concerts

1. Royal Philharmonic Society
132nd season (no.1 and 5)
9 October 1943 and 12 February 1944: London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Barbirolli/Sir Adrian Boult (box 27, parcel 1)

133rd season (no. 1 and no. 8)
21 October 1944: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Albert Coates (box 27, parcel 1)
26 May 1945: Hallé Orchestra conducted by John Barbirolli (box 27, parcel 2)

134th season (nos. 1, 5, 7 and 8)
20 October 1945: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham (box 27, parcel 2)
16 February, 13 April and 11 May 1946: the London Symphony Orchestra (cond. Basil Cameron), BBC Symphony Orchestra (cond. Sir Adrian Boult) and the Hallé Orchestra (cond. John Barbirolli) (box 28)

135th season (nos. 1, 2, 4, 7 and 8)
26 October and 16 November 1946: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Beecham (box 28)
25 January, 26 April and 17 May 1947: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Nicolai Malko/ Sir Thomas Beecham (box 29)

136th season (no. 7)
21 April 1948: BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult (box 30, parcel 1)

137th season (nos. 1-4)
20 October, 17 November and 15 December 1948: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Beecham (box 30, parcel)
26 January 1949: BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult (box 30, parcel 2)

138th season (last concert)
17 May 1950: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Beecham (box 31, parcel 1)

139th season (nos. 2 and 8)
15 November 1950: BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult (box 31, parcel 1)
18 April 1951: BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent (box 31, parcel 2)

NOTE: the Henschel collection also contains programmes for performances given by the Royal Philharmonic Society at the Queen’s Hall (1938-41) and the Royal Festival Hall (1951-59)

2. Royal Choral Society
Unless otherwise stated, these concerts were given with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (1939 to end of 1946) and the London Symphony Orchestra (from 1947) and were conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent. The soloists listed are vocalists.

Box 26 (1939)
22 February: Elgar, The Kingdom, with Miss Elsie Suddaby, Miss Astra Desmond, Mr Eric Greene and Mr Roy Henderson
5 May: Elgar, Serenade for Strings and Dream of Gerontius, with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Bradford Festival Choral Society, Croydon Philharmonic Society, Huddersfield Choral Society and Miss Gladys Ripley, Mr Heddle Nash and Mr Harold Williams (vocal).

Box 27, parcel 1 (1940-44)
13 March 1943: Elgar, The Dream of Gerontius, with Astra Desmond, Heddle Nash and Tom Williams
2 October 1943: George Dyson, The Canterbury Pilgrims, with Isobel Baillie, Edward Reach and Roy Henderson, conducted by the composer.
5 February 1944: Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Hiawatha, with Janet Hamilton-Smith, Henry Wendon and John Hargreaves and the London Symphony Orchestra.
13 May 1944: Delius, A Mass of Life, with Ruth Naylor, Muriel Brunskill, Parry Jones and Roy Henderson

Box 27, parcel 2 (1945)
3 March: Mendelssohn, Elijah, with Joan Taylor, Janet Howe, Bradbridge White and Dennis Noble.

Box 28 (1946)
18 May: Joan Taylor, Astra Desmond, Jan van der Gucht, Dennis Noble and Norman Walker.

Box 29 (1947)
10 May: Isobel Baillie and Mary Jarred.

Box 30, parcel 2 (1949)
15 April: Ena Mitchell, Mary Jarred, James Johnston and Harold Williams.
3 December: Joan Cross, Heddle Nash and Gordon Clinton.

Box 32, parcel 2 (1952)
6 December: VOCALISTS

Box 34, parcel 1 (1956):
17 March: inc. the first London performacen of Howells, Missa Sabrinensis, with Elsie Morison, Marjorie Thomas, William Herbert and Gordon Clinton.

