Always an extremely modest and highly charismatic figure, Sir Adrian Boult
seems to hold that aura of invincibility about him. He was not invincible
in a ruthless way, a' la' Karajan, but rather in his own docile and
honest to goodness disposition, he was still tantamount to mesmerize anyone
who came in contact with him. This fascinating recollection of essays, radio
talks, speeches and other narratives shows him at the best of his highly
objective literary talents. 'On Conducting' is a marvellous chapter, full
of extremely interesting anecdotes and recollections that make one yearn
for those far-off days. The association with Elgar is also highly readable
with Boult's unashamed adoration of his great mentor poured into every sentence.
The associations with Vaughan Williams and Holst are also important testimonies
of Boult's spotless and tireless championing of British music in general.
However, the conductor speaks with earnest and apparent loyalty about German
and other music, so he cannot be class-bracketed into a provincial slob.
The sterling work with the BBC orchestra is one of the salient points of
the book. In his curiously matter-of-fact way, Boult has us believe that
he just did a normal job but the accolades and adventures of his writings
reveal the real heroic nature of the actual history of the orchestra. The
sincere tributes and haunting radio talks on the death of great musical figures
also make for some highly poignant reading, I particularly enjoyed the one
on Vaughan Williams written on the day after the composers' death. Boult
was a conductor through and through and when he spoke of his rivals or mentors
it was always with a great sense of fairness and affection. The Toscanini
passage is a constant flow of admiration for that gigantic figure and the
accounts of those famous mid-30's BBC rehearsals makes the mouth (and ears!)
water, such is their exciting subject. The accounts dedicated to Arthur Nikisch
and Bruno Walter are also essential reading, primarily for their incomparable
study of technique and the conductors' 'power of suggestion'. Two of the
most important and essential parts of the book must be the dissertations
dedicated to Elgar's 2nd Symphony and the Schubert 'Great' Symphony.
Both were works for which Boult preserved special affection, indeed his
recordings of the former work have more than reached cult status. Articles
devoted to Vaughan Williams' 'London' Symphony and 'Job' are also indispensable
reading to learn and gather knowledge about the enigmatic fundamentals that
lie behind their origins. The articles on Bach and Brian are also highly
informative as are the numerous small anecdotes and appreciations dedicated
to performing artists such as Yehudi Menuhin and Pablo Casals. Boult's debt
to Sir Henry Wood is also evident in his sincerely heartfelt appreciation
of the Maker of the Proms. Another highlight is the general essay, 'On Music',
a profound delivery of a master to all us students. Indeed, one of the finest
books in the Musicians on Music series and a tower of strength for the continued
revival in Boult's vast and magnificent series of recordings.
Reviewer
Gerald Fenech
and another view from the composer Arthur Butterworth
Compiled by two distinguished musicians***, both of whom worked closely with
Sir Adrian Boult, this is a collection of a lifetime's reminiscences and
observations by one of the greatest figures in British twentieth century
music. Bernard Shore, himself the author of a celebrated 1930's book on the
orchestra, was Boult's principal viola in the BBC Symphony Orchestra, while
to Vernon Handley has fallen the mantle of advocate and champion of British,
or even more particularly English, orchestral music of the kind that most
appealed to Sir Adrian.
To a generation who, apart from listening to definitive recordings of Elgar
or Vaughan Williams, made towards the end of his long career, but who otherwise
could never have had the opportunity to hear him speak or observe the familiar
figure on the rostrum, this book night not have quite the impact it undoubtedly
has on others who remember him in the flesh, As Vernon Handley warns, a
miscellany of this sort might appear a trifle disconnected. However, to all
who knew him in his day, listeners, students, young conductors, composers,
and perhaps most of all orchestral players, his words and precepts were familiar
indeed and they are all recounted here most vividly. This reviewer first
played for Boult in 1942 at a war-time concert in the Royal Albert Hall,
a first impression that has remained vivid ever since, and which is reinforced
by reading the many anecdotes and observations that Boult made in radio talks.
His rehearsing method was consistent, and at least to British orchestral
players, logical insomuch as he exhorted his players to sense the architectural
shape of the music first of all rather than fuss over tiny technical flaws
that could safely be left to the individual to sort out for himself. Boult's
comments on a multitude of topics are revealing, especially as might be expected
on the art and craft of conducting. He obviously had personal preferences
and enthusiasms, particularly the reverence he felt for Arthur Nikisch, his
own mentor as a young conductor. His courteous, gentlemanly manner was legendary,
although sometimes reading this book, the impression might be that he was
too polite and uncritical; but this would be a mistake, for he could be aroused,
if not to towering rages, certainly to much displeasure and annoyance when
irked by the occasional awkward uncooperativeness of a player. There is also
a quality, perhaps not to be fully savoured by today's reader, of a certain
refined "BBC speak" of the 1930's, redolent of the cultured style of a BBC
announcer of those days. His choice of topics also reflects to a large extent
the people - conductors, soloists or composers - whom he was especially drawn
to; quite often these were persons not all that well-known to present day
or younger readers: Casals, Kreisler, Sammons, the Busch brothers or Eric
Blom. His practical advice and comments to young orchestral players themselves
aspiring to be conductors, was generous and encouraging; while to the relatively
unknown composer whose work he was conducting for the first time, he was
patient and indulgent towards their requirements. He once remarked .... "Ah!
a little mistake in the parts, his copyist has let him down!"... not letting
on to the orchestra that it was really the composer's own slip of the pen,
and thereby saving the composer himself acute embarrassment in front of all
the players.
This is really a bedside book, to dip into as the whim takes one, rather
than an earnest dissertation or manual of learning to be studied in great
depth. Its charm lies in its engaging tone of pleasant reminiscence, although
some readers night wish for more in-depth comment about certain things, perhaps
especially an assessment of some of the other conductors of the times or
observations about composers such as Bax, Bliss, Walton, Moeran; or
composer-conductors of distinction, like Hindemith. The book is a comprehensive
survey of English music of the period. A teasing caricature of Boult, by
Gerard Hoffnung, once showed him on the rostrum, shackled by hand-cuffs and
a ball-and-chain, as if to imply that Boult lacked passion and energy. But
this was wholly misleading, for his distinction came not from such outward
displays of showmanship (such as characterised Bernstein's circus-master
tricks) but through profound and serious musicianship and the rejection of
empty outward show. Orchestral players never had a bad word for him - and
that is saying something.
Reviewer
Arthur Butterworth
(Sir Adrian Boult conducted the first performance of Butterworth's Second
Symphony)
Visit the Arthur Butterworth web-site
*** Martin Anderson has asked me to make clear that
he was responsible for collecting Adrian Boult's writings and not Vernon
Handley or Bernard Shore - LM
Published by Toccata
Press ISBN 0 907689 03 57 £9.95
