T Arts: Music

DATE: c1934-1953

LEVEL: Series

The Trust Arts Music series consists of archival records about music administration at Dartington before 1939; the Music Theatre Studio 1938; correspondence with Hans Oppenheim; the music score for the opera 'Rodelinda'; Music Group records; records of the Robert Masters Quartet; Music School, 1943-1961; Music Staff and Students; English Folk Dance and Song Society; The Opera Studio; Instruments; Norbert Brainin, Amadeus Quartet; General correspondence, press cuttings, and music performance programmes.

There is also correspondence with Imogen Holst, 1937-1980; Holst manuscripts and notes; compositions; her visit to India 1950-1951; press cuttings; Holst's University of Exeter honorary Degree 1969; Arts Department notes; Holst Foundation correspondence; obituaries, Memorial Concerts held for Imogen Holst; 'Imogen Holst at Dartington' (student manuscript); Gustav Holst information. (Imogen Holst personal archive held by The Britten-Pears Library and Archive.)

Included is John Clements' correspondence; Clements' reports and papers; Richard Hall's records; Mervyn Bruxner; Doris Gould; Michael Lane; Jack Dobbs; a presentation scrapbook made for Dorothy and Leonard Elmhirst from the Vienna visit of 16 Dartington students, March, 1968. Also included are many programmes for the Summer School and press cuttings relating to publicity.

Other material concerns Dartington music administration and structure, Sir William Glock, Peter Maxwell Davies, Bee Musson and John Amis (personnel), filming by the BBC of The Netherlands Wind Ensemble, 1979; staff and Dartington Summer School of Music records.

The Professional Phase 1934-1940.
When the Arts Department was set up in 1934, it was agreed in principle to found a Music School, but no immediate steps where taken. In 1934-1935 estate musical life was lively in the Choral Society and in public concerts organised by Ronald Biggs. In 1936 the search for a conductor for an estate orchestra began, and in 1937 Hans Oppenheim arrived from Glyndebourne, on the recommendation of Kurt Jooss, Sigurd Leeder and Fritz Cohen. It was hoped to develop theatrical form, or musical theatre. In 1938 he formed a Music Theatre Studio with Fritz Cohen, producing 'Rodelinda' by Handel in 1939. Future plans for the Studio were abandoned after the outbreak of war in September 1939.

The Educational Phase: 1945 onwards.
In March 1942, Imogen Holst came to Devon as Music Traveller for CEMA and settled at Dartington. In 1943 she resigned from CEMA, and from September of that year until her departure in July 1951 she was the mainspring of the musical revival on the estate, with events, classes, recitals, lectures,singing etc. She also took students for pre-Service training in music, who came to Dartington on scholarships provided by the Arts Department. Beginning with four students, by 1945 they had increased to 13 and Peter Cox applied on behalf of the School to the Ministry of Education for approved status. Mr R J Harris was employed part time to teach practical lessons in piano construction, tuning and repair. In 1946 Winsome Bartlett (a pupil of Rudolf Laban) was appointed to teach pipe and recorder making, instrument repair and music copying and binding. The School was approved, meaning that students could be received on Ministry or LEA grants. By 1951 students exceeded 30. Extension work in Devon also developed under the leadership of Cecil Cope, County Organiser for Music. A music library was assembled. Imogen Holst's successor was John Clements, who resigned in 1956. New teaching staff were recruited including Colin Sauer, and C L Nightingale.

In 1945 a weekend of music took place under the leadership of Benjamin Britten.

In 1953, the Bryanston Summer School of Music, organised by William Glock, was first brought to Dartington and became the Dartington Summer School of Music (later re-named as Dartington International Summer School).

For more detail see Dartington Hall 1925-1956, a Report by Victor Bonham-Carter

Information for Researchers

All papers belonging to The Dartington Hall Trust Archive (with the exclusion of Dartington Hall School pupils individual records) are held at the Devon Record Office. All enquiries relating to research should be made to Devon Records Office, Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Sowton, Exeter, Devon EX2 7NL
+44 (0)1392 384253
+44 (0)1392 384256
devrec@devon.gov.uk
www.devon.gov.uk/record_office

The following requests should be made direct to the Archives & Records at The Dartington Hall Trust as shown below:
Copies of images as seen on The Dartington Hall Trust online catalogue with appropriate reference number (Ref No.)
Permission to publish or quote from any document held in the Dartington Hall Trust Archive
Former pupils of Dartington Hall School wishing to view their records
Archives & Records
The Dartington Hall Trust
Dartington Hall
Totnes TQ9 6EL
01803 847200
yvonne.widger@dartington.org

This information is copyright The Dartington Hall Trust