3. Henry Wood Promenade Concerts
Unless otherwise stated, these are programme books with words and notes for the Henry Wood/BBC Promenade Concerts. With the exception of the 1944 season, programmes for all seasons cite the involvement of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 28 and 29 June 1944 (Jubilee Season) with the London Philharmonic Orchestra (box 27, parcel 1)
21, 23, 25-28 and 30-31 July, 1, 3-4, 6-10, 13-14, 16-18, 24-25, 28 and 30 August and 4, 7, 11 and 13-15 September 1945: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Basil Cameron, Sir Adrian Boult and Constant Lambert. The programmes for 28 and 30 July, and 9, 17 and 30 August are handwritten (box 27, parcel 2)
27 and 29-31 July, 1-3, 7-9, 12-14, 16-17, 21, 23-24 and 28-31 August and 2-4, 6-7, 10-12, 14 and 16-21 September 1946 (52nd series). The programmes for 29 July, 17 August and 2, 6, 16 and 20 September are handwritten (box 28)
11, 16 and 18 January 1947 (winter series): conducted by Basil Cameron (11 January)/Sir Adrian Boult (16 and 18 January) (box 29)
21, 23 and 25-26 July, 1, 5, 8, 11-13, 15, 20, 22, 25-27 and 30 August, and 2, 4 and 10-12 September 1947 (53rd season): London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Adrian Boult, Basil Cameron and Sir Malcolm Sargent. The programmes for 1 August and 12 September are handwritten (box 29)
27 and 29 July, 3, 5-6, 9, 12-14, 16, 20-21, 23, 25, 28 and 31 August and 2, 10-11, 13 and 15-17 September 1948 (54th season): London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Sargent and Basil Cameron. The programmes for 9, 23 and 28 August are handwritten (box 30, parcel 1)
22 January 1949 (winter season): conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent (box 30, parcel 2)
29 July, 1, 5, 11-12, 15-16 and 25-26 August, and 1, 6 and 13 September 1949 (55th season): London Symphony Orchestra and London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult, Trevor Harvey and Leslie Woodgate. The programme for 5 August is handwritten (box 30, parcel 2)
25-26 July, 3-4, 8, 21, 23 and 25 August, and 1, 5, 8 and 15 September 1950 (56th season): London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Basil Cameron and Sir Malcolm Sargent (box 31, parcel 1)
3, 6, 13, 17, 22 and 31 August and 7 and 10 September 1951 (57th season): London Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Basil Cameron, Malcolm Sargent and John Hollingsworth (box 31, parcel 2)
Box 32, parcel 1 (1952): 5 August and 6 September (58th season): conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent
27, 29 and 31 July, 6, 14, 21 and 26 August, and 2-3, 7, 10-11 and 17-18 September 1953 (59th season): BBC Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Halle Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent, Trevor Harvey, John Hollingsworth, Sir Adrian Boult, Basil Cameron and Sir John Barbirolli. The programme for 21 August is handwritten (box 32, parcel 2)
9, 14 and 16 August 1954 (Diamond Jubilee Season): London Symphony Orchestra (Basil Cameron), the BBC Symphony Orchestra (Malcolm Sargent) and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (Basil Cameron) (box 33, parcel 1)
27 July 1955: BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Sargent (handwritten) (box 33, parcel 2)

4. Other concerts
Box 26 (1939)
28 March: London Symphony Orchestra, with Pablo Casals (cello), conducted by Albert Coates
1 April: Pageant Music and the People in ten episodes, conducted by Alan Bush. This constituted the first of three concerts given as the Festival of Music for the People, the remainder being on 3 and 5 April at the Conway Hall and Queen’s Hall

Box 27, parcel 1 (1940-44)
25 September 1943: London Symphony Orchestra with Noel Mewton-Wood (piano), the Alexandra Choir and Norman Walker (vocal), conducted by Basil Cameron. Part of Jay Pomeroy’s Festival of Russian Music.
23 April 1944: National Symphony Orchestra with Joan Hammond, Janet Howe and Parry Jones (vocal), Moiseiwitsch (piano), the BBC and Luton Choral Societies, conducted by Basil Cameron
12 May 1944: BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
19 May 1944: BBC Symphony Orchestra, with Isobel Baillie, Gladys Ripley, Parry Jones, Norman Walker and Roy Henderson (vocal) and the BBC Choral Society, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
3, 4 and 5 June 1944: Three performances given by the London Symphony Orchestra as part of Jay Pomeroy’s Second Festival of Russian Music. The concerts featured the following soloist/conductor combinations: Max Rostal (violin)/Dr Heathcote Statham; Moura Lympany (piano)/Albert Coates; and Nicolas Medtner (piano)/Adrian Boult.
6 June 1944: A Delius Memorial Concert given by the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Swales Atkinson (baritone), Katharine Goodson (piano)and the BBC Choral Society, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
7 June 1944: London Symphony Orchestra with Moiseiwitsch (piano), conducted by Fistoulari as part of Jay Pomeroy’s Second Festival of Russian Music
1 October 1944: London Philharmonic Orchestra with Yehudi Menuhin (violin), conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
12 November and 24 December 1944: Harold Holt Sunday Concerts given by the
London Philharmonic Orchestra, with Nicole Henriot (piano), conducted by Charles Munch (November) and the Royal Choral Society, conducted by Malcolm Sargent (December)
25 November: London Symphony Orchestra with Moiseiwitsch (piano), conducted by Fistoulari
2 December 1944: London Philharmonic Orchestra with Betty Humby Beecham (piano) conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham, including the first London performance of Handel-Beecham, Piano Concerto
13 December 1944, NGC: Louis Kentner (piano)

