NEWCASTLE'S MUSICAL HERITAGE AN INTRODUCTION By ...

only the finest artists. The printed programmes themselves were exceptional and
included musical examples of the leading themes of each movement and texts of
songs plus extensive notes. The Bohemian Quartet, The Rose Quartet, The
Brodsky Quartet and the St Petersburg Quartet are only four of the many
chamber groups that appeared at these concerts. Up to the time of the First
World War the Society presented four concerts a season rising to six. The
standard was presumably incredibly high with world-renowned violinists, Joseph
Joachim, Eugene Ysaye and Pablo Sarasate appearing often. This level was
maintained, and arguably exceeded, right through until the 1940s but we shall
return to the post WWII period later. Georg Henschel (later Sir George) concert
baritone, composer and conductor of Polish birth, gave a song recital and other
singers, David Bispham, Liza Lehmann, Blanche Marchesi, and Plunket Green
also appeared in concert. Charles Halle accompanied his wife, Wilma Neruda,
violinist, as did Henry Wood his first wife, the singer, Olga Hillman, the former
Princess Olga Michailowna Ourousoff. In 1912 the composer/pianist Eugene
d’Albert made an appearance and was presumably acknowledged by the select
audience for the artist he was. Had I been there I would willingly have given an
old penny coin to each member of the audience on that evening to know what
they were really thinking as they listened to this turncoat of a piano player.
Eugene d’Albert was born in Glasgow on 10 th April 1864 but was raised in
Newcastle. His father was of mixed German/French parentage from Hamburg
and his mother was a resident of Newcastle – some reports say of Russian
extraction. According to another version, his parental ancestors were Italian and
his father was a dancing master and composer. In the circumstances, Eugene
Francis Charles d’Albert, as he was baptised, was technically English. He
received his early musical training from his father and at the age of twelve he
was elected Newcastle scholar in the since defunct National Training School of
Music in London. At one point he studied with Sir Arthur Sullivan but drove Sir
Arthur ‘up the wall’. He made his debut as a pianist at sixteen and premiered his
first piano concerto at seventeen before being awarded a Mendelssohn
Scholarship and going to Vienna to study with Hans Richter, the
Hungarian/German conductor. Before d’Albert was twenty years old he had
established himself in Germany and proclaimed his contempt in the Press for
England and everything English. Surprisingly, he returned to Newcastle a
number of times and gave recitals. He had appeared at the Olympia on
Northumberland Road on 2 nd October 1896 and must to some extent have
redeemed himself to be invited back in 1912. Perhaps it was not until after this
that he openly made it known he supported the Kaiser. Whilst we have no way of
knowing the audiences’ individual thoughts and opinions on this diminutive piano
player we do have the benefit of the following morning’s press review; -
‘Musical England may not have appreciated Mr d’Albert at his proper artistic
value but no opportunity is lost nowadays when the eminent pianist condescends
to revisit his native country – to make reparations for the early sins of omission.
Newcastle last night added its voice – a voice that should have proved
65