Searle, Humphrey (1915 - 1982)

[ahinton]

Many thanks for that link, Alpie - I notice, too, that Boult's recording of the First Symphony is also available from youTube.

That Alun Francis cycle is a wonderful set of recordings (as has been mentioned on another Thread today). I am grateful to ahinton for reminding us (me) of today's anniversary - Searle's complete neglect on R3 today is inexplicable (this Music isn't so difficult, after all!) but not unprecedented - back in 2006, I wrote to Nicholas Kenyon to protest about the absence of any Music by Elisabeth Lutyens at the Proms that year. He replied (!) saying that he was personally a great admirer of Lutyens, but that I shouldn't complain as there was a work by Thea Musgrave in that year's season!

Lutyens had at least the consolation prize of a Composer of the Week slot. I so hope that Searle is given his due in this respect at least.

Well, it surely should have been this week, should it not? - but it was not to be so. Oddly enough, when Searle was very ill, I had some lessons from Thea Musgrave who stood in for him at RCM; she opined at the outset that I should make a particular point of studying the works of Berg and Chopin; I wonder why but would not for one moment question her astuteness and perceptiveness!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Well, it surely should have been this week, should it not?

Yes, it should.

In turn, I should also stress that my indignation at Mr Kenyon's response was no reflection of my very high regard for Musgrave's work; rather the extraordinary suggestion that the inclusion of one of her works somehow "made up" for the absence of anything by Lutyens.

[ahinton]

Yes, it should.

In turn, I should also stress that my indignation at Mr Kenyon's response was no reflection of my very high regard for Musgrave's work; rather the extraordinary suggestion that the inclusion of one of her works somehow "made up" for the absence of anything by Lutyens.

Quite so! - and many thanks for your saying so!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes, it should.

... although, of course, if it had, there would only be the evening broadcast, Edinburgh Festival broadcasts) rather than the bidiurnal respect he deserves. Perhaps the Beeb wishes to give him the full respect he deserves and Mr MacLeod is saving the programmes until "normal service*" is resumed.


(* = no, not that one! Although a Music Matters Searle Special would be gratefully received.)

[Dave2002]

Here should be the Eliot Growltiger piece I was unable to check out yesterday - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUQ69qEN6vY

[french frank]

So nothing of Searle's was spotted all day? It was, apparently, also Sally Beamish's birthday yesterday which was recognised with a piece on Breakfast (I only checked to see if someone had requested Seavaigers as yesterday's 'water music' (after FctM the day before), but it was the birthday not the water that was mentioned.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Here should be the Eliot Growltiger piece I was unable to check out yesterday - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUQ69qEN6vY

Many thanks, Dave

(Wouldn't "Eliot Growltiger" be a brilliant name for a Band Leader!)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

So nothing of Searle's was spotted all day? It was, apparently, also Sally Beamish's birthday yesterday which was recognised with a piece on Breakfast (I only checked to see if someone had requested Seavaigers as yesterday's 'water music' (after FctM the day before), but it was the birthday not the water that was mentioned.

As NOT featured on Breakfast (or Coffee, Brunch, Lunch, Tea, Dinner, Supper or Midnight Snack either, for that matter):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc_wOdt7MpM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvfDNdFP9qg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7k_cNDrCjw

[french frank]

Well, as there was no response from R3 to my Facebook enquiry, I did revisit and post a link to his Symphony No 1. Unfortunately, the topic is now quite invisible - having been long buried by posts such as:

'Have you signed up for Newquay's BIG Bale Push at Crantock Village?? On September 11, this barking mad event returns for the 16th year' and

'economic advisor to China gov't just interviewed on BBC world is a propagandist at worst and a complete freakin idiot at the least.'

So much for Facebook as Radio 3's up-to-date replacement for old-fashioned messageboards …

[Sydney Grew]

Humphrey Searle was born at Oxford in 1915

He was well educated at Winchester (1928–33), at Oxford university (1933–7) where he was a classical scholar, and at the RCM (1937)

He left us five grand symphonies in all. While the highly demanding and intense Symphony no. 1 – the first strictly serial symphony we are told – employs a derived row, based on the B–A–C–H motif, later works made little use of such construction. The first three symphonies all exhibit an exuberance and dramatic scoring, but this was to contrast with a move towards the gentle more meditative style of the Symphony no. 5.

They are:

Symphony no. 1 opus 23, 1953

Symphony no. 2 opus 33, 1958

Symphony no. 3 opus 36, 1960

Symphony no. 4 opus 38, 1962

Symphony no. 5 opus 43, 1964

There are also two piano concertos:

no. 1, opus 5, 1944

no. 2, opus 27, 1955

Why we wonder was he not knighted...?

[Bryn]

Humphrey Searle was born at Oxford in 1915

He was decently educated at Winchester (1928–33), at Oxford university (1933–7) where he was a classical scholar, and at the RCM (1937)

He left us five grand symphonies in all. While the highly demanding and intense Symphony no. 1 – the first strictly serial symphony we are told – employs a derived row, based on the B–A–C–H motif, later works made little use of such construction. The first three symphonies all exhibit an exuberance and dramatic scoring, but this was to contrast with a move towards the gentle more meditative style of the Symphony no. 5.

They are:

Symphony no. 1 opus 23, 1953

Symphony no. 2 opus 33, 1958

Symphony no. 3 opus 36, 1960

Symphony no. 4 opus 38, 1962

Symphony no. 5 opus 43, 1964

There are also two piano concertos:

no. 1, opus 5, 1944

no. 2, opus 27, 1955

Why we wonder was he not knighted...?

He just got left off the Liszt.

[Barbirollians]

What would have been an indecent education

[Serial_Apologist]

What would have been an indecent education

A bit below the belt?