Hornspieler and the Threebees

[Hornspieler]

I'm not sure whether Norman del Mar was ever appointed as Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, but I do know that he gave a stunning reading of RVW's 4th Symphony (My favourite of the 9) when on a tour of SE Asia with the BBCSO, so I was more than a little surprised to learn that it had been decided to return to the original idea of the Training Orchestra having a permanent Conductor/Musical Director and that NDM had accepted the post.

Nice chap, Norman. After all, he had been an accomplished hornplayer (Poacher turned Gamekeeper or Vice Versa?) but he could be a bit of a fusspot and certainly our two tame Studio Attendants got a bit fed up with having to reset the platform whichever way they put it.

If they set the usual Cellos outside on the right of stage with basses behind, he wanted the cellos next to 1st violins and basses behind with 2nd violins on the outside right, or violas on the outside with cellos inside them and basses behind the cellos - or along the back.
I think that explains their frustration.

Peter Mountain was no longer the "Konzertmeister" - he was just the Leader. Maybe that was why he decided to relinquish his post and he took himself off to fulfill a teaching post in Scotland along with his wife Angela Dale.

"Let's write a new overture called The Land of the Mountains and the Dales one wag suggested.

The duties of the office staff had now altered considerably.
The wall chart was safe in the hands of the orchestra secretary and I was the central point of contact between staff.

I should have had a notice on the door of my office - Complaints Department

[Hornspieler]

Trouble at t'Mill

Apart from seeking out Leaders to replace Peter Mountain for the orchestra's broadcast commitments, I had little to do except stand by to resolve problems, but I did make a contribution to those repertoire rehearsals with suggestions as to what would be of future benefit to the students.

During my freelance activities, I had spent quite a lot of time with the BBC Scottish Radio Orchestra and I discovered that much of their work in both radio and television could be compared with that of the BBC Concert Orchestra in its variety of disciplines.

Trevor Duncan, Gordon Jacob, Leroy Anderson, Percy Grainger, Dag Wiren, Morton Gould, Leo Norman, Ivor Novello, Edward German, Leonard Bernstein, Robert Farnon and many others were frequently to be found on the stand for such programmes as "Steve Race's Invitation to Music" a popular programme on Radio 2.

Pieces from Operas and Musicals by British composers like Charles Ancliffe, Vincent Yeomans - even Alfred Ketelby appeared from day to day, and a typical session (for Invitation to Music,) for instance, would run like this:

9 am Everyone in position and tuned up ready to go.

First item. Straight run through. No problems? Red light goes on. Record First item

Second item Same procedure as first item

Next item, etc

No chance to study the part. You were expected to read it straight off, whether you were a regular member of the orchestra Training or guesting.

This was what I wanted to bring to the attention of our own orchestra in those repertoire rehearsals. A musician cannot afford to pick and choose what he plays - his job is to perform whatever is put in front of him.

So I persuaded Iain Sutherland, the former conductor of the now defunct Scottish Radio orchestra, to bring a stack of music down to Bristol and set the orchestra to do a bit of sight reading of music which to many of them was completely unfamiliar.

But two players failed to appear and one of them, an oboeist was conspicuous by his absence. I sent a message to both requesting them to send me a note explaining his failure to appear. In return, I received a sheet of paper on which was drawn a picture of a quaver.!

Ha ha! Very funny! Come with me to have a little talk with Head of Music.

HM "What is this?

"A note"

HM "And you think that's funny"

"It's what I was asked for."

HM "So tell me. Why did you absent yourself?"

"I don't like that sort of music. It's a waste of my time!

HM "Well I don't like that sort of behaviour from an employee who is under contract to the BBC. So I'm going to suspend you for seven days without pay."

He turned to me. "Let Contracts and Finance know, will you?".

"You can't do that!"

HM "I just did. Close the door on your way out."

Well, well! I didn't think he had it in him!

The following morning, I was handed a letter. It was from the Chairman of the Orchestra Committee and addressed to "Orchestra Management (Copy to Notice Board)"(sic)

The orchestra have decided to withdraw their services until such time as the unfair suspension of XXXXX is rescinded.

So. The orchestra committee had called for an unofficial strike, without apparently consulting the members or informing the Musicians Union.

