Music on the verge (effectively) of becoming extinct

[Hornspieler]

Not to everyone's taste, perhaps, but Graham Whettam seems to have slipped beneath the waters after the BBC proscribed (his words, not mine) his music because he had a habit of interfering during rehearsals and he was banned from attending both rehearsals and live transmissions, but his output was of sufficient interest to none other than Sir Eugene Goosens to conduct a concert of his music in the Queen Elisabeth Hall, which was well attended and well received. (I know, because I was playing in the orchestra at that performance)
Whettam also wrote a very fine clarinet concerto for Raymond Carpenter, principal clarinet of the BSO, which was broadcast in a Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra concert and has been performed also by other clarinet soloists.

I recall a Royal Festival Hall concert under Charles Groves in the early sixties, in which one of Whettam's compositions was included, but I cannot remember what it was after all these years; except to say that it was probably an orchestral suite.

Does anyone remember this maverick of a composer?

HS

[aeolium]

Yes, indeed, HS. I remember hearing some of Whettam's compositions on the radio back in the 1970s or possibly 1980s but then he seemed to disappear for a decade or more and I only became acquainted with more of his music when we moved to Gloucestershire and the young and excellent Carducci Quartet championed his work in local festivals, I think premiering his fourth quartet. I didn't at that time realise that he lived quite close nearby and his widow Jan still lives locally.

I think he had battles with the establishment due to his radical politics - Groves vetoed the premiere of his Sinfonia Contra Timore because of the dedication "to Bertrand Russell and all other people who suffer imprisonment or other injustice for the expression of their beliefs or the convenience of politicians and bureaucracies" (even though the work had been written for the RLPO for which Groves was then the President). Possibly he has more recognition in Eastern Europe which I believe he visited a lot in the 1970s, particularly East Berlin and Dresden.

Definitely a composer worth bringing back from the verge.

[Serial_Apologist]

I well remember finding Graham Whettham's music grey, tedious, longwinded and boring when it got the few broadcasts it did in the late 1960s - there being such exciting and innovative stuff happening elsewhere at that time.

[Bryn]

Yes, indeed, HS. I remember hearing some of Whettam's compositions on the radio back in the 1970s or possibly 1980s but then he seemed to disappear for a decade or more and I only became acquainted with more of his music when we moved to Gloucestershire and the young and excellent Carducci Quartet championed his work in local festivals, I think premiering his fourth quartet. I didn't at that time realise that he lived quite close nearby and his widow Jan still lives locally.

I think he had battles with the establishment due to his radical politics - Groves vetoed the premiere of his Sinfonia Contra Timore because of the dedication "to Bertrand Russell and all other people who suffer imprisonment or other injustice for the expression of their beliefs or the convenience of politicians and bureaucracies" (even though the work had been written for the RLPO for which Groves was then the President). Possibly he has more recognition in Eastern Europe which I believe he visited a lot in the 1970s, particularly East Berlin and Dresden.

Definitely a composer worth bringing back from the verge.

There's a recording of the Sinfonia Contra Timore, supposedly conducted by Sir Charles Groves, on YouTube. Since it claims to be a 1997 revision of the work, it seems somewhat unlikely that Sir Charles, who died 5 years beforehand, was indeed the conductor on this occasion:

[aeolium]

There's a recording of the Sinfonia Contra Timore, supposedly conducted by Sir Charles Groves, on YouTube. Since it claims to be a 1997 revision of the work, it seems somewhat unlikely that Sir Charles, who died 5 years beforehand, was indeed the conductor on this occasion:

Thanks, Bryn. I haven't heard this work and will give it a play.

[Hornspieler]

Thanks, Bryn. I haven't heard this work and will give it a play.

Thanks from me too, Bryn.

Hearing this work again, I'm surprised that I did not remember it.

1962 is quite correct. Very derivative of Walton's later works and hearing it again after 53 years, I can't help feeling that I would rather listen to that than some of the garbage 1st performances (probably also last) that the BBC has commissioned over the past few years.

I think this must be the work where Charles Groves stopped after about an hour's in rehearsal and said and said:

" ...I don't mind you looking at your watches from time to time. It's when you shake them and then put them to your ear that I take exception!"

HS..