Two of our readers have recently very generously sent us material relating to the Hiawatha performances at the Royal Albert Hall in years around the 1930s. We are grateful to George Parnell for this Programme of Hiawatha performances, and to Wendy Breese for sending us her recollections of time in the Royal Choral Society.
It would be interesting to learn if anyone knows the year of the Programme we have; and also to learn whether anyone recalls the performers named on it. (You will note that amongst them is Chief Os-Ke-Non-Ton.)
Sir Malcom Sergent of course features in both these items of memorabilia.
Wendy Breese recalls her time In the Royal Choral Society:
My mother and grandmother were members of the Royal Choral Society and took part in costumed performances of Hiawatha at The Royal Albert Hall.
They used to tell my sister and me how they had to picnic in Kensington Gardens opposite as the facilities in the hall could not cope with the large numbers of singers. The told us how they ran down the steps to the arena in their squaw costumes, which my sister and I subsequently had in our dressing-up box in the 1940′s. (Sadly I don’t know what happened to them.)
When we were old enough my sister and I also joined the Royal Choral Society, and sang alongside our mother in the altos. Our grandmother had retired from the choir by then so we were never all four together.
We also made a 12″ LP recording of Hiawatha at Maida Vale studios, conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent.
I was most interested to see the programme of one of the presentations of the dramatised “Hiawatha” at the Royal Albert Hall and to read Wendy Breese’s comment. I have several programmes of “Hiawatha” in which my dear friend and singing teacher, Webster Booth appeared. His first appearance was in July 1937. I also have a photograph of Webster in full costume for his appearance in “Hiawatha”. I will scan the programmes and send them to you in a day or two.
Posted by jean2371 | May 26, 2012, 8:11 amI’ve just come across this site. I wonder if you have a programme where my mother, Molly Elvar, who played Minnehaha is listed. Early 30s I suspect. I have a programme but without a cover from the Albert Hall with Sir Malcolm Sargent as musical director, dated 9-21 June but no year. No Webster Booth though, but she did, I think, sing with him. I have a nice pic of her in costume.
Posted by Enid Stephenson | January 16, 2013, 3:17 pmI’m afraid I only have one prewar programme of Hiawatha (1937) and I could not find your mother’s name listed there, but I discovered that she sang in Powis Pinder’s Sunshine Concert Party at Shanklin in 1934 along with Webster Booth, his second wife, Paddy Prior, and Arthur Askey. I have a photo of the party on my website and I’d be most interested if your mother appears in this photo. There is also a photograph of Webster Booth in full costume for his appearance in Hiawatha at the same link. http://ziegler-booth.blogspot.com/2007/03/photograph-album-1.html
Posted by Jean Collen | February 1, 2013, 5:46 pmMy only prewar programme of Hiawatha (1937) does not list your mother, Molly Elvar, but I was interested to discover that she sang in the 1934 summer season of Powis Pinder’s Sunshine Concert Party in Shanklin with Webster Booth, his second wife, Paddy Prior, and Arthur Askey. I have a photograph of this party on my website and would be interested to know whether your mother is in it. The link to the photograph and the photograph of Webster Booth in full costume for his appearance in Hiawatha is: http://ziegler-booth.blogspot.com/2007/03/photograph-album-1.html
Posted by jean2371 | February 1, 2013, 5:53 pmAlas no, not in that picture. She is in the attached pic between Arthur Askey and ANOther chap leaning on the piano. Also in the other attached photo walking with someone with the poster behind advertising the concert parties in 1936. best wishes enid stephenson
Posted by Enid Stephenson | February 1, 2013, 6:23 pmIn the 30s the Choral society solo circuit was something of a closed shop, with the same names cropping up again and again in the programmes of the time. Comparing the Hiawatha programme with VW’s line up for Serenade to Music in the famous 1938 recording under Henry Wood, we see that four of the names coincide: Sopranos Lilian Stiles-Allen [how cross she must have been to have her first name left out of the Hiawatha programme!] and Elsie Suddaby, Tenor Frank Titterton and Baritone Harold Williams. These artists were chosen by VW to appear alongside such stars as Isobel Baillie, Eva Turner [later Dame Eva] and Heddle Nash, so they were clearly at the top of their game!
Richard Gordon-Smith
Posted by richard6composer | May 28, 2012, 12:55 am