John Abbott
@sfjohna.bsky.social
Classical music researcher, technology analyst from the UK. Wikipedia contributor on obscure composers. Walking Berkshire and beyond with my son.
https://atuneadayblogdotcom.wordpress.com/
https://atuneadayblogdotcom.wordpress.com/
3) Mabel Lander, pianist and teacher, pupil of Leschetizky, set up a piano school with Moiseiwitsch. Remembered today as the piano teacher of Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret, but she also taught Malcolm Sargent, Alan Bush and many others (1/21) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabel_L... #jawiki
December 2, 2025 at 2:01 PM
3) Mabel Lander, pianist and teacher, pupil of Leschetizky, set up a piano school with Moiseiwitsch. Remembered today as the piano teacher of Queen Elizabeth and her sister Margaret, but she also taught Malcolm Sargent, Alan Bush and many others (1/21) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabel_L... #jawiki
92) Frida Kindler, concert pianist, Busoni pupil and from 1910 wife of Bernard van Dieren. By June 1963, aged 84, she was suffering from dementia so the family sold off her Steinway by putting this notice in The Times. She died in January 1964. (3/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida_K... #jawiki
November 29, 2025 at 11:39 AM
92) Frida Kindler, concert pianist, Busoni pupil and from 1910 wife of Bernard van Dieren. By June 1963, aged 84, she was suffering from dementia so the family sold off her Steinway by putting this notice in The Times. She died in January 1964. (3/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frida_K... #jawiki
Richard Morton Jack's book Labyrinth: British Jazz on Record 1960-1975 is one of my favourite books - I keep it under the desk I work at all day and look at it when everything else is getting too much - which is often.
November 27, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Richard Morton Jack's book Labyrinth: British Jazz on Record 1960-1975 is one of my favourite books - I keep it under the desk I work at all day and look at it when everything else is getting too much - which is often.
91) Known to many for his Mr Benn TV theme tune, Duncan Lamont was a wide-ranging musician: sax player, bandleader, composer of orchestral music and library music. In 2019 he performed in a tribute concert at the 606 Club, aged 87, just before he died (10/22) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_... #jawiki
November 27, 2025 at 4:50 PM
91) Known to many for his Mr Benn TV theme tune, Duncan Lamont was a wide-ranging musician: sax player, bandleader, composer of orchestral music and library music. In 2019 he performed in a tribute concert at the 606 Club, aged 87, just before he died (10/22) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_... #jawiki
91) Gwynne Kimpton was a pioneering woman conductor and founder of many orchestras, including the Bromley Symphony Orchestra in 1917 and the 80-strong British Women's Symphony Orchestra, which had its inaugural concert at Queen's Hall on 3 April 1924. (11/23) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwynne_... #jawiki
November 26, 2025 at 10:44 AM
91) Gwynne Kimpton was a pioneering woman conductor and founder of many orchestras, including the Bromley Symphony Orchestra in 1917 and the 80-strong British Women's Symphony Orchestra, which had its inaugural concert at Queen's Hall on 3 April 1924. (11/23) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwynne_... #jawiki
90) Adrian Kerridge, producer and sound engineer, helped found the Lansdowne Studios in 1959 (with Denis Preston and Joe Meek), established "The Tottenham Sound", recorded Stranger on the Shore, and many of the KPM 1000 Series library music discs (6/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_... #jawiki
November 25, 2025 at 7:18 AM
90) Adrian Kerridge, producer and sound engineer, helped found the Lansdowne Studios in 1959 (with Denis Preston and Joe Meek), established "The Tottenham Sound", recorded Stranger on the Shore, and many of the KPM 1000 Series library music discs (6/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_... #jawiki
89) I expanded Hugh Kingsmill's entry and compiled an annotated list of his publications. A little like a more intellectual John Pudney, Kingsmill had no money and needed to write to earn his living, and so had to publish on a wide range of subjects (7/21)
November 22, 2025 at 9:14 AM
89) I expanded Hugh Kingsmill's entry and compiled an annotated list of his publications. A little like a more intellectual John Pudney, Kingsmill had no money and needed to write to earn his living, and so had to publish on a wide range of subjects (7/21)
88) Cellist Florence Hooton gave many important British music premieres in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, including Oration by Frank Bridge on 18 January 1936, after the work had been turned down by Felix Salmond. Her last public performance was in 1978. (12/21) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florenc... #jawiki
November 18, 2025 at 10:22 AM
