Martin Baker: George Malcolm's musical legacy at Westminster - Friday

[Lordgeous]

RSCM Lunchtime Lectures are back - Watch live on Friday or watch at your own convenience on YouTube.

Friday 4 March - 1pm (GMT)
George Malcolm and his musical legacy at Westminster Cathedral
Martin Baker, Organist and Choral Conductor

An examination of the musical achievements of George Malcolm at Westminster Cathedral, where he was Master of Music 1947 – 1959.

This lecture will draw on his own words and the memories of some of his former choristers, including Colin Mawby and Nicolas Kynaston.

Watch live to join the community and be able to put your questions to the lecturer; or of course you can watch later via our YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a88tRDf648c.

[ardcarp]

Thanks so much for that, Lordgeous! George Malcolm and both his (now unfashionable) harpsichord wizardry and especially his Westminster Cathedral
choir sound have long been my delight. I thought Martin Baker's talk was excellent...and needs to be a valuable archive in itself. Soon time to dig out those Victoria Responsories for Tenebrae folks. Let's hope that despite the current goings on at The Drome, that unique musical tradition will somehow remain very special.

Clergy can be very..er...difficult. Just got back from a rehearsal for a Good Friday service. It began with an abject apology from the choir director saying that 'the new vicar' had just forbidden any music in church (an Anglican one) on that day. We had a good sing anyway...and are now hatching plans to perform the stuff somewhere else. No doubt the congregation of that intended church will just stay home and watch the telly on Good Friday. Hope the programmes will be suitably penitential!

[DracoM]

WoW!
No music on Good Friday ..............planning to stay long, is he/she?

[hmvman]

Thanks very much for the link, Lordgeous. Just listened to it and enjoyed it very much, as well as learning more about GM. It's a shame his music making is unfashionable now. And from what I've read he was a bit of a 'character' too!

[Lordgeous]

Thanks guys. Perhaps I could plug my website here - www.georgemalcolm.co.uk - from which I think Martin Baker may have found material for his lecture (exactly what its there for of course!). Perhaps worth mentioning, aside from his choral and keyboard skills George was also busy as a conductor, forgeing long relationships with the Philomusica of London, English Chamber Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia and the BBC Scottish, amongst others. A long association with Aldeburg and Britten included George's Decca premier recording of the 'Cantata Academica' and his sharing with Britten the first performances of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'.

[ardcarp]

.planning to stay long, is he/she?

Only just been inducted.


But thanks for your second link, Lordgeous!

[DracoM]

Yes..........I was trying to be a tad ironic!

[Keraulophone]

Perhaps I could plug my website here - www.georgemalcolm.co.uk

Wonderful - thank you for this. I've long had huge admiration for George Malcolm's work at Westminster Cathedral and as a virtuoso harpsichordist.

I've always thought he must have been a bit of a character considering the photo of him with what looks like a knitted owl peering out of his breast pocket. It's on the reverse of The World of the Harpsichord LP sleeve (Decca) - the perfect 1960s/70s introduction to that instrument.




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[hmvman]

Excellent and fascinating website, Lordgeous. I shall look forward to reading and learning a lot more about GM.

(The stories in the ASMF book about the practical jokes between GM and Neville Marriner have given me a laugh for years!)