Sir Henry Wood likes Youths at his Concerts in Blazers and Flannel Bags

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 18, 10 November 1933, Page 11

Sir Henry Wood likes Youths

at his Concerts in Blazers and Flannel Bags

CONDUCTOR of international fame, Sir Henry Joseph Wood, was born in London, March 3, 1869. He began his musical career at the age of 10 as organist al St. Mary's, Aldermanbury. At the age. of 14 he was giving organ recitals at the Fisheries and International Ecxhibition at South Kensington. ‘These lasted wntil 1885, after which he began studying in earnest at the R.A.M. Ags conductor he started in @ modest way with various suburban musical societies until, in 1890, he was given his first chance as conductor of the Rousby Opera Co, Then followed scasons with the Carl Rosa, the Georgina Burns, and the Signor Lalo’s Opera Companies. At 25 his opportunity came when Robert Newman launched the first season of Proms at the Queen's Hall, with Wood us conductor. He was knighted in 1911. In addition to the Proms and numerous symphony concerts, he has conducted in all. the largest provincial toicns, and has often appeared abroad, notably in America, where, in 1925, he directed a memorable series of concerts with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the famous "Hollywood Bowl." playing the music of living British composers before an audience of eighty thousand. Sir Henry has been a pillar ‘of broadcasting since 1927, when he conducted the first series of broadcast Proms. Since then he has additionally conducted numberiess broadcast concerts, both w London and in the Provinces. The work entailed by the Proms. alone--timing items, studying scores, rehearsing, ete-is sufficient proof. of his great physical vitality; yet he manages to appear as alert and unruffled on the fiftieth concert. of the season as on the first. Heis a painter of no mean order, and a keen carpenter. He finds time, moreover, to foster an orchestra of 100 players at the Royal Academy of Music, and takes the liveliest practical interest in the Musical Festival Movement, In 1912, he introduced women into the Qucen's Hail Orchestra, with excellent results. He has done more for orchesiral work and for spreading the taste in England for orchestral music than any other man. We raised orchestral playing to @ consistently high level, unattained before, This he secured partly by means of founding a stable and permanent orchestra, by securing an adequate nunber of rehearsals, and by really tuning his orchestra, for his car is unusyally true and unfailing. He established the precedent for sectional rehearsals (brass, wood, and string), insisted on unanimity of bowing, and introduced the French style of double-bass bowing, His adop¥ion of the tow Cow ~ tinental pitch (A = 435 at 59 degrees Fahr.) in 1895 at Queen’s Hall , was an immense advantage. Genial, businesslike, and adventurous, he has never been secn conducting a Prom concert without a flower in his © buttonhole. He has his dress shirts and collars solidly built in. one piece, using up two per concert. He likes young people in his audiences, likes to see them turn up in blazers, jumpers, and flannel trousers, and is delighted with their galaxy of cigarettes and ‘lipsticks.