1938 in British music
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a summary of 1938 in music in the United Kingdom.
Events
- June â at the International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) Festival in London Benjamin Britten meets Aaron Copland.[1]
- 18 August â Benjamin Britten is the soloist at the first performance of his Piano Concerto, staged during the London Proms.[1]
- date unknown â the composer Ralph Vaughan Williams begins an affair with Ursula Wood.
Popular music
- "The Biggest Aspidistra In The World" by Tommie Connor, W. G. Haines & James S. Hancock
- "Boomps-A-Daisy", with words and music by Annette Mills
- "Cinderella, Stay In My Arms" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Michael Carr
- "Dearest Love" w.m. Noël Coward
- "I Went to a Marvelous Party" w.m. Noël Coward
- "The Stately Homes Of England", with words and music by Noël Coward
- "Where Are The Songs We Sung?" w.m. Noël Coward
- "You're What's The Matter With Me" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy and Michael Carr. Introduced by Harry Richman and Evelyn Dall in the film Kicking the Moon Around.
Classical music: new works
- Benjamin Britten â Piano Concerto, Op. 13 (original version)
- Alan Bush â Piano Concerto, Op. 18, with baritone and male choir in last movement
- Hamilton Harty â The Children of Lir
- Herbert Howells â Hymnus Paradisi
- Michael Tippett â Piano Sonata No. 1
Film and Incidental music
- Louis Levy â Crackerjack, directed by Albert de Courville.
- Ernest Irving â
- The High Command, starring Lionel Atwill, Lucie Mannheim and James Mason.
- I See Ice, starring George Formby, Kay Walsh and Betty Stockfeld.
- It's in the Air, starring George Formby, Polly Ward and Jack Hobbs. Directed by Anthony Kimmins.
Musical theatre
- 26 January â The London production of Nine Sharp opens at The Little Theatre, to run for 405 performances.
- 16 March â The London production of Operette opens at His Majesty's Theatre after a short run in Manchester.[2]
- 6 July â Maritza aka Countess Maritza, London production opened at the Palace Theatre
- 29 September â These Foolish Things London revue opened at the Palladium
Musical films
- Around the Town, directed by Herbert Smith, starring Vic Oliver and Irene Ware.
- Break the News, directed by René Clair, starring Jack Buchanan and Maurice Chevalier.[3]
- Kicking the Moon Around, directed by Walter Forde, starring Bert Ambrose and Evelyn Dall[4]
- Mountains O'Mourne, directed by Harry Hughes, starring René Ray and Niall MacGinnis.[5]
- My Irish Molly, directed by Alex Bryce, starring Binkie Stuart
- Over She Goes, directed by Graham Cutts, starring Stanley Lupino and Claire Luce
- Sailing Along, directed by Sonnie Hale, starring Jessie Matthews and Barry MacKay
- Stepping Toes, directed by John Baxter, starring Hazel Ascot and Enid Stamp-Taylor
- Thistledown, directed by Arthur B. Woods, starring Aino Bergö and Athole Stewart
- We're Going to Be Rich starring Gracie Fields, Victor McLaglen and Brian Donlevy
Births
- 18 March â Kenny Lynch, singer, songwriter and actor (died 2019)
- 31 March â Laurie Holloway, pianist and composer[6]
- 27 May â Elizabeth Harwood, operatic soprano (died 1990)
- 1 July â Susan Maughan, singer
- 26 August â Jet Black (The Stranglers)
- 20 September â Jane Manning, operatic soprano
- 5 October â Peter Aston, conductor and composer (died 2013)
- 28 October â Howard Blake, composer[7]
- 31 December â Christopher Steel, composer (died 1991)
Deaths
- 1 February â Marie Dainton, actress and music hall performer, 56
- 9 March â Sydney Baynes, conductor, composer and bandleader, 59[8]
- 18 March â Cyril Rootham, organist and composer, 62
- 18 April â Richard Runciman Terry, musicologist, 72
- 24 July â Marmaduke Barton, pianist and composer, 72[9]
- 14 August â Sir Landon Ronald, conductor and composer, 65[10]
- 3 September â James Kendrick Pyne, organist and composer, 86[11]
- 4 November â John Thomas Job, minister, hymn-writer and poet, 71
- 15 November â Viola Tree, actress, singer and playwright, 54 (pleurisy)[12]