President: John McCabe CBE
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President: John McCabe CBE |
INTRODUCTIONWHAT IS THE BRITISH MUSIC SOCIETY?
The British Music Society was founded in 1979 by enthusiasts who believed an organisation was needed to stem the indifferent attitude generally displayed towards the music of many British composers. Some composers, such as Henry Purcell, Vaughan Williams, Edward Elgar and Benjamin Britten do not need much support, whilst others such as Arthur Sullivan, Frederick Delius, Frank Bridge and Peter Warlock have their own organisations to promote their music. But there are many other composers who have written good music which deserves to be promoted and heard.
WHY IS MUCH BRITISH MUSIC NEGLECTED?
It could be argued that if a composer's music were of any worth it might be better known. This is not so, however, because the popularity of a composer's music is greatly determined by public exposure. Concert promoters and record producers will often, understandably, limit themselves to ‘safe' programmes to ensure a good financial return. As a result lesser-known music does not receive the chance it so often deserves.
HOW DOES THE SOCIETY PROMOTE NEGLECTED BRITISH MUSIC?
The Society does this in three ways: by issuing first-class recordings, through live events, and in written publications.
(1) Our recorded successes have included works by Edgar Bainton, Lennox Berkeley, Rebecca Clarke, York Bowen, Bernard van Dieren, John Foulds, Julius Harrison, John Joubert, Kenneth Leighton, John McCabe, E. J. Moeran, Cyril Scott, Harold Truscott and William Wordsworth.
Until 1993 our recordings were issued on audio cassette tapes, but in that year the decision was made to issue future recordings on compact discs. The very first was a recording of piano music by Lennox Berkeley which was very well received and accorded a Gramophone Magazine Critics' Choice Award in 1994.
(2) In the area of live music our 1985 opera project resulted in the performance of operas by Arthur Bliss, Charles Villiers Stanford, Ethel Smyth, Rutland Boughton, Hamish MacCunn and others.
Our 1988 Piano Awards and 1990 String Awards included performances of works by Humphrey Searle, Frank Bridge, Alan Rawsthorne, Kaikhosru Sorabji, Kenneth Leighton and John Ireland. These projects provided a platform for many young performers, culminating in a recital for the winners at the Purcell Room in London.
Our 1992 British Song Composer Year and 1994 Woodwind Awards provided opportunities for many more aspiring young musicians. The finalists from these nationwide events went on to give recitals at the Kings Lynn Festival (1993) and the Warwick and Leamington Spa Festival (1995).
(3) Through the written word the Society's annual journal ‘British Music’ provides scholarly articles on a number of composers and allied subjects; and there is an expanding list of other publications on a variety of relevant topics.
In 1995 the BMS was granted charitable status and this is helping the Society to develop and expand in its principal areas of activity.The British Music Society: Registered Charity No. 1043838.
The British Music Society maintains membership records on a personal computer. These records comprise name, address, phone/fax/e-mail number, and number and type of membership. These are used for various administrative functions such as putting members in touch with each other and with other music researchers, preparing statistics, addressing envelopes, recording payments and preparing claims for tax refund on covenants etc. If any member objects to the holding or disclosure of such personal data in this form about themselves by the Society please inform the BMS and their personal data will be immediately removed from the computer records.
PRESIDENT: John McCabe CBE; VICE PRESIDENTS: Dr Richard Arnell, Sir Malcolm Arnold CBE, Dame Janet Baker DBE, Richard Baker OBE, Jennifer Bate, Michael Berkeley, Lady Bliss, Arthur Butterworth MBE, Sir Colin Davis CBE, Giles Easterbrook, Lewis Foreman, Dr Vernon Handley CBE, Richard Hickox CBE, Tasmin Little, David Lloyd-Jones, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies CBE (Master of the Queen’s Music), Peter Middleton (Founder Chairman), Sir Simon Rattle CBE, Malcolm Smith, Basil Tschaikov.
PROMOTERS OF THE BRITISH MUSICAL HERITAGE