


Collection Description
Collection Title
Oxford Subscription Concerts (1930-40)
Unique Identifier
MS.Top.Oxon.c.677/2
Description
A largely complete set of prospectuses and programmes for the Oxford Subscription Concerts, seasons 11 to 20, given principally at the Town Hall and Sheldonian Theatre, Oxford, between 1930 and 1940 (missing programmes for the 12th season, no. 4 and 18th season, no. 1).
All items are held individually within a single box.
All programmes carry words and notes and, where appropriate, provide a list of the orchestral ensemble. The programme for 24 October 1930 includes some musical examples. Additional handbills are held for many of the concerts.
During the 11th, 12th and 13th seasons, the second concert was given at the Sheldonian Theatre, with the remainder at the Town Hall. Thereafter, the concerts were split more evenly between the two venues, with the concerts on 10 March 1937 and 23 February 1938 at the New Theatre.
Where no other indication is given below, the Oxford Orchestral Society was conducted by Reginald Jacques (seasons 12-16) and Sydney Watson (seasons 17-19) and Thomas Armstrong (season 20)
11th season (1930–31)
24 October: The Busch String Quartet.
27 November: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.
4 December: Violoncello Recital by Guilhermina Suggia, accompanied by George Reeves.
29 January: London Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Anthony Bernard, including the first Oxford performances of: Respighi, Trittico Botticelliano; Constant Lambert, Pomona; and Peter Warlock, An Old Song.
19 February: Pianoforte Recital by Ernst von Dohnanyi.
5 March: English Singers.
14 May: Song Recital by Roland Hayes.
12th season (1931–32)
There is no programme for the Fourth Concert of this season, listed in the prospectus as being given on 4 February.
29 October: Piano Recital by Harold Bauer.
19 November: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham.
3 December: Pianoforte and String Trios with Harold Samuel, Isolde Menges and Ivor James.
18 February: Busch Quartet.
3 March: Oxford Orchestral Society with Aubyn Raymar (piano).
12 May: Keith Falkner (baritone), Antonia Butler (cello) and Michael Mulliner (piano).
13th season (1932–33)
27 October: Maggie Teyte (soprano), Arthur Catterall (violin) and George Reeves (piano).
3 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham.
24 November: The Tudor Singers, conducted by Cuthbert Bates.
2 February: Griller String Quartet, including the first Oxford performance of Arnold Bax, Nonet, for String Quartet, Bass, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe and Harp.
16 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Kathleen Long (piano).
2 March: Busch Quartet.
11 May: Pianoforte Recital by Rudolf Serkin.
14th season (1933–34)
18 October: Busch Quartet.
3 November: Piano Recital by Rudolf Serkin.
27 November and 15 February and 8 March: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Beecham (handbill only for November).
3 May: Cambridge University Musical Society Orchestra with George Chavchavadze (piano) and Andre Mangeot (violin), conducted by Cyril Rootham.
15th season (1934–35)
25 October, 15 November and 21 February: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham
29 November: Pro Arte String Quartet.
7 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Albert Sammons (violin).
14 March: Isolde Menges String Quartet.
16th season (1935–36)
24 October: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Albert Coates.
14 November: Griller String Quartet with Myra Hess (piano).
28 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, Oxford Harmonic Society and the West Oxford Choral Society, conducted by Malcolm Sargent.
6 February: Violoncello Recital by Guilhermina Suggia.
20 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Mr W. H. Reed (violin).
10 May: Oxford Bach Choir and London Symphony Orchestra with Isobel Baillie and Leyland White (vocal), conducted by Thomas Armstrong.
17th season (1936–37)
22 October: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Boult.
12 November: A Capella Singers, conducted by Charles Kennedy Scott (with list of the choral ensemble).
26 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham.
4 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Norman Tucker (piano).
10 March: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Felix Weingartner (handbill only, with photograph).
6 May: Boyd Neel String Orchestra, conducted by Neel (handbill only).
18th season (1937–38)
There is no programme for the 1st concert, listed in the prospectus as 21 October.
4 November: Jacques String Orchestra with Isolde Menges (violin), conducted by Reginald Jacques.
22 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham.
