Part I - The Musical Diaries of Felix Aprahamian

Summary

1933, 1934, 1935 and Surviving Fragments from 1937 and 1944

Various names and places are often referred to in the journals by initials. These are identified when they first appear, but for convenience the most frequently used are listed here.

AF Archibald Farmer

AP Alexandra Palace

BBC British Broadcasting Corporation

ISCM International Society for Contemporary Music

JSB J. S. Bach

LCMC London Contemporary Music Centre

LPO London Philharmonic Orchestra

MM Mainly Musicians Club

OMS Organ Music Society

OUP Oxford University Press

PC Park Chapel

QH Queen's Hall

RCM Royal College of Music

RVW Ralph Vaughan Williams

WMC Working Men's College, Crowndale Road

1933

18 January 1933 For some time past I have been tinkering with the idea of keeping a musical diary. This idea has been encouraged by the thought that it is in a way my duty to record in as much detail as possible the glimpses it has been my good fortune to be allowed of lives of many people high up in the musical world today. The need for keeping such a record was brought home very strongly to me at the first Study Circle gathering of the London Contemporary Music Centre. Our chief guest was Dr Egon Wellesz of Vienna who had come to receive the Mus.D. that Oxford had bestowed upon him. I remember him as a charming man with the air of a true scholar. He had brought with him the manuscript score of a large scale choral work1 which he was dedicating to the University of Oxford. He played us portions at the time – it struck me as a work which was powerfully moving in the quiet a capella passages – the counterpoint always strong and dignified. But I cannot continue like this and it would take a volume to put down all my impressions like that since last May. I must content myself with beginning it last night – and see how long I can continue this ‘good work’ for.

I arrived at St James’ Square in company with Ernest [Chapman] a little earlier than usual. We went straight up to the studio where we found Mrs [Robert] Mayer, a Miss Shaw, and a rather dark fellow in evening dress.