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For 50 years, The Elgar Society has worked to increase interest in this enigmatic and still
often misunderstood artist - the greatest British musician since Purcell. There are now 1,500
members worldwide. There are also meetings organised by the branches of the society.
The Thames Valley Branch has formed in 1998 and meets in Thame. Ideal for
those who want to meet and chat with enthusiasm in a friendly gathering. Join us! Enthuse to
someone about the music you love and know that you will not be regarded as the least bit
odd!
But, we hope, we will not only meet to chat. Outside London, Oxford has perhaps more live
music than anywhere else in the country. Whenever we can our events will centre round live
performances. Sometimes these will be major musical events; sometimes they will be
performances of small scale works by local performers of high quality; eventually we hope to
sponsor performances from local forces.
New members can join the society through this new branch. There will not only be the local
meetings we organise within the Thames Valley but all the facilities of the flourishing national
organisation.
Programme for 2009/2010
Meeting time and venue : Meetings are held on Wednesday evenings at the Barns
Centre, Church Road, Thame, starting at 7.30 pm unless stated otherwise, and finishing at 9.45 pm
to allow time for refreshments and conversation, and to allow more distant members a reasonably
early start home. Occasionally the branch meets at other venues, notably in Oxford and often in
association with concerts.
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Wednesday 16 September 2998 |
"Edu et Regina"
by David Bury
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Elgar composed some splendid, albeit infrequently played, music for or about a number of English Queens. He lived in
the reigns of three of them. In his presentation David Bury will let us hear some of this music and say something about
how it came to be composed. David has been a member of the Elgar Society since 1979, and was Secretary of the London
Branch 1984-1995. As well as giving presentations to most Society Branches, he has contributed articles to “The Journal”.
His “Elgar and the Awful Female” [and other essays] was published by Elgar Editions in 2003.
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Wednesday 16 December 2009 |
"The Yuletide Special"
with Video, Christmas fare and wine
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We shall be holding our traditional pre-Christmas social meeting, with mince pies and wine, and more! The Elgarian
theme will be maintained with a presentation of Ken Russell’s biographical film about the composer; which we intended
to show at the 2008 Social, but had to forego owing to lack of time. A chance for members to reminisce about the musical
highlights of 2009, including both the Proms [which include a generous quantity of British music—but doubtless Elgarians
will lament the absence of a favourite work!]; and the Three Choirs Festival.
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Wednesday 14 April 2010 |
"Hans Richter"
by Christopher Fifield
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Elgar had few more faithful champions than the great Austro-Hungarian conductor, Hans Richter. He was associated with
first and early performances of some of Elgar’s greatest masterpieces, and had a formidable reputation at the time as an
interpreter of the music of then-contemporary composers such as Wagner, Bruckner and Brahms. Christopher Fifield is a
noted music historian, as well as a conductor of British music, some of which he has recorded.
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Wednesday 9 June 2010 |
"Edward Elgar - Medical Enigma"
by John Harcup
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On the occasion of the 2010 Annual General Meeting our Guest Speaker will be Dr John Harcup OBE, Chairman of the
West Midlands Branch of the Society. Elgar was a notorious hypochondriac, and there has been much speculation about the
origin of his medical symptoms. As well as being a manic-depressive, did Elgar’s medical problems have a psychological
origin—at least in part? Dr Harcup has researched this subject, and presented his findings to other Branches of the
Society. He will speak with the authority of a medically qualified man, as well as a keen Elgarian.
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Click here for a map showing how to get to the Barns
Centre, Thame.
For further information, contact :
The chairman or secretary at the addresses and telephone numbers given above.
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