It was the chance that the BBC had been waiting for. They used the excuse to renegue on their promised undertaking to allow eight years before reconsidering their commitment and stated that the orchestra would be disbanded at the end of 1977.
Players who still had not served their full promised three years would be given the appropriate severence pay and any who wished to leave immediately could do so, but without further payment.

The Union, whose needletime agreement had been rendered meaningless by the plethora of disk jockeys broadcasting on all radio channels, showed no inclination to argue.

It was time for me to start tidying things up and then to consider my own future.

[Hornspieler]

There was little to do in the forseeable future except to secure the services of those Guest Leaders for the Studio recordings.
My good friends Hugh Maguire and Colin Sauer (both of them sadly no longer with us) were usually available.

Apart from being available to deal with problems, I had nothing to do.

So I sat back and cast my mind over my twentytwo years as a professional horn player.

In 1951, I played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the opening season of Markova and Dolin's London Festival Ballet, the BBC Opera Orchestra (now re-named BBC Concert Orchestra) and several of the BBC's light music outfits.

What an achievement for a nineteen year old, you might say.

Well, it was the most miserable year of my life, for reasons not connected with my vocation but because of it.

Something that was always at the back of my mind that inhibited my pleasure at knowing what I had achieved.

"Don't let a thing get to you" my poetry loving sister had told me. "Write it all down and look at it and accept it. Better still, write a poem about it."

And now, twenty two years later, with little to do but think about what I had achieved, I knew that she had been right.

I had to 'get the monkey off my back'.

So I decided to start to start writing my first full-length novel.

Taking a sheaf of lined foolscap paper, I thought for a while, and then decided upon a title;-

"PAVAN"

HS
(More tomorrow. I'm going to watch the F1 Grand Prix now)

[Gordon]

I'm not sure whether Norman del Mar was ever appointed as Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, but I do know that he gave a stunning reading of RVW's 4th Symphony (My favourite of the 9) when on a tour of SE Asia with the BBCSO, so I was more than a little surprised to learn that it had been decided to return to the original idea of the Traing Orchestra having a permanent Conductor/Musical Director and that NDM had accepted the post.

Nice chap, Norman. After all, he had been an accomplished hornplayer (Poacher turned Gamekeeper or Vice Versa?) but he could be a bit of a fusspot and certainly our two tame Studio Attendants got a bit fed up with having to reset the platform whichever way they put it.

If they set the usual Cellos on the outside right with basses behind, he wanted the cellos next to 1st violins and basses behind with 2nd violins on the outside right, or violas on the outside with cellos inside them and basses behind the cellos - or along the back.
I think that explains their frustration.

Peter Mountain was no longer the "Konzertmeister" - he was just the Leader. Maybe that was why he decided to relinquish his post and he took himself off to fulfill a teaching post in Scotland along with his wife Angela Dale.

"Let's write a new overture called The Land of the Mountains and the Dales one wag suggested.

The duties of the office staff had now altered considerably.
The wall chart was now safe in the hands of the orchestra secretary and I was the central point of contact between staff.

I should have had a notice on the door of my office - Complaints Department

Mention of Peter Mountain reminds me IIRC that he was for a while leader under Charles Groves at Liverpool in the 60s when I was a regular the Phil. I heard most of the man repertoire there for the first time between 1963 and 67 and then spent my student grant at Beaver Radio in Whitechapel!! I have Peter's book of recollections somewhere about:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Scraping-Living-A-Life-Violinist/dp/1425983901

I notice also the Peter played in the Philharmonia under Toscanini in 1952 when he conducted the Brahms symphonies at the RFH.

Keep it coming.

[Hornspieler]

As the last few weeks of the orchestra drew near, there was a marked change in the attitude of the players towards me.

Almost overnight, I became their friend, their confidante. They sort my advice about their future.

I remember one young member, who would not complete her term and so would be receiving a redundancy settlement.
She asked if it would be all right to go for an audition on the following Friday.

"Of course. Let Sheila (Orchestra secretary) know and she will arrange a travel warrant for you. What are you going to play?"

"I thought the Beethoven violin concerto"

What time is the audition?