20 January: Griller String Quartet.
10 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Bernard Shore (viola).
23 February: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Felix Weingartner.
19th season (1938–39)
20 October: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Goossens.
10 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Beecham [annotation to say that Basil Cameron replaced a sick Beecham].
24 November: Piano Recital by Egon Petri.
1 February: City of Birmingham Orchestra, conducted by Leslie Heward.
8 February: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Sargent.
23 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Antonia Butler (cello).
20th season (1939-40)
29 October: Jacques String Orchestra, conducted by Jacques.
12 November: Menges String Quartet.
26 November: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Boult.
28 January: Chamber Music Players.
18 February: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Sargent.
3 March: Oxford Orchestral Society with John Hunt (piano).
All items are held individually within a single box.
All programmes carry words and notes and, where appropriate, provide a list of the orchestral ensemble. The programme for 24 October 1930 includes some musical examples. Additional handbills are held for many of the concerts.
During the 11th, 12th and 13th seasons, the second concert was given at the Sheldonian Theatre, with the remainder at the Town Hall. Thereafter, the concerts were split more evenly between the two venues, with the concerts on 10 March 1937 and 23 February 1938 at the New Theatre.
Where no other indication is given below, the Oxford Orchestral Society was conducted by Reginald Jacques (seasons 12-16) and Sydney Watson (seasons 17-19) and Thomas Armstrong (season 20)
11th season (1930–31)
24 October: The Busch String Quartet.
27 November: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.
4 December: Violoncello Recital by Guilhermina Suggia, accompanied by George Reeves.
29 January: London Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Anthony Bernard, including the first Oxford performances of: Respighi, Trittico Botticelliano; Constant Lambert, Pomona; and Peter Warlock, An Old Song.
19 February: Pianoforte Recital by Ernst von Dohnanyi.
5 March: English Singers.
14 May: Song Recital by Roland Hayes.
12th season (1931–32)
There is no programme for the Fourth Concert of this season, listed in the prospectus as being given on 4 February.
29 October: Piano Recital by Harold Bauer.
19 November: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham.
3 December: Pianoforte and String Trios with Harold Samuel, Isolde Menges and Ivor James.
18 February: Busch Quartet.
3 March: Oxford Orchestral Society with Aubyn Raymar (piano).
12 May: Keith Falkner (baritone), Antonia Butler (cello) and Michael Mulliner (piano).
13th season (1932–33)
27 October: Maggie Teyte (soprano), Arthur Catterall (violin) and George Reeves (piano).
3 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham.
24 November: The Tudor Singers, conducted by Cuthbert Bates.
2 February: Griller String Quartet, including the first Oxford performance of Arnold Bax, Nonet, for String Quartet, Bass, Flute, Clarinet, Oboe and Harp.
16 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Kathleen Long (piano).
2 March: Busch Quartet.
11 May: Pianoforte Recital by Rudolf Serkin.
14th season (1933–34)
18 October: Busch Quartet.
3 November: Piano Recital by Rudolf Serkin.
27 November and 15 February and 8 March: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Beecham (handbill only for November).
3 May: Cambridge University Musical Society Orchestra with George Chavchavadze (piano) and Andre Mangeot (violin), conducted by Cyril Rootham.
15th season (1934–35)
25 October, 15 November and 21 February: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham
29 November: Pro Arte String Quartet.
7 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Albert Sammons (violin).
14 March: Isolde Menges String Quartet.
16th season (1935–36)
24 October: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Albert Coates.
14 November: Griller String Quartet with Myra Hess (piano).
28 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, Oxford Harmonic Society and the West Oxford Choral Society, conducted by Malcolm Sargent.
6 February: Violoncello Recital by Guilhermina Suggia.
20 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Mr W. H. Reed (violin).
10 May: Oxford Bach Choir and London Symphony Orchestra with Isobel Baillie and Leyland White (vocal), conducted by Thomas Armstrong.
17th season (1936–37)
22 October: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Boult.
12 November: A Capella Singers, conducted by Charles Kennedy Scott (with list of the choral ensemble).
26 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham.
4 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Norman Tucker (piano).