88) Cellist Florence Hooton gave many important British music premieres in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, including Oration by Frank Bridge on 18 January 1936, after the work had been turned down by Felix Salmond. Her last public performance was in 1978. (12/21) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florenc... #jawiki
86) Percussionist James Holland was principal percussionist at the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Boulez, performed with the London Sinfonietta from its start, and assisted Britten, Henze, Knussen, Stockhausen and others with their percussion problems (10/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H... #jawiki
November 16, 2025 at 9:26 AM
86) Percussionist James Holland was principal percussionist at the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Boulez, performed with the London Sinfonietta from its start, and assisted Britten, Henze, Knussen, Stockhausen and others with their percussion problems (10/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H... #jawiki
85) Trevor Hold's ''Parry To Finzi: 20 English Song Composers", published in 2002 not long before his death, is a key reference text for me. There are now good recordings of his major song cycles and piano music, but not of the operas or symphonies (2/21) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_... #jawiki
November 15, 2025 at 10:10 AM
85) Trevor Hold's ''Parry To Finzi: 20 English Song Composers", published in 2002 not long before his death, is a key reference text for me. There are now good recordings of his major song cycles and piano music, but not of the operas or symphonies (2/21) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_... #jawiki
Excellent Clarion Trio lunchtime concert yesterday, their first full programme, with six original pieces commissioned plus encore. The audience loved it, and it sounded brilliant in the splendid Chawton House drawing room clariontrio.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Excellent Clarion Trio lunchtime concert yesterday, their first full programme, with six original pieces commissioned plus encore. The audience loved it, and it sounded brilliant in the splendid Chawton House drawing room clariontrio.co.uk
84) Arthur Hinton was one of a group of "new music" composers that Granville Bantock promoted, but like the others - William Wallace, Reginald Steggall, Stanley Hawley & Henry Erskine Allon - he remains obscure. His wife was pianist Katharine Goodson (10/21) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_... #jawiki
November 15, 2025 at 7:02 AM
84) Arthur Hinton was one of a group of "new music" composers that Granville Bantock promoted, but like the others - William Wallace, Reginald Steggall, Stanley Hawley & Henry Erskine Allon - he remains obscure. His wife was pianist Katharine Goodson (10/21) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_... #jawiki
81) Stanley Hawley, born in 1867 as the son of a butcher at 61 South St, Ilkeston - the house is a still a butcher's today - was praised as a piano soloist by Grieg. He composed recitation pieces for speaker and piano, such as The Raven (1896). (4/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley... #jawiki
November 10, 2025 at 5:04 PM
81) Stanley Hawley, born in 1867 as the son of a butcher at 61 South St, Ilkeston - the house is a still a butcher's today - was praised as a piano soloist by Grieg. He composed recitation pieces for speaker and piano, such as The Raven (1896). (4/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley... #jawiki
80) While conducting in December 1894, the sleeve of Cécile Hartog's muslin dress was set alight by one of the lamps on her music desk. An orchestral member extinguished it with an opera cloak. She composed incidental music, solo piano music and songs (8/22) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9... #jawiki
November 10, 2025 at 7:26 AM
80) While conducting in December 1894, the sleeve of Cécile Hartog's muslin dress was set alight by one of the lamps on her music desk. An orchestral member extinguished it with an opera cloak. She composed incidental music, solo piano music and songs (8/22) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%A9... #jawiki
79) Sidney Harrison gained a higher profile than most classical pianists in two ways: by pioneering televised piano lessons (from 1950); and by acting as a mentor to (and being recorded by) Beatles producer George Martin. He also encouraged John Lill. (3/20) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_... #jawiki
November 8, 2025 at 5:33 PM
79) Sidney Harrison gained a higher profile than most classical pianists in two ways: by pioneering televised piano lessons (from 1950); and by acting as a mentor to (and being recorded by) Beatles producer George Martin. He also encouraged John Lill. (3/20) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_... #jawiki
Excellent podcast series, The House at Number 48, involves this painting, Eisenwalzwerk by Hans Baluschek, stolen during WW2. www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/hous...
November 7, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Excellent podcast series, The House at Number 48, involves this painting, Eisenwalzwerk by Hans Baluschek, stolen during WW2. www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/hous...
