Samuel Coleridge-Taylor

[albion]

hrm. the program notes to a 1922 performance would have it that "The union gave up the right to the first performance to a choral society at Albany, N.Y., directed by Arthur Mees (as we could not give it at once)... the second performance ... by one of our socieies, the Winsted Choral union, the third by the entire union in the Music shed." (from notes to a June 1922 performance by the Litchfield Choral Society. not sure who the notes are by - Rev. John C. Goddard, president or someone else?)
Well, as you see, the edition of the vocal score that we have (courtesy of Sibley) is copyright 1911 - if we have the 2nd edition, wouldn't it have a different copyright date? That's (one of many things, but the relevant thing) confusing me... and is the reason I was conjecturing an earlier publication date for the 1st edition, since the 2nd edition was copyright 1911, ergo... !

Eric, these are references to the first performance in the US, which came after the UK premiere.

If two editions of a score (or anything else) were both published in 1911, they would surely both have that date. There would clearly be no need to wait for another year to roll round before issuing a revision.

[eschiss1]

ah, ok. And while it surprises me, I see no reason to doubt the last. got it!

[albion]

Likewise with plate numbers: Novello (and most other London publishers) regularly re-engraved revised pages, added pages, removed pages etc. without giving any change of plate number. Often there would be nothing to indicate to a prospective purchaser that a revision had taken place - to do so would admit that it was in some way a 'problem' piece.

The only instance of a Coleridge-Taylor second edition that is actually indicated as such by Novello is The Blind Girl of Castel-Cuille, written for the 1901 Leeds Festival, where the second edition is headed Revised Edition.

[eschiss1]

I do know that when Emil Kross edited/elaborated violin parts to a number of concertos and other works and these were released by Schott around 1890 (as a sort of collection) Schott did so with - well, in the case of, say, Lange Jr.'s violin concerto of 1878 (plate 22370) the Kross "edition" has plate 22370b (issued in 1890, d'apres HMB.) A poifect guide to dates plates'r'n't...

Hrm. Coleridge-Taylor not allowed to conduct the premiere of A Tale and must pay for own seat at concert.

[albion]

Hrm. Coleridge-Taylor not allowed to conduct the premiere of A Tale and must pay for own seat at concert.

I'm sure Coleridge-Taylor trusted Arthur Fagge (1864-1943) to give his work a good send-off. Although largely forgotten now, Fagge was one of London's leading choral conductors and founded the London Choral Society (renamed the London Chorus in 2000) in 1903 with the express intent of giving the first metropolitan performance of The Dream of Gerontius. The performance in February 1904 was a great success.

Fagge directed the chorus (which besides the premiere of A Tale of Old Japan, also gave the first complete rendition of Bantock's Omar Khayyam in 1910) until 1940.

The conductor recounted that he persuaded Coleridge-Taylor not to attend rehearsals of A Tale until the choir was well advanced with the score and that the pleasantest recollection I have of Coleridge-Taylor was when he stood at the piano in the Memorial Hall, where we rehearsed, when the work was ready. He beamed; he had nothing to suggest; he thought the results could not be improved.

S C-T probably got into Queen's Hall on 6th December 1911 for free.

[Jimfin]

Thanks for mentioning the Jeffrey Green book, Albion. I've ordered a copy from Amazon Japan. I read Avril Coleridge-Taylor's biography many years ago, but it was most unsatisfactory, as family memoirs often are (apologies to Ursula VW, Imogen Holst, Beth Britten, etc.). The story of his birth seems only to have been recently discovered, as he seems to have been illegitimate, which was not explicitly mentioned for a long time, due to social stigmas.

[giles.enders]

It will be a hundred years since Coleridge-Taylor died next year.  I am planning a chamber music concert in London devoted to him next Autumn.  He was born In Theobalds Road, London. though the building has long since gone and even the street numbering has changed. I have started to investigate the possibility of a Blue Plaque.  It might be the time to lobby for some of his other works to be performed.

[Lionel Harrsion]

It will be a hundred years since Coleridge-Taylor died next year.  I am planning a chamber music concert in London devoted to him next Autumn.  He was born In Theobalds Road, London. though the building has long since gone and even the street numbering has changed. I have started to investigate the possibility of a Blue Plaque.  It might be the time to lobby for some of his other works to be performed.

I couldn't agree with you more, Giles, about lobbying for some of the other works to be performed.  On the matter of Blue Plaques, there is one on the house at 30 Dagnall Park where he and Jessie lived after their marriage (until 1902, I think) -- I don't know if there are any rules about people being allowed only one Blue Plaque!

[Dundonnell]

I have an original Novello full score(1899) of Coleridge-Taylor's Four Characteristic Waltzes for full orchestra.

Any interest?

[Jimfin]

Reading the new biography now. It's very good on sociological detail, but makes no comments at all on the merits of the music, unless that is all reserved for the end. Still, it's better written than the Balfe biography I recently read, which reads like a lecture or a set of research notes.
     Listening to the BMB download of "A Tale of Old Japan", I really, really want to hear a recording made of this: it strikes me as much stronger than "Hiawatha" and a sign of what he might have gone on to do had he lived longer.

[Lionel Harrsion]

Listening to the BMB download of "A Tale of Old Japan", I really, really want to hear a recording made of this: it strikes me as much stronger than "Hiawatha" and a sign of what he might have gone on to do had he lived longer.

Hear hear!  Coleridge-Taylor himself regarded it as a better piece of work than Hiawatha and who are we to disagree?  Who do you reckon would do the best job of a modern recording, Jim?  David Lloyd-Jones, maybe?

[Jimfin]

I'd be grateful for anyone to do it, but Lloyd-Jones would be good. Or Martyn Brabbins, who recorded the Violin Concerto, a real revelation which I think shows that he was still developing as a composer. Then again, I'd love Brabbins to be occupied with recording more Havergal Brian, who I think is more dependent on a good conductor than C-T

[albion]

An extremely interesting feature on today's Music Matters (Radio 3), discussing Coleridge-Taylor's recently-rediscovered opera Thelma, is well worth a listen -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01br0v6

The work has just received its premiere production by Surrey Opera (the last performance is this evening) - I sincerely hope that somebody had the enterprise to make a complete recording of this!

[Alan Howe]

Between the wars Hiawatha was as sung (literally!) as any choral work in the repertoire. Now it has all but disappeared. There's a splendid recording made in 1990 under Kenneth Alwyn featuring Helen Field, Arthur Davies and a young Bryn Terfel which I've just bought - and I have to confess that I didn't know a note!

What a brilliant work it is - no wonder it was once so popular. How many of you 'out there' know it?

[adriano]

Agree, Alan! This recording is absolutely splendid. I will never forget my astonisment at the beauty of this music (and its excellent performance)... so many yers ago :-)