10 March: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Felix Weingartner (handbill only, with photograph).
6 May: Boyd Neel String Orchestra, conducted by Neel (handbill only).
18th season (1937–38)
There is no programme for the 1st concert, listed in the prospectus as 21 October.
4 November: Jacques String Orchestra with Isolde Menges (violin), conducted by Reginald Jacques.
22 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Thomas Beecham.
20 January: Griller String Quartet.
10 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Bernard Shore (viola).
23 February: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Felix Weingartner.
19th season (1938–39)
20 October: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Goossens.
10 November: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Beecham [annotation to say that Basil Cameron replaced a sick Beecham].
24 November: Piano Recital by Egon Petri.
1 February: City of Birmingham Orchestra, conducted by Leslie Heward.
8 February: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Sargent.
23 February: Oxford Orchestral Society with Antonia Butler (cello).
20th season (1939-40)
29 October: Jacques String Orchestra, conducted by Jacques.
12 November: Menges String Quartet.
26 November: London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Boult.
28 January: Chamber Music Players.
18 February: London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Sargent.
3 March: Oxford Orchestral Society with John Hunt (piano).
Format
Date range of collection
1930 - 1940
Accumulation Dates
-
Suggested Audience
Not Specific
Associated People or Organisations
- White, Leyland -
- West Oxford Choral Society -
- Weingartner, Felix -
- Watson, Sydney -
- Warlock, Peter (pseud. For Philip Heseltine) -
- Tudor Singers -
- Tucker, Norman -
- Teyte, Maggie -
- Suggia, Guilhermina (sometimes Suggia-Casals) -
- Shore, Bernard -
- Serkin, Rudolf -
- Scott, Charles Kennedy -
- Samuel, Harold 1879 - 1937
- Sammons, Albert -
- Rootham, Cyril Bradley -
- Respighi, Ottorino -
- Reeves, George -
- Reed, William Henry (Billy) -
- Raymar, Aubyn -
- Pro Arte String Quartet -
- Petri, Egon -
- Oxford Subscription Concerts -
- Oxford Orchestral Society -
- Oxford Harmonic Society -
- Oxford Bach Choir -
- Neel, Boyd -
- Mullinar, Michael -
- Menges, Isolde 1893 - 1976
- Menges String Quartet -
- Menges String Quartet -
- Mangeot, André -
- Long, Kathleen -
- London Symphony Orchestra -
- London Philharmonic Orchestra -
- London Chamber Orchestra -
- Lambert, Constant -
- James, Ivor -
- Jacques, Reginald -
- Jacques Orchestra -
- Hunt, John -
- Heward, Leslie -
- Hess, Myra -
- Hayes, Roland -
- Griller String Quartet -
- Goossens, Eugène -
- Falkner, Keith -
- English Singers -
- Dohnányi, Ernö -
- Coates, Albert -
- City of Birmingham Orchestra -
- Chavchavadze, George -
- Catterall, Arthur -
- Cameron, Basil -
- Cambridge University Musical Society -
- Butler, Antonia -
- Busch String Quartet -
- Boyd Neel Orchestra -
- Boult, Adrian -
- Bernard, Anthony -
- Beecham, Thomas -
- Bax, Arnold -
- Bauer, Harold -
- Bates, Cuthbert -
- Baillie, Isobel -
- Armstrong, Thomas -
Associated Places
Associated Times
This collection is about
Location Details
Bodleian Library, Music Library
Broad Street,Music Library Oxford OX1 3BG Open Map
Website
Email
Telephone
01865 277063
Fax
01865 277182
Visiting Information
Membership fee for users outside the UK academic community; charges for photocopying and inter-library loans
Collections Overview
The collection has very strong holdings of British music and related material acquired in part by legal deposit. Many collected editions and scholarly series. Very strong periodical coverage, including major 19thC European journals. Largest collection of American song material in UK.
For details of other collections held at the same location: See the location record
Additional Collection Information
Accrual Status
closed
Related Publications
Management Information (Type)
Collection Owner(s)
Collection Creator(s)
Collection Collector(s)
Collection Custodians(s)
Associated Collection(s)