DENNIS BRAIN died 1st September 1957

[Hornspieler]

I was told many, many years ago that, before DB, conductors expected horn payers to mispitch notes. After DB, they never did.

No doubt it's an exaggeration in part, but it would be interesting to hear Hornspieler's or Waldhorn's views.

On a Sunday afternoon in August 1957, I was driving down Exhibition Road when I spotted Dennis' green open topped TR2 parked outside the V & A with DB sitting inside, so I drew in behind him.

"Hello Dennis. What are you doing here?"

"I'm going in there to play a concerto in a few minutes, but I prefer to sit out here. It's a bit stuffy in there"

"Well, wish I could come in to hear it. Which one?'

"Mozart Number Two. My favourite."
He paused
"You know, Donald, I have a reputation for never cracking a note but every morning when I wake up, I am a day older and it becomes a day harder to live up to that. I've started to think about conducting. I've done a bit and I think I would enjoy it."

He never had the chance. Three weeks later, that beloved TR2 took his life on the Hatfield bypass.

HS

[Pabmusic]

On a Sunday afternoon in August 1975, I was driving down Exhibition Road when I spotted Dennis' green open topped TR2 parked outside the V & A with DB sitting inside, so I drew in behind him.

"Hello Dennis. What are you doing here?"

"I'm going in there to play a concerto in a few minutes, but I prefer to sit out here. It's a bit stuffy in there"

"Well, wish I could come in to hear it. Which one?'

"Mozart Number Two. My favourite."
He paused
"You know, Donald, I have a reputation for never cracking a note but every day when I wake up, I am a day older and it becomes a day harder to live up to that. I've started to think about conducting. I've done a bit and I think I would enjoy it."

He never had the chance. Three weeks later, that beloved TR2 took his life on the Hatfield bypass.

HS

A lovely, if tragic, story.

[Barbirollians]

My two year old who seldom feels the need to comment on music I play except occasionally " turn it off " has just declared Turn it up and Nice music Daddy in the slow movement of the Third Concerto K447 ! An accolade indeed

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

My two year old who seldom feels the need to comment on music I play except occasionally " turn it off " has just declared Turn it up and Nice music Daddy in the slow movement of the Third Concerto K447 ! An accolade indeed

Ah! A Karajan fan is born!

[Ferretfancy]

A great horn player. An even greater gentleman - friend to all horn players, both professional and amateur.
A personal friend who helped me to get started in the profession.

R.I.P Dennis

Hornspieler

Hornspieler,
I can still enter my mind and find myself c.1950, sitting in the school library and hearing Dennis Brain in the Britten Serenade on those Decca 78s. Someone once said that the 20th Century was the first time that mankind was able to hear and see the famous dead through recordings and film. How wonderful to still be able to do so.

[Nick Armstrong]

Really touching stories on this thread from HS

Dennis' green open topped TR2 parked outside the V & A with DB sitting inside

and Barbirollians

Turn it up and Nice music Daddy i

Lovely pair of tributes, historic and current!

[LeMartinPecheur]

Thanks alot ff, shall play it later. Assuming Hindemith only wrote one

I thought Hindemith wrote one of everything

[french frank]

Falling Tree Productions devoted one of their Radio 3 Icons programmes to Dennis. Flatteringly, they snitched part of a FoR3 review of the programme, in the days when we produced regular reviews, for their own 'portfolio of recommendations'.: http://www.fallingtree.co.uk/static/...6697_Icons.pdf

I think the same review also mentioned a Biber concert in Bath Abbey which similarly had the audience smiling. - it would be good to hear the whole programme again.

[Padraig]

Condolences, Hornspieler.

I know how highly you regarded Dennis Brain.

''for a man should praise a prince whom he holds dear''

[edashtav]

His unsurpassed recording of the rather under-valued HINDEMITH Concerto captured his unique timbre better than many of his other recordings.

Absolutely right, Tony - a great recording of Dennis, shame that the Philharmonia sounds a tad scrawny in comparison with him. The curious "declamation" passage in the Hindemith is inscribed on Brain's tombstone:

My call transforms
The hall to autumn-tinted groves
What is into what
Has been...

[Gordon]

Lovely thread about a great musician so thanks for the memory! The Hindemith concerto was started with Klemperer on October 7th 1954 at Kingsway but Dennis and Klemperer didn't see eye to eye on tempi and Dennis left after an interval!! The issued recording is with Hindemith conducting also made in Kingsway on November 19th 1956.

As for Dennis splitting notes - when he did he called someone [I forget who] from wherever he was to announce the fact!!

There was an EMI Icons 4 CD box of Dennis issued some time ago - 206 010 2 - it may be still available. On it are the two versions he made of the Strauss no 1 - first in mono with Galliera in 1947 at Kingsway using his favoured old Raoux and the second in stereo in 1956 at Abbey Road with Sawallisch, using his Alexander [the one he claimed he was made to use because people - Karajan/Legge presumably - wanted him to play the right notes!]. The difference in timbre is subtle but quite clear.

If you want cheering up listen to Dennis playing La Basque!!

[Barbirollians]

Ah! A Karajan fan is born!

Not sure about that - he wanted to know what the instrument was that he could hear !

That Icon set is about £8 for 4 CDs !!! - duly snapped up despite the duplications. The 1947 Mozart recording is a delight .

[richardfinegold]

On a Sunday afternoon in August 1975, I was driving down Exhibition Road when I spotted Dennis' green open topped TR2 parked outside the V & A with DB sitting inside, so I drew in behind him.

"Hello Dennis. What are you doing here?"

"I'm going in there to play a concerto in a few minutes, but I prefer to sit out here. It's a bit stuffy in there"

"Well, wish I could come in to hear it. Which one?'

"Mozart Number Two. My favourite."
He paused
"You know, Donald, I have a reputation for never cracking a note but every morning when I wake up, I am a day older and it becomes a day harder to live up to that. I've started to think about conducting. I've done a bit and I think I would enjoy it."

He never had the chance. Three weeks later, that beloved TR2 took his life on the Hatfield bypass.

HS

Lovely Story. Surely this incident occurred before 1975?

[Barbirollians]

Lovely Story. Surely this incident occurred before 1975?

I think the 5 and 7 have obviously been transposed in HS's post .

[Hornspieler]

I think the 5 and 7 have obviously been transposed in HS's post .

Thanks Barbirollians and Richard. I have now corrected (and highlighted) my typo in the original post. Please do likewise, Richard.

HS