Brian Easdale 1909-1995

[giles.enders]

Brian Easdale is remembered, if at all, as the composer for the film The Red Shoes, which is very highly rated.  He wrote a piano concerto in 1935, does any one know any thing about it ?. Is it in the romantic idiom, where is the score or better still are his scores all in one collection?

[eschiss1]

will see what I can- he arranged the revision of Britten's piano concerto, and apparently his concerto was broadcast the same year as the original version of Britten's was written ('38) - odd.

[eschiss1]

(though Randel in Harvard Concise and Harvard Biographical dates Easdale's concerto's composition to 1937- do we have a good source for that

[Gareth Vaughan]

Lewis Foreman might well be able to help.

[Pengelli]

The 'Red Shoes' is one of my parents favourite films. I'm sure someone brought out a cd of some of his music some years ago,or it may just have been a new recording of the film score. The movie incorporates an extended ballet sequence. According to Wikipedia Easdale wrote some opera's,chamber music,concert works,and a choral work,'Missa Coventrensis'. Another composer that Dutton,or maybe,Chandos could investigate,if the scores are available. He sounds interesting. Have to confess though,that 'The Red Shoe's',isn't my kind of film. I can't stand ballet,(watching it,not the music!),but it is considered a classic.

[Gareth Vaughan]

It woud appear that many of Easdale's MSS are in the possession of The Music Sales Group. I shall be contacting them to see what is available.

[alberto]

The forum is useful to me  to return to appreciated and not forgotten music. So is the case of the CD Silva Screen (FILMCD 072- Kenneth Alwyn cond., Phila. Orch., 1990) containing, together with movie music by Vaughan Williams, Schurmann and Bliss, the very fine (and Oscar prized) "The red shoes ballet".(The -otherwise rich- booklet mentions the existence of a piano concerto saying nothing about it).

[eschiss1]

according to http://www.musicweb-international.com/garlands/easdale.htm Easdale's concerto was broadcast in 1938. (I thought you meant a concerto made out of the Red Shoes ballet- a procedure not unheard of!)

[Gareth Vaughan]

Having spoken to Adam Harvey at The Music Sales Group, I can confirm that such MS music as was extant at the time of Easdale's death was deposited with them, and exists in "a trunk". It has not been sorted and catalogued yet, but Adam says a lot of it is in pencil and may not be in a photocopyable state. However, he has promised to have a more thorough investigation when time allows. Mention of the "Concerto lyrico" rang a bell with him - Dutton, apparently, had made some enquiries about it (promising!). Anyhow, it all depends upon the condition of the MSS and how much work will be involved to bring them into a performable state.