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The Radio 3 Boards > General Chat > News And Current Affairs > Obituary Pages > Vernon Handley RIP
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Author Topic: Vernon Handley RIP  (Read 507 times)
Mary Chambers
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« Reply #15 on: 08:32:48, 11-09-2008 »
It was mentioned on Breakfast this morning that Tod felt his reputation as a conductor of English music had damaged his career. I think this is true - he was a fine musician who was capable of conducting anything. It certainly limited him.

I sang in several concerts conducted by Tod, and I think they were all of English music. He was a good rehearser, and his passion was always there, whatever the state of his always precarious health. Although he came from London, he always claimed he was 100% Celt, and that this was what made him so intense. He had what he no doubt would have claimed was a Celtic flow of language. I once bumped into him in a corridor during rehearsals (Finzi, Britten and Walton, I think) and he said he hoped I would enjoy it. Then he asked whether I thought, as he did, that in 20thC English music the alto line (my line) was always the best, "like the viola parts". The chance encounter turned into a fairly long discussion about who wrote the best alto lines. I think we added Bach, among others. Very enjoyable, and absolutely no patronising because I was a mere humble choir member.
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iwarburton
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« Reply #16 on: 16:46:41, 11-09-2008 »
What sad news.  I can't think of anyone else who has recently covered the English repertoire like he did.  Just recently I bought his two Elgar symphonies, coupled with Pomp and Circumstance Marches and Sea Pictures respectively.  I also have his Dream of Gerontius with the RLPO--unaccountably given a rather lukewarm review in the Penguin CD Guide.

But his repertoire extended well beyond our native shores.  Indeed, circa 1976 I bought his CFP recordings of pieces by Debussy and Faure and know that Dvorak and Grieg were amongst other composers whose works he recorded.  He also realised that light music should not be beneath the dignity of the best 'serious' musicians and I shall treasure his BBC Concert Orchestra collection of pieces by Eric Coates, Haydn Wood, Ernest Tomlinson, Robert Farnon et al.

I never knew or even met him at all but would like to have done so.

Ian.
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HtoHe
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« Reply #17 on: 15:49:59, 12-09-2008 »
For those of you unaccustomed to following the Radio 4 schedule, I've just heard there is a piece on Vernon Handley in 'The Last Word' today. The programme stats at 1600 and it's repeated on Sunday at 2030
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #18 on: 17:52:56, 12-09-2008 »
Here are some tributes from the Liverpool Phil.

http://www.liverpoolphil.com/articledetaildatedimage.aspx?article_ID=188&navid=139&alias=News&SPID=51
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #19 on: 12:31:19, 13-09-2008 »
There was a very good tribute from John Amis in yesterday's Guardian. It had escaped my notice that Tod had a degree in English Philology.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/sep/12/classicalmusicandopera
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pim_derks
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« Reply #20 on: 21:05:53, 14-09-2008 »
More about Vernon Handley in this week's episode of Last Word (available through listen back):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/lastword.shtml

The tribute to Anita Page in this programme was lovely!
« Last Edit: 21:12:51, 14-09-2008 by pim_derks » Logged
"People hate anything well made. It gives them a guilty conscience." John Betjeman
Antheil
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« Reply #21 on: 18:34:14, 19-09-2008 »
Vernon Handley's funeral is next Wedneday and he will be interred at St. Bridget's Church, Skenfrith.  A most beautiful Welsh Church.  There will be a Memorial Service later, whether this will be in Wales or England I do not know, will post when I do if anyone is interested.  He was so proud of his Celtic Irish/Welsh roots.  St. Bridget's Church was consecrated in 1208.
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Reality, sa molesworth 2, is so sordid it makes me shudder
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