"9.30"

So it's early morning. It's cold. You're nervous and you've probably tightened your bow too much.
Your knees are trembling and you have to start by playing a perfect scale of D major. A bouncing bow, cold fingers and an attack of the jitters. Good choice?
You don't have to answer. You know its a mistake. How about a Mozart Concerto? The D major?

"Yes, I could play that.

Any of the three movements? They might ask for them. Think about this one.
Saint Saens Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso.
You could show off your musicianship in the first part and your technical ability in the Rondo.

"Oh yes. I love playing that piece -but I don't think I have the piano part.

" Have a word with Dick in the Library. He can get a copy sent down here by tomorrow morning.

Good luck!

Suddenly I was everybody's friend. It was a nice feeling.

HS

[Hornspieler]

Hornspieler and the Threebees

1978 The Academy of the BBC was no more, but the organisation was still in place to run it.

Sheila, the Orchestra Secretary was found a good position with The Radio Times (still a BBC publication at that time)

Joan, my secretary was moved to Birmingham, the Headquarters of the BBC Regions' Network Production Centres.

Our two tame Studio Attendants were attending to the requirements of the TV studio.

I don't know what happened to Dick, the Librarian. He's probably still there in his little empire, surrounded by those beautifully leather bound full scores of light operas by Monkton and Talbot, Edward German, Robert Stolz and the Savoy operas.

For myself, I was an established employee of the BBC, entitled to retire on pension in twelve years time, so somebody had to find me a job.

A committee was formed for that purpose. It consisted of five persons, all unknown to me, who interviewed me for about an hour (it was patently obvious that they knew nothing of my qualifications or anything about music) and they then departed to seek for a suitable job within the Corporation. A month later they sent a suggestion of a post as a music assistant in Cardiff (Grade MP1, less than my current grade and salary) or a job in Contracts and Finance in Bristol as Assistant to the Assistant Head of Contracts (and Finance)

It was a disgraceful example of total lack of interest or commitment to find continued employment within the many aspects of live radio broadcasting.

I opted for early retirement, collected my statutory redundancy pay, cashed in my pension contributions and returned to Bournemouth.

Far from being given the usual farewell sendoff (I had contributed to many in the past - for expectant Secretaries, retiring Studio Attendants et al most of whom I had never met - a collecting box for somebody used to come round almost every week) nobody even bothered to say Goodbye!.

So much for Hornspieler and the last of those 3 B's

HS

[Tony Halstead]

I know how you feel, HS, I've also 'been there' myself.
After 29 years teaching at the GSMD, 14 years playing in the ECO and 32 years playing in the English Concert, I didn't receive a 'send-off' from any of them when I retired (of my own free will I might add! )

What a contrast between those 3 mean-spirited organisations and the AAM/ Chris Hogwood who kindly and generously gave me a 'leaving party' with food and drink, plus some prezzies (Boxed CD sets of the AAM, very nice too).

[Honoured Guest]

It was a disgraceful example of total lack of interest or commitment to find continued employment within the many aspects of live radio broadcasting.

It sounds as if these were vacant posts with application initially restricted to displaced employees, such as your good self. If unfilled by displaced employees, they would subsequently have been advertised more widely, perhaps internally at first. The BBC wouldn't have created an additional post for any displaced employee. I'm sure that this process would have been explained to you at the time.

[Hornspieler]

EPILOGUE

On my return to Bournemouth, I checked in at the Employment Exchange and, after interviewing me, they suggested that my experience in both Management and Budget Control indicated that I should try my hand as a Management Services Consultant.
They sent me off to Croydon Technical College for a ten week course, followed by an examination which on passing gave me the right to put A.M.I.S after my name (Associate of the Institute of Management Services) and I was able to start work, through an agency initially.

"Management Consultant?" I hear you say. "He's just an average guy brought in from outside."

Actually, you are probably right in many cases. But that average guy, when he starts work, knows nothing of what has been done in the past - he sees only what is there

No preconceived notions. I always quote as an example a chess match between two top rated contestants. They have been seated staring at each other without a move being made for more than twenty minutes.
A colleague who is by no means such a good player walks into the room and looks at the board. "That's the move, he tells them. Checkmate in three". He has no knowledge of what moves the two opponents have made over the last 2 hours, he sees only what is there at the point when he enters the room.