Box 27, parcel 2 (1945)
6 January: Saturday Book Concert with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Benjamin Britten, Francis Poulenc and Basil Cameron
13 January: The Bach Choir, with Isobel Baillie, Audrey Strange, Eric Greene, Grace Bodey and Henry Cummings and the Jacques Orchestra, conducted by Jacques.
11 February: Harold Holt Sunday Concert, BBC Symphony Orchestra with Clifford Curzon (piano), conducted by Sir Adrian Boult.
28 February: London Philharmonic Orchestra, Leicester Philharmonic Society and Morley College Choir with Joan Cross, Margaret McArthur, Peter Pears and Owen Brannigan (vocal), conducted by Basil Cameron and Michael Tippett, including the first concert performance of Bax, Fantasies on Polish Christmas Carols.
22 February and 7 and 24 March: Musical Culture Limited presents the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
12 April: Goldsmiths’ Choral Union with Isobel Baillie, Astra Desmond, Edward Reach, Roy Henderson and Samuel Worthington (vocal) and the Goldsmiths’ Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Frederick Haggis. This concert included the first performance of George Dyson, Quo Vadis
23 May: London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Luton Choral Society with Joan Cross and Gerard Souzay (vocal) and Kathleen Long (piano), conducted by Charles Munch.
27 June: BBC Symphony Orchestra with Casals, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
1 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Beecham
25 November: Harold Holt Sunday Concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra and Yehudi Menuhin (violin), conducted by Malcolm Sargent
28 November: BBC Symphony Concerts, BBC Symphony Orchestra with Menuhin (violin), conducted by Boult

Box 28 (1946)
11 and 30 January, 8 March: London Symphony Orchestra with Edna Iles (piano), conducted by George Weldon
23 January and 6 March: BBC Symphony Concerts with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Rafael Kubelik and Adrian Boult.
1 February: Goldsmiths’ Symphony Orchestra with Ida Haendel (violin), conducted by Frederick Haggis
2 February: Ernest Read Orchestral Concerts for Children (3rd concert of Morning Series)
30 March: Harold Holt Sunday Concert. London Symphony Orchestra with Cyril Smith (piano), conducted by Charles Hambourg.
17 April: Goldsmiths’ Choral Union and Symphony Orchestra with Kathleen Ferrier, Peter Pears and Norman Walker (vocal), conducted by Frederick Haggis
1 May: London Philharmonic Orchestra with Blanchette Tarjus, conducted by Malcolm Sargent.
17 May: Piano Recital, Artur Schnabel
2 June: Harold Holt Sunday Concert. London Symphony Orchestra with Pouishnoff (piano), conducted by Albert Coates.
13 June: Handel Festival (second day), Goldsmiths’ Choral Union and Symphony Orchestra with Elsie Suddaby, Sybil Danby, Edward Reach and Norman Lumsden (vocal), conducted by Frederick Haggis
24 June: Yehudi Menuhin (violin) and Gerald Moore (piano)
20 October: Harold Holt Sunday Concert. London Symphony Orchestra with Leon Goossens (oboe), conducted by Eugene Goosons.
26 October, 4, 8 and 15 November and 11 December: Prospectus, with programmes for the Delius Festival, organized by the Royal Philharmonic Society in conjunction with the Delius Trust and the BBC, given by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham and Richard Austin.
NOTE: this festival also included performances given on 18 and 21 November at Westminster Central Hall. There are individual programme booklets for all performances except that on 26 October, which detail the involvement of the BBC Choral Society (4 and 15 November), Croydon Philharmonic Society (8 and 15 November), the Stock Exchange Male Voice Choir (8 November) and Luton Choral Society (21 November).
22 November: St. Cecilia’s Day Festival Concert, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Symphony Orchestra, trumpeters from the Royal Military Schol of Music and the Alexandra Choir. Also, Phyllis Sellick and Cyril Smith (piano) and Arnold Grier (organ), conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
27 November: BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
11 December: Delius, A Mass of Life, part of Delius Festival 1946 under the direction of Sir Thomas Beecham.

