Sir Henry Wood’s role in establishing Croydon’s musical heritage – Inside Croydon

Land of Hope and Glory: The Last Night of Balls at the Royal Albert Hall features ceremonies to celebrate Sir Henry Wood, who helped bring some of that event’s panache to Croydon

SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT: The Diddly-omm-pom-Proms… The world famous annual music festival is about to begin and as DAVID MORGAN, the figure most closely associated with its founding, along with Sir Edward Elgar, explains helped start a cultural festival. in Croydon

Praised: bust of Sir Henry Wood, laureate

The opening concert of this year’s Balouri de Balouri is almost upon us. Held in the Royal Albert Hall, the first night of the 2024 summer music festival is July 19, when audiences will enjoy a feast of music including Handel’s Water Music and Beethoven’s Fifth.

Presented by the BBC since 1927, the conductor most closely associated with Baloamele since its inception and securing its place in the musical calendar was Sir Henry Wood.

He is a revered figure to all the ‘Promenaders’ who attend the concerts, and a wreath is solemnly placed over his bust on the Last Night of the Proms each year.

Wood was a true supporter of British classical music and turned down offers to conduct major orchestras in America so that he could remain in this country and encourage orchestras, choirs and conductors across the country. Croydon was one of the towns that benefited from his advice and support.

The first Croydon Festival was held in 1925, one of the aims of the organizers being to put Croydon firmly at the forefront of national music events. It was felt that Croydon had two great advantages over other towns that held similar festivals or events. It had a large parish church, now the Church, as well as a large public hall where you could have a large number of participants and space for a large audience. Croydon also had a number of key staff who understood the ways and means and artistic standards of staging performances in the festival.

The 1925 Croydon Festival opened on Armistice Night 11 November in the parish church with Elgar’s For the fallen and Mendelssohn’s Elijah.

Headline news: Wood’s arrival in Croydon was widely reported

Two of the key people in Croydon capable of organizing such a large event took center stage that evening. The organist of the Parish Church, Mr H Leslie-Smith, conducted the choir and Mr WH Reed conducted the orchestra.

The following evening, at the Baths Hall (believed to be the Scarbrook Road baths), the choir sang Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s piece. Meg Blaineconducted by another Croydon music stalwart, Mr HL Balfour.

The choir for the festival had been prepared by Alan Kirby, the fourth of the local music experts, who was a personal friend of Sir Edward Elgar.

Everyone agreed that the first festival was a great success. Borough officials, the mayor, aldermen and councilors all supported the new venture. The commitment and skills of the singers and musicians were pleasing and the audience was large and enthusiastic.

It was decided that the festival would take place once every three years. For the next, in 1928, the organizers set their sights even higher, hiring one of the leading conductors of the day, Sir Henry Wood, to be Festival Director.

Touched by greatness: Sir Henry brought a touch of star quality

In his role, Sir Henry came to Croydon for the first time to rehearse the choir of over 100 singers in the new St Andrew’s church hall.

Taking off his jacket and rolling up his sleeves, he complimented the singers on how well they learned the music, but then challenged them to do even better. The basses, he said, were too confidential. They had to sing and tell others the story of the music they themselves knew so well.

Sopranos, he added, had to learn to sit straighter so they could use their full lung capacity. Imagine you are sitting with a poker behind you.

One of the conductor’s secrets, Sir Henry told them, was to match the rhythm of the music to the vocal capabilities of the choir he was conducting. Because the choir had been so well trained by Alan Kirby, he thought they would be able to sing their piece at a faster tempo. The newspaper report of the day said “notes flew like the finish of a musical derby!”

“Songs are worthless if you don’t hear the words.” Diction is crucial as all conductors still insist.

“And don’t change the shape of your mouth. It alters the sound.” Sir Henry’s advice was heeded by all.

Male details: Sir Henry Wood

Sir Henry’s next visit was to the Parish Church, where he spent a Saturday morning with the organist going over all the sounds the instrument could produce, covering every detail from the quietest pianissimo to the loudest and thunderous forte .

