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/
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
69) Marie Goossens, like her younger sister Sidonie, was a harpist. She played with Diaghilev in 1919, with Frank Chacksfield (on Ebb Tide) in 1953, and on the Spiderman film soundtrack in 1981. Her autobiography Life on a Harp String is a great read. (10/22) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_G... #jawiki
October 29, 2025 at 7:34 AM
69) Marie Goossens, like her younger sister Sidonie, was a harpist. She played with Diaghilev in 1919, with Frank Chacksfield (on Ebb Tide) in 1953, and on the Spiderman film soundtrack in 1981. Her autobiography Life on a Harp String is a great read. (10/22) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_G... #jawiki
Lots written on Grokipedia's right-wing focus and obvious misinformation. But just as worrying is its auto-generated content-free fill-in text, like these three scattered paras in the Tony Britten article, trying to justify an alleged "progression" in his early career as West End theatre director
October 28, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Lots written on Grokipedia's right-wing focus and obvious misinformation. But just as worrying is its auto-generated content-free fill-in text, like these three scattered paras in the Tony Britten article, trying to justify an alleged "progression" in his early career as West End theatre director
68) Horn player Adolphe Goossens would likely have been as famous as other members of his musical family, but he died aged 20 in 1916 at the Somme. His name is one of the 38 listed on the War Memorial at the Royal College of Music. (7/23) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolphe... #jawiki
October 28, 2025 at 6:17 AM
68) Horn player Adolphe Goossens would likely have been as famous as other members of his musical family, but he died aged 20 in 1916 at the Somme. His name is one of the 38 listed on the War Memorial at the Royal College of Music. (7/23) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolphe... #jawiki
67) Goodwin & Tabb, music publishers and hire library, now somewhere inside Wise Music Group, dates back to 1826. From 1906, at 34 Percy Street, it began publishing contemporary British music, including the first full score of Holst's The Planets (10/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodwin... #jawiki
October 27, 2025 at 6:47 AM
67) Goodwin & Tabb, music publishers and hire library, now somewhere inside Wise Music Group, dates back to 1826. From 1906, at 34 Percy Street, it began publishing contemporary British music, including the first full score of Holst's The Planets (10/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodwin... #jawiki
66) Artists Edward & Stephanie Scott-Godwin were the parents of Joscelyn Godwin, musicologist & occult historian. They were the first permanent residents to occupy Kelmscott Manor after the family of William Morris. They later moved to Woodstock, NY. (8/25) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan... #jawiki
October 26, 2025 at 7:13 AM
66) Artists Edward & Stephanie Scott-Godwin were the parents of Joscelyn Godwin, musicologist & occult historian. They were the first permanent residents to occupy Kelmscott Manor after the family of William Morris. They later moved to Woodstock, NY. (8/25) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephan... #jawiki
65) English pianist James Gibb was one of the musicians and poets associated with the left wing Unity Theatre in King's Cross. He premiered Balakirev's Second Piano Concerto in the UK, and lived for over 50 years in a flat at 10, Regent's Park Rd. (7/23) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_G... #jawiki
October 25, 2025 at 6:49 AM
65) English pianist James Gibb was one of the musicians and poets associated with the left wing Unity Theatre in King's Cross. He premiered Balakirev's Second Piano Concerto in the UK, and lived for over 50 years in a flat at 10, Regent's Park Rd. (7/23) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_G... #jawiki
64) Hilda Gaunt, rehearsal pianist with The Royal Ballet for 40 years, accompanied the touring dancers during WW2 on two pianos alongside Constant Lambert. According to Frederick Ashton she was "a tremendous drinker. She'd always be on tap." (12/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_G... #jawiki
October 22, 2025 at 11:38 PM
64) Hilda Gaunt, rehearsal pianist with The Royal Ballet for 40 years, accompanied the touring dancers during WW2 on two pianos alongside Constant Lambert. According to Frederick Ashton she was "a tremendous drinker. She'd always be on tap." (12/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_G... #jawiki
62) I read about the amazing Fawcett musical family (and their musical christian names) in Kenneth Young's Music's Great Days in the Spas and Watering Places (1968). 35 or more professionals, though none (as Grove puts it) rose to national eminence. (8/25) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawcett... #jawiki
October 18, 2025 at 7:39 AM
62) I read about the amazing Fawcett musical family (and their musical christian names) in Kenneth Young's Music's Great Days in the Spas and Watering Places (1968). 35 or more professionals, though none (as Grove puts it) rose to national eminence. (8/25) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fawcett... #jawiki
61) Montague Ewing, born in Forest Hill, began as a composer with novelty one-steps such as Policeman's Holiday (1911). He then adopted an American sounding name - Sherman Myers - and wrote a hit for Paul Whiteman (10/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montagu... #jawiki www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbRt...
October 16, 2025 at 10:16 AM
61) Montague Ewing, born in Forest Hill, began as a composer with novelty one-steps such as Policeman's Holiday (1911). He then adopted an American sounding name - Sherman Myers - and wrote a hit for Paul Whiteman (10/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montagu... #jawiki www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbRt...
58) Joseph Engleman, light music composer from Birmingham and his son Harry Engleman. Joseph's works span from the Potted Overtures medley to a (lost) Symphony in E. Harry was greatly influenced by Billy Mayerl. His best known piece is Finger Prints (8/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_... #jawiki
October 12, 2025 at 6:55 AM
58) Joseph Engleman, light music composer from Birmingham and his son Harry Engleman. Joseph's works span from the Potted Overtures medley to a (lost) Symphony in E. Harry was greatly influenced by Billy Mayerl. His best known piece is Finger Prints (8/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_... #jawiki
Hilda Gaunt, rehearsal pianist with The Royal Ballet for over 40 years, was (said Frederick Ashton) "a tremendous drinker. She'd always be on tap." She died on 10 October 1975. That's her in the hat in 1939. I pieced together this short Wikipedia entry for her. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_G...
October 10, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Hilda Gaunt, rehearsal pianist with The Royal Ballet for over 40 years, was (said Frederick Ashton) "a tremendous drinker. She'd always be on tap." She died on 10 October 1975. That's her in the hat in 1939. I pieced together this short Wikipedia entry for her. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilda_G...
54) I knew the late Giles Easterbrook and vividly remember first meeting him at his Novello office, just off of Golden Square in Soho, smoking his trusty pipe. He helped me so much getting the score of Lambert's Tiresias back into circulation (12/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_E... #jawiki
October 7, 2025 at 10:15 AM
54) I knew the late Giles Easterbrook and vividly remember first meeting him at his Novello office, just off of Golden Square in Soho, smoking his trusty pipe. He helped me so much getting the score of Lambert's Tiresias back into circulation (12/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_E... #jawiki