Hoddinott, Alun

**Eine Alpensinfonie** · 13-08-21, 08:19

He was also Professor of Music at Cardiff.

**Bryn** · 13-08-21, 09:24

Originally posted by Eine Alpensinfonie View Post

He was also Professor of Music at Cardiff.

More significantly, he was Head of the Music Department there. When it comes to music, "professor" is a rather more generally used term than in most other disciplines. It tends to simply mean teacher. I well recall the fuss when the national press took up the story of the banning of the Scratch Orchestra from Newcastle Civic Centre in 1971. They first promoted Cornelius Cardew's formal job description at the RAM as "Professor of Composition", then moved on to falsely claim that it was a self-description (in my experience he never uses the term himself) while relating that he had a part-time teaching role at the RAM and, at that time, had but one student.

**edashtav** · 13-08-21, 11:50

Originally posted by Bryn View Post

More significantly, he was Head of the Music Department there. When it comes to music, "professor" is a rather more generally used term than in most other disciplines. It tends to simply mean teacher. I well recall the fuss when the national press took up the story of the banning of the Scratch Orchestra from Newcastle Civic Centre in 1971. They first promoted Cornelius Cardew's formal job description at the RAM as "Professor of Composition", then moved on to falsely claim that it was a self-description (in my experience he never uses the term himself) while relating that he had a part-time teaching role at the RAM and, at that time, had but one student.

On a less serious note, but giving a little insight into Alun, the man. Here is Jane Watts writing about one of the more hairy moments in her life as a virtuoso organist:

“The second – although this eventually turned out to be one of the best experiences – was when I was invited with many months’ notice to give the world premiere of Alun Hoddinott’s Symphony for Organ and Orchestra [no 7] with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Richard Hickox, to be broadcast live on Radio 3. Dear Alun did not complete the work until less than 24 hours before the first orchestral rehearsal, and even when I arrived at that rehearsal, I was told by a member of the orchestra that none of the parts had yet reached them. It had been agreed that we would keep the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony ‘up our sleeves’ in case there was not enough time to work on Alun’s piece, but in the end everything turned out well – just!”

**Bryn** · 13-08-21, 12:23

Originally posted by edashtav View Post

On a less serious note, but giving a little insight into Alun, the man. Here is Jane Watts writing about one of the more hairy moments in her life as a virtuoso organist:

“The second – although this eventually turned out to be one of the best experiences – was when I was invited with many months’ notice to give the world premiere of Alun Hoddinott’s Symphony for Organ and Orchestra [no 7] with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales under Richard Hickox, to be broadcast live on Radio 3. Dear Alun did not complete the work until less than 24 hours before the first orchestral rehearsal, and even when I arrived at that rehearsal, I was told by a member of the orchestra that none of the parts had yet reached them. It had been agreed that we would keep the Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony ‘up our sleeves’ in case there was not enough time to work on Alun’s piece, but in the end everything turned out well – just!”

At least he did not 'do a Walton'.

**edashtav** · 13-08-21, 12:47

Originally posted by Bryn View Post

At least he did not 'do a Walton'.

Yes, indeed,Bryn, wayward Willie was an incorrigible ‘incompletist’. Poor André Previn never received more than the first page of the 3rd Symphony that Walton promised him!

**Serial_Apologist** · 13-08-21, 12:52

Originally posted by edashtav View Post

Yes, indeed,Bryn, wayward Willie was an incorrigible ‘incompletist’. Poor André Previn never received more than the first page of the 3rd Symphony that Walton promised him!

I didn't know there was an incomplete 3rd symphony! Has it ever been performed, anyone know?

**edashtav** · 13-08-21, 18:10

Originally posted by Serial_Apologist View Post

I didn't know there was an incomplete 3rd symphony! Has it ever been performed, anyone know?

It was literally one page that was sent to AP, I have no recollection of hearing that WW added anything, later: I doubt whether it’s in any way a parallel of the Elgar situation.

Hoddinott, Alun

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