Sir Henry was anxious about every detail of the church concert. He insisted that all the singers be placed behind the screen so that the beauty of the building could still be fully appreciated.

Cramming over 150 singers into the narrow choir proved challenging and not what the committee had originally planned, but temporary platforms were built so the singers could see the conductor clearly.

The concert in the church and the one at the Bath a few days later, which also included a performance of Coleridge-Taylor’s play. Hiawatha were very well received. Croydon was becoming noted in the music world. The chorus, again so well prepared by Alan Kirby and brought to the pinnacle of performance by Sir Henry, was the rock on which the festival was built. These singers, local folk from Croydon, offered hope for years to come that the high standards required could be maintained.

The third Festival, from 1931, was planned to build on the previous success. Sir Henry Wood was again appointed director of the festival, and Elgar himself was engaged to conduct his own composition. The Dream of Gerontius.

Welcomed: reviews have been positive about the Croydon Festival

The same four key local musicians continued to play their part. This time, at the Festival concert at Baths Hall, local musicians had the chance to play in the orchestra alongside members of the London Symphony Orchestra. Three local composers were able to present their compositions. of Arthur Barclay Royal ProcessionDr. George Olroyd’s Spiritual Rhapsody Jesus Christ, Son of Saint Mary and Mr WH Reed’s suite Peter shook his head all have been reviewed positively by Musical times.

The costs of organizing such a festival, however, began to have a greater impact. A headline in the local paper in December 1931 read: ‘Sweet notes but few £ notes, Croydon music festival shortfall’.

It was reported that Croydon’s leading music organisation, the Triennial Music Festival, lost £330 on their last deal (about £28,000 in today’s terms). Treasurer, Councilor Albert Camden-Field, informed a meeting of Festival members held at the Town Hall that the shortfall had been reduced but that £250 still needed to be found. Fees for the orchestra, conductors and soloists alone amounted to over £733.

The Treasurer further informed the meeting that the previous Festival of 1928 had just covered its costs, leaving a balance of only £3 5s 8d (£3.28). Several councilors have promised to give a generous sum to cover the shortfall. Put to a vote, the councilors unanimously decided that they wanted the Festival to continue.

‘Few £tickets’: Festivals’ financial woes delight headline writers…

Councilor Keatley Moore thanked those who contributed to the creative success of the Festival. Letters were read which had been sent by Sir Henry Wood and Sir Edward Elgar to say how much they appreciated the hard work of all involved. Elgar thought the choir was one of the best he had ever conducted, and Sir Henry thought the choir “did well”.

Councilor Moore concluded with these remarks: “Croydon was considered an unartistic town until we started these festivals six years ago. We then brought Croydon straight up to the level of places that matter in English music. Croydon after this must be regarded as a center for music. It certainly has every right to consider itself a music venue.”

But after 1931, no more festivals were held in Croydon.

Music making, and great music for that matter, continued in the city thanks to the commitment and dedication of two of the festival’s big names.

At the parish church, Leslie-Smith was the organist and choirmaster who created a first class choir and a tradition of organ playing as the church played a leading role in BBC radio broadcasts in the UK and around the world in the years 1930 and during the war. -1940s time period. Alan Kirby conducted the Croydon Philharmonic Choir for many years to fantastic acclaim. Among his many achievements, Kirby proudly led the choir when they performed at the opening concert of the Royal Festival Hall in 1951.

Whether you’re listening to this summer’s more traditional prom concerts or are tempted by the orchestral sounds of Florence and the Machine’s self-titled symphony of the lungs, remember the time when Sir Henry Wood came to Croydon, rolled up his sleeves and made the people sing.

• David Morgan, pictured right, is a former Croydon Warden, now a Voluntary Education Officer at Croydon Minster, who provides illustrated tours or talks about the history surrounding the church for local community groups.

If you would like a group tour of Croydon Minster or would like to book a school visit, call the Ministry Office on 020 688 8104 or go to the website www.croydonminster.org and use the contact page

Some previous articles by David Morgan:

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