T H E C O V E N A N T E R
norm. Professional musicians often tell this The attractive pay and conditions
tale to illustrate the comic and unsatisfactory ensured that the orchestra recruited the best
outcome of this situation. A foreign musicians in Britain. In 1935, at the end of
conductor had been engaged to take three European tour the Vienna Philharmonic
rehearsals and to conduct one concert in lined the platform to play them out of the
London. At the first rehearsal all went well. station to confirm their appreciation. Every
At the second rehearsal he noticed that the year Arturo Toscanini came to London
orchestra were not observing the points he to experience the pleasure of conducting
had made in the first rehearsal and to his such a fine orchestra. Nowadays the BBC
horror he discovered one third of the Symphony Orchestra is the main orchestra
orchestra were deputies. At the third at the annual BBC Proms.
rehearsal more new people were in the I have heard from many orchestral
orchestra. However, he decided to players that Malcolm Sargent (known to
acknowledge a friendly bass player who had musicians as Flash Harry) had disagreed with
greeted him at all the rehearsals. He went the good conditions given to the orchestra
over to thank him for preparing himself so because he believed that musicians play
well for the concert. “ Thank you Maestro” better if they are hungry. I asked one of
said the bass player but I feel I should tell the speakers to confirm whether this was
you that I shall not be at the concert tonight, true or not. There was silence on her part
for I shall be sending a deputy. and a reluctance to answer the question. I
By 1928 the BBC had grown from a small was a little embarrassed when ten minutes
company to a fully-grown corporation.It later I learned that Malcolm Sargent’s son
invited the orchestras to broadcast. However, was in the audience. However, one speaker
the insecure orchestras refused to broadcast criticised Sargent for only spending 30% of
on the grounds that such a decision would the agreed time with the orchestra when he
reduce their audiences. The refusals, and the was their chief conductor from 1950-57.
availability of money from the licence fee, His name lives on in the annual Reith
were the reason for the foundation of the Lectures. It was John Reith who decided
BBC Symphony Orchestra. that the BBC should educate, inform and
The first director general of the BBC was entertain. Leaving school almost illiterate
John Reith. He was wounded in the 1914- at fourteen, I was helped by the versions of
18 War while serving as an officer with the BBC Radios 3 and 4 programmes not only
5th Cameronians. I quote: ‘He insisted on to qualify for higher education but also to
the highest standards, directing the BBC as pass my degrees. I am grateful that a fellow
an instrument for social betterment, and Cameronian had made this help available to
retaining its independence.’ In other words, me.
John Reith was a believer in the public 3. The Gorbals came to Chelmsford.
service ethos: the BBC, he insisted must be Starting in the Citizens’ Theatre, Glasgow
paid for by a licence fee. John Reith was a on the 2nd September, Men Should Weep
son of a Glasgow manse, brought up with a by Ena Lamont Stewart reached our Civic
sense of service to others within the liberal Theatre in Chelmsford on the 18th October
tradition of his family. He was a 6ft 6ins and would finish its UK tour in Oldham the
towering figure who had the ability to get 5th November.
things done, not only at the BBC but also This tragic and yet very amusing play,
in his many other public appointments, set in the Gorbals in the 1930s depression
particularly in the Second World War. was taking the sound of Glasgow to the
The Radio 3 speakers, unsure if Reid was unfamiliar ears of many Sassenachs. The
musical, stated that he wanted a world-class Gorbals, like the Whitechapel area of
orchestra to enhance the prestige of the BBC London, was where the Irish immigrants,
by its musical achievements. It would be a Jewish refugees and others settled. In the
permanent orchestra with the players for 1930s, 90,000 people were crowded into
the first time being paid salaries, sickness tenements in just 2% of the area of Glasgow.
benefit, holiday pay and pensions. Being In the play one is made aware of the cramped
funded out of the licence fee, the orchestra condition of eight people living in two
was not subject to the commercial tyranny rooms, a child suffering from TB taken to
of box office receipts. As Reith intended, hospital and unable to return home because
they became a cultural beacon by playing of the unhealthy conditions, the conflict
the full range from the orchestral repertoire in the family through the husband’s long
plus the music of new composers. unemployment and drinking, the noise from

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