Music Events
Schubert Society of Britainin association with the German YMCA
History of the Schubert SocietyWhen, in the 1950s, George Schubert, a distant relative of the composer, discussed the concept for a Schubert Society with Gordon Honey and Alan Tabelin, the two young men enthusiastically took up the idea. They enlisted the support of their friends in London's music circles and planned a concert for the launch of such a Society. The inaugural concert, sponsored by George Schubert, was held on 19th November 1957 in St. James's, Piccadilly. In an all Schubert programme Pauline Brockless (soprano) with the Goldsmiths' choir, Gordon Honey (baritone) and a section of the London Philharmonic Orchestra under Basil Cameron performed. The primary purpose of the Society was to perform the music of Franz Schubert, but in order to include the wider repertoire of classical music in forthcoming Schubertiades, the only rule the Society imposed was that every performance includes at least one work by Schubert. Records of the early activities are unfortunately no longer available. In October 1960, Martha Eitler (violin) and Alan Tabelin, who had become Hon. Secretary of the Schubert Society, performed Italian Songs for the German YMCA in London and the potential for a successful collaboration between the Schubert Society and the German YMCA for the performance of regular concerts was discovered. As a Grand piano was a prerequisite for such a project, the YMCA bought a Blüthner with funds donated by the Embassy of the German Federal Republic. The first Schubertiade in the hall of the YMCA's "Lancaster Hall", a recital of Lieder and songs by Schubert, Brahms and Strauss by the young tenor Austin Miskell, accompanied on the piano by Alasdair Graham, was held on Monday, 8th May 1961. The late Brian Brockless (composer, organist and conductor) wrote in a review of "the enjoyment of this most successful evening". The regular series of Schubertiades commenced in October 1961 and became the crown of the cultural events in the Lancaster Hall. Over the years a pattern emerged in that Alan Tabelin engaged the artists and arranged the performances for each season, and volunteers and staff of the YMCA and Lancaster Hall Hotel staged the concert in an informal and hospitable atmosphere, publicised the events and produced the printed programmes. It is impossible to name the hundreds of artists, who over the years gave generously of their services. But at the risk that some are overlooked, we like to name, in no particular order, and in addition to those already mentioned, the artists who shaped the profile of the Society in the early years: The Schubert Duo Christopher Wood and Jo Spanjer (Piano), Alfred Kitchin (piano), Francis Loring (baritone and translater of Schubert Lieder), Derek Hammond-Stroud (baritone), Paul Hamburger (piano), Gary Peacock, (piano), Kathron Sturrock (piano), Dr. Rudolf Sabor (Director of East Ham Academy of Music), Ivor Keys (Professor of Music). Alan Tabelin managed to interest many distinguished artists in the work of the Society. At the same time, and in keeping with the purpose of the German YMCA, he dipped into the international pool of emerging young artists and gave many talented young musicians the opportunity to perform in London at the beginning of their careers. They came from twenty different countries from all over the world. Over the years the song cycle "Die schöne Müllerin" was performed twice by John Barker (baritone) and Helen Cawthorne (piano). The song cycle "Die Winterreise" was performed eight times. One of these performances was by Francis Loring and Paul Hamburger in connection with the opening of the new Lancaster Hall on 21st October 1973. Another "Winterreise" performance by Samuel Oswald (tenor) and Hans Staehli (piano) on 19th October 1975 was a Gala Benefit Concert in aid of The Living Theatre for the Disabled. Amongst other special events was the concert to mark the 150th Anniversary of Schubert's death on 15th October 1978, with the West Indian Duo Gretta Barrow (piano) and Edmund Reid (violin) performing. In 1997 an extended season of Schubertiades was held in celebration of the bicentenary of the birth of Franz Schubert. In his enthusiastic manner, Alan Tabelin had arranged a wonderful series of all Schubert programmes well in advance. A special mention must be made of the outstanding services of the renowned Piano Duo Isabel Beyer and Harvey Dagul. Over the years the couple gave 25 performances of fourhanded piano music. From 1991 to 2003 these became our very popular New Year's concerts. Alan retired to Suffolk in 1990, but saw it as his duty to make the journeys to London in order to preside over the Schubertiades until his death on 26th January 1998. He had been leading the Schubert Society for over 40 years, arranging around 220 concerts. The March 1998 Schubertiade was dedicated to his memory. The renowned pianist Angela Lear played Chopin and Schubert, and was joined by Professor Guy Jonson, formerly Senior Piano Professor at the Royal Academy of Music, for a Schubert Duet finale. For years the Schubert Society has provided a Schubert Prize for the best performance of a "Lied" in the Anglo-Austrian Music Society's Richard Tauber Prize Competition for Singers in the Wigmore Hall. In memory of Alan Tabelin the German YMCA augmented the Schubert Society Prize in 2000, and the first recipient was the baritone Michael Dewis. Continuing the highly specialised work of Alan Tabelin became a real challenge for the Society as well as the German YMCA. Thanks to the encouragement and support from the friends and artists Isabel Beyer, Harvey Dagul, Angela Lear and Mark Packwood, and especially thanks to the willingness of the founder member Gordon Honey to preside over forthcoming Schubertiades, the future looked most promising. Indeed, by the 50th Anniversary, the total concerts performed will be in excess of 280 and the concertgoers continue to turn up in good numbers. Joan Robinson (pianist) summed this up for all artists: "From the performers' place on the platform, I must say that the crowded hall was a lovely sight!" Bernard Hildebrandt
In 2007 the Society celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a few extra concerts, a Schubert Party with Schubert Lieder and Jazz by the Dixi Ticklers (all together performing the Lied "Die Forelle" in Dixi style) and a Jubilee Concert at St James's Piccadilly with Nigel Foster (piano) and Robin Tritschler (tenor). All this was received with great enthusiasm and the Schubert Society continues to thrive. Udo Bauer |
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The Schubert Society Isabel Beyer by the German YMCA and by
 Schubert, Franz Peter (1797 - 1828) Lithography by Josef Teltscher
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