Box 29 (1947)
January-March: prospectus with programmes for BBC Concerts, including programmes for performances at the People’s Palace and in the Concert Hall at Broadcasting House.
16 April: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Ida Haendel (violin), conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham, presented by the Central Maccabi Fund.
29 May: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with Adolf Busch (violin), conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham
7 May: London Symphony Orchestra with Solomon (piano), conducted by Sargent.
29 October: BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Women’s Chorus, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult, including Strauss, Till Eulenspiegel, conducted by the composer.
22 November: St. Cecilia’s Day Festival with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, trumpeters of the Royal Military School of Music and Luton Choral Society, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
10 December: Berlioz, Grande Messe des Morts, BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Choral Society and Luton Choral Society conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

Box 30, parcel 1 (1948)
4 February: BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Basil Cameron.
10 February: Henry Wood Concert Society. Mahler, Symphony No. 8 VIII, BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
5 March: New Era Concert Society (third concert of first season) with the Philhamornia Orchestra, conducted by Otto Klemperer. Also, flyer with programmes for performances on 31 January, 17 February, 20 March and 19 April
19 April: New Era Concert Society, Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Richard Austin.
7 October: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra with Elisabeth Schwarzkoff (vocal), conducted by Josef Krips

Box 30, parcel 2 (1949)
27 January: first concert in Beethoven Cycle, given by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Eduard van Beinum
16 February: BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Ernest Ansermet
3 and 14 June: Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy
13 October: Concert of Works by Ernest Bloch conducted by the composer, with the London Philharmonic Orchestra
6 November: Remembrance Day Concert by the London Symphony Orchestra with the BBC Choral Society, conducted by Vaughan Williams and Arthur Bliss
3 November and 1 December: first and fifth concert of Tchaikovsky Festival, given by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Nicolai Malko

Box 31, parcel 1 (1950)
9 March, 4 May, 2 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Eduard van Beinum and Sir Adrian Boult (2 November)
17 April: Festival of Israeli Music (Souvenir Programme)
7 May, 8 and 29 October: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Sargent and Muir Mathieson (8 October)
22 May: Philharmonia Concert Society, Philhamronia Orchestra with Kirsten Flagstad (vocal), conducted by Wilhelm Furtwangler, including the ‘World’s First Performance’ of Strauss, Four Last Songs
18 November: Rural Music Schools Association 21st Birthday Festival (Souvenir Programme)
5 December: First Concert of the New Era Concert Society given by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Richard Austin
6 December: BBC Symphony Concerts given by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Albert Wolff.

Box 31, parcel 2 (1951)
21 February: BBC Symphony Concerts. BBC Symphony Orchestra and Choral Society, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult.
17 April: Sixth Concert of the New Era Concert Society, given by Kirsten Flagstad (soprano) and Edwin McArthur (piano)
12 May: National Brass Band Club, Festival of Britain Concert, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult
20 May: BBC Symphony Orchestra and BBC Women’s Chorus conducted by Sir Adrian Boult, part of the Festival of Britain.
27 May, 7 and 17 June: Royal Philharmonic Society/Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski (27 May) and Sir Thomas Beecham
29 July: Latvian Song Festival. Also, a prospectus with programmes for all three performances given in at this event, the remainder being on 27 July (Wigmore Hall) and 28 July (Kingsway), with separate programmes for the same.

Box 32, parcel 1 (1952)
30 January: BBC Symphony Concerts. Hindemith, Mathis der Maler, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Clarence Raybould
4 May: London Symphony Orchestra, with Yehudi Menuhin (violin), conducted by Josef Krips, including the first English performance of Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in D minor
25 September: London Philharmonic Orchestra with Yehudi Menuhin (violin), conducted by Sir Adrian Boult.

Box 33, parcel 1 (1954)
5 December: Philharmonia Orchestra with Moura Lympany (piano), conducted by Khachaturyan

Format

Date range of collection

1939 - 1956

Accumulation Dates

Suggested Audience

Not Specific

Associated People or Organisations

Associated Places

Royal Albert Hall

Associated Times

20th century - mid 1931-1970

This collection is about

Location Details

British Library

The British Library St Pancras ,96 Euston Road London NW1 2DB United Kingdom

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Collections Overview

The Library's collection of song and piano sheet music is one of the most comprehensive of its kind, providing a valuable insight into Victorian society and culture as well as the music itself.

For details of other collections held at the same location: See the location record

Additional Collection Information

Accrual Status

closed

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