It is the same with consultancy. "Custom and Practise" has no place in the conducting of a survey, writing a report and making recommendations for improvement, sometimes even rescuing a company from disaster and saving the workers' jobs.

Fascinating stuff because every job is a different sort of challenge. I conducted surveys and wrote reports with recommendations for Rank Xerox International, White Knight Laundry Group, Oxford University Press, Export Packing Services, North Thames Gas Board, Nelco Electrical Engineering, South West Thames NHS (Supplies) Poole Hospital (Portering Bonus Scheme) and The Government's Manpower Services Commision.

The problem was that I was back to all that travelling away from Bournemouth again.
Neasden,Reading, Sittingbourne, Farnham, Kentish Town, Romford, Andover, Maidenhead. Woking, Carshalton.

It was while I was working on a contract with Rank Xerox International in Uxbridge that I received an urgent call from the Manpower Services Commision to go down to Enham Industries, a Government Sponsored Sheltered Workshop for the Disabled in Andover to sort out a materials flow problem. So my free weekend was abandoned to go to Andover and give them some help.

I had just finished work and was about to leave when I clumsiy knocked a telephone directory off my desk.

It was for the Oxford and Bucks Area.

As I picked it up, the pages fell open and in the top left hand corner, I spotted a number that I had not used for 29 years.

That act of carelessness was to bring about a complete change in my life.

If you want to know why, you will have to ask me to send you a short story called "The Girl in the Red Mini"

You know my email address. hornspieler@virginmedia.com I will attach a document file to my return message.

Auf Wiedersehen

Hornspieler

[Zucchini]

Hornspieler and the 3 B's
Finale: Allegro con fuoco...

That was your #38 - maybe one of the longest finales in history! But you write well and I've enjoyed it. Congrats

[antongould]

Re your Epilogue HS - the term management consultant tends to stir up emotions as I'm sure you well know - What's a consultant? - Someone who borrows your watch and tells you the time!!!

Whilst I have no reason to doubt that your work brought great benefits to the organisations you list, I am very sure that within those organisations away from, and probably ignored by, top management will be staff who know exactly what is needed to turn the company round. Consultants have been known to talk to such staff and brand their ideas as their own - although I'm sure you would give credit where credit was due.

[gradus]

An interesting story HS, many thanks for telling it.

[Once Was 4]

An interesting story HS, many thanks for telling it.

And I can heartily recommend that everybody takes up HS's offer of a copy of his 'Bravo Maestro'. You will be amused, entertained and, sometimes, shocked by his description of the music profession as it really is: its characters, both light and dark, its amusing situations, its downsides - but also its many compensations.

Speaking of which there was discussion on this forum last week of a new orchestra for Yorkshire. It didn't happen! One of the horn players booked for it came in as a last-minute deputy to a choral date at Pontefract in which I was playing. She should have been at the new orchestra's rehearsals but the whole project had been postponed the day before and the concert cancelled. Understandably she was more than a bit upset; the blame seems to be directed at the concert venue management rather than the new orchestra's founders.

Pitfalls!

[Hornspieler]

That was your #38 - maybe one of the longest finales in history! But you write well and I've enjoyed it. Congrats

Thank you.

Actually, my message #38 was in relation to my decision not to renew my contract with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and to leave Belfast, Sinn Fein, the Orange Order and the Ulster orchestra to get along without my help or interference.

It is a matter of both pride and pleasure, that the Orchestra, whose organisational set up I was entrusted with in 1966, is still going strong and will reach its 50th Anniversay in August 2016.

HS

[Hornspieler]

Thank you.

Actually, my message #38 was in relation to my decision not to renew my contract with the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and to leave Belfast, Sinn Fein, the Orange Order and the Ulster orchestra to get along without my help or interference.

It is a matter of both pride and pleasure, that the Orchestra, whose organisational set up I was entrusted with in 1966, is still going strong and will reach its 50th Anniversay in August 2016.

HS

Readers who have followed the progress of this long thread will surely wish to know why I should have called it

"Hornspieler and the 4 Bs"

Watch this space!

HS