78) William Lewarne ('Bill') Harris, a music teacher and single parent of three children, still managed to compose four Cornish operas (he was a friend of Inglis Gundry) and much more. He died in 2013. His son was the Harrods piano tuner Steven Harris (9/22) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William... #jawiki
November 7, 2025 at 7:50 AM
78) William Lewarne ('Bill') Harris, a music teacher and single parent of three children, still managed to compose four Cornish operas (he was a friend of Inglis Gundry) and much more. He died in 2013. His son was the Harrods piano tuner Steven Harris (9/22) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William... #jawiki
77) Clement Hambourg, youngest of the four musical Hambourg brothers, turned to jazz music after his strict classical training. He set up the House of Hambourg in 1946 and it became a pivotal venue for jazz in Canada until its closure in 1963 (10/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement... #jawiki
November 6, 2025 at 9:19 AM
77) Clement Hambourg, youngest of the four musical Hambourg brothers, turned to jazz music after his strict classical training. He set up the House of Hambourg in 1946 and it became a pivotal venue for jazz in Canada until its closure in 1963 (10/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clement... #jawiki
here's a list of his books that I compiled. He was quite a character!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_G...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_G...
November 4, 2025 at 11:46 AM
here's a list of his books that I compiled. He was quite a character!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_G...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_G...
75) Critic Cecil Gray: friend of Peter Warlock, co-founder of The Sackbut, van Dieren and Delius worshipper, male chauvinist 3x married, author, opera composer, D H Lawrence nemesis, Anthony Powell character, Capri resident, hard drinker etc. etc. etc. (9/18) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_G... #jawiki
November 4, 2025 at 8:48 AM
75) Critic Cecil Gray: friend of Peter Warlock, co-founder of The Sackbut, van Dieren and Delius worshipper, male chauvinist 3x married, author, opera composer, D H Lawrence nemesis, Anthony Powell character, Capri resident, hard drinker etc. etc. etc. (9/18) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_G... #jawiki
74) Pianist Kyla Greenbaum, (much) younger sister of Hyam, made Lambert's Rio Grande a calling card piece. But she also gave the first UK performance of Schoenberg's Piano Concerto at the Proms in September 1945. She died in June 2017, aged 95. (10/19) xtools.wmcloud.org/articleinfo/... #jawiki
November 3, 2025 at 10:54 AM
74) Pianist Kyla Greenbaum, (much) younger sister of Hyam, made Lambert's Rio Grande a calling card piece. But she also gave the first UK performance of Schoenberg's Piano Concerto at the Proms in September 1945. She died in June 2017, aged 95. (10/19) xtools.wmcloud.org/articleinfo/... #jawiki
72) Michael Graubart, who died in June 2024 aged 93, was one of the youngest émigré musicians exiled by the Anschluss: he was 8. He taught at Morley College (1969-91, succeeding John Gardner) and then at the Royal Northern College of Music until 1996. (7/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael... #jawiki
November 1, 2025 at 7:55 AM
72) Michael Graubart, who died in June 2024 aged 93, was one of the youngest émigré musicians exiled by the Anschluss: he was 8. He taught at Morley College (1969-91, succeeding John Gardner) and then at the Royal Northern College of Music until 1996. (7/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael... #jawiki
I asked ChatGPT to pull together a list of references to novels with characters based on real composers. Of the 30 it came up with at least three were fake and 15 or so were tentative (to put it kindly) or just wrong. Here are the three fake ones I looked at more closely...
October 31, 2025 at 12:23 PM
I asked ChatGPT to pull together a list of references to novels with characters based on real composers. Of the 30 it came up with at least three were fake and 15 or so were tentative (to put it kindly) or just wrong. Here are the three fake ones I looked at more closely...
71) Rosamund Brunel Gotch worked for many years as a stage costume designer, dressing over 160 productions at the Royal College of Music (including Hugh the Drover), and also edited the letters of two young Mendelssohn admirers, which is excellent (12/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosamun... #jawiki
October 31, 2025 at 7:44 AM
71) Rosamund Brunel Gotch worked for many years as a stage costume designer, dressing over 160 productions at the Royal College of Music (including Hugh the Drover), and also edited the letters of two young Mendelssohn admirers, which is excellent (12/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosamun... #jawiki
70) Baritone John Goss gave recitals of classical lieder and English art song mixed with what he called sociable songs - folk song, drinking songs, army songs & sea shanties. A friend of Peter Warlock, he sang the 2nd performance of The Curlew in 1923 (1/23) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Go... #jawiki
October 30, 2025 at 7:04 AM
70) Baritone John Goss gave recitals of classical lieder and English art song mixed with what he called sociable songs - folk song, drinking songs, army songs & sea shanties. A friend of Peter Warlock, he sang the 2nd performance of The Curlew in 1923 (1/23) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Go... #jawiki