SYMPOSIUM RECORDS CD 1269

The Great Violinists – Volume 11

“I am now taking you over to The Grand Hotel, Eastbourne”

TOM JENKINS

with DOROTHY BOND and JACK BYFIELD Tom Jenkins was born in Leeds in 1910. His father, from Wakefield, but of a

Welsh family, was a colliery engineman. His mother was a contralto and pianist, and both his grandfathers were musicians. Tom had a miniature violin at three, began to study the instrument at eight, made his concert début at ten, and his wireless début at fourteen.

Under his first teacher, A. Inman, his progress was such that he was awarded third prize in the Leeds Musical Competitive Festival of 1923 for violinists of his age, and was praised by Arthur Catterall for his taste and intonation. Prizes and commendations in Hull and Keighley followed. He was soon playing in many local venues, public and private, and frequent favourable notices indicate the pride taken in him by the locality.

The award of a County Minor Scholarship enabled him to go to Morley Grammar School, in itself an unusual achievement in a mining family, where the music master spoke highly of him.

His violin teacher was now Edward Maude, leader of the Leeds Symphony Orchestra, (Can we imagine today a town the size of Leeds having a symphony orchestra?) and at Hull in 1924 the Festival adjudicator, a Dr. Adrian Boult, spoke highly of his playing and expressed his hope of hearing more of him.

His first broadcast, in 1925, he took part in a lecture recital, included "Air and Gavotte in D" by Bach, "Romance in G" by Beethoven, and "Canzonetta" by Tchaikovsky, presumably the slow movement of the violin concerto.

The year is significant. It was the mid-point of the decade in which Jenkins developed from school boy prodigy to mature musician, and in which wireless grew from a few crystal sets, the listeners huddled round with earphones, straining to hear the local station, to multi-valve receivers with loudspeakers, if not high fidelity, in millions of homes.

Here is not the place to discuss precisely when cracks began to appear in the class system (or whether we are equally class ridden today albeit along different lines of division), what is undeniable is that that area of music termed "Light" music crossed perhaps more boundaries and entered more homes than any other form of entertainment. And, speaking of divisions, here is the place to re-iterate the firm assertion of no less than both Kreisler and Henry Wood that the division was not between serious and light music, but between good and bad music. This attitude is typified in Jenkins during the later 1920s; developing taste, gaining experience, and earning his bread in very straightened

times, together contributed to appearances in concert halls playing Bach's violin concerti, and in cinemas playing whatever was required. Jenkins later remarked that whenever he met a first class sight-reader it was ten to one that he had played in a cinema.

In 1930 the conductor Julius Harrison, on the strength of hearing Jenkins at a competition three years before, invited him to Hastings. The invitation was as an orchestral player, but when he played the Brahms concerto at a centenary celebration in 1933 the fact that a member of the orchestra could perform such a work, and extremely well, was noted. The press also praised the Paganini-like brilliance of his "Carnival de Venise" by Ernst, and the intellect and emotion of his Bruch concerto.

When Jenkins was making his way each and every seaside resort and watering place had its regular orchestra, and these orchestras could and did play everything an orchestra can play. Fortunately the seasons of the seaside resorts and of the spas were such that the players could move around, remaining in employment much of the year.

Jenkins was popular with colleagues and public for his sense of fun, his charm and his modesty. However, he took music very seriously.

In 1936 he felt he was ready to make a career in his own name, so he sought out J. H. Squire, the 'cellist, for advice on running a small band. Squire recommended him to a large firm of caterers which needed musicians for social functions. The pay was excellent, but Jenkins, seeing that he would have inadequate time to practice, turned it down. Squire, impresario as well as 'cellist, decided to promote Jenkins himself, and soon Jenkins was playing with Squire's "Celeste Octet" and also broadcasting.

During his Hastings years Jenkins had continued his studies under Charles Woodhouse; Squire now arranged for him to move to Carl Flesch.

Carl Flesch (1873-1944) and Leopold Auer (1845-1930) between them must have taught at least eighty per cent of ranking violinists of their time. Flesch's share included Wolfsthal, Hassid, Ginette Neveu and Alma Moody, who all, alas, died very young; and Ida Haendel and Yfrah Neaman, happily still playing.

Flesch was a teacher of the old school (not meant slightingly). Pupils attended according to his strict timetable. They didn't play, they gave performances to which other pupils or visiting violinists could come; if Kreisler was in town he might well drop in. Flesch was also thorough in every detail; one of his books starts by informing the student how he should place his feet.

As a result of Squire's promotion Jenkins was appointed in 1938 to lead the orchestra of the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne. The Grand Hotel had opened in 1875. It was the most fashionable hotel in the most fashionable seaside resort. Music soon became an important feature, with an orchestra consisting, typically, of: solo/lead violin, 1st & 2nd violins, viola, 'cello, bass, piano and Mustel organ/celeste. From 1924 broadcasts from the hotel with Albert Sandler made it a national institution, which, with his experience and training, Tom Jenkins was ideally placed to continue.

His first concert included music by Noël Coward, Ethelbert Nevin, Herman Finck, Grieg, Mendelssohn (On Wings of Song - solo), Ernst (Carnival de Venise - solo), Frank Gomez and Leoncavallo.

It was, of course, an era of arrangements; eyebrows would rise today if an orchestra of six played the Overture to Tannhäuser, but then Eric Coates, Elgar, Herman Finck, Grieg, Kreisler, Saint-Saëns, de Sarasate, Tchaikovsky and Wagner rubbed shoulders with each other and with the elegant clientele.

In 1940 the Grand Hotel had to close, so the B.B.C. transported the orchestra to a mythical Grand Hotel in Evesham. However, Albert Sandler was given charge of it. From 1940 until he was called up in 1942 Jenkins was with the B.B.C. Salon Orchestra. By 1943 he was en route for India, playing whatever sentimental pieces his fellow homesick soldiers wanted to hear, but stopping to play Mendelssohn's violin concerto in Durban. In India, now an officer, he played in various clubs and hotels which must have been, at any rate in ambience, not that many miles from Eastbourne.

As hostilities ceased he hoped to resume his career at Eastbourne, but he felt unable to accept the terms offered by the hotel. However, the B.B.C. provided opportunities, and in 1948 when Albert Sandler became very ill, Jenkins was asked to take over the Grand Hotel broadcasts. These programmes were immensely popular and occupied his abilities to the full; it is believed that audiences reach ten million. With Jenkins assisted by the 'cellist Reginald Kilbey and the pianist Jack Byfield (they are heard in this album) there were many highly appreciated tours.

His long experience in every genre of music allowed the B.B.C. to include him also in music hall programmes. He was now appearing in everything from vaudeville to concerti by Mendelssohn, Mozart (A major) and Wieniawski (2nd Concerto, he was criticised for playing a piece so trite). The first mentioned seems to have been his favourite; he played it twice during the Festival of Britain and at the Usher Hall, Edinburgh the following year.

In 1950 he was still studying; this time taking lessons from Sascha Lasserson. In that year, too, Dorothy Bond made various appearances with Tom Jenkins. She had studied at the Royal Academy of Music, initially piano and 'cello, then voice. She was now an able, pure-voiced coloratura soprano. They were married in 1951, but their happiness was, alas, of short duration for Dorothy Bond was killed next year in a car crash. She is now best remembered for her part in the film Tales of Hoffmann. (This re-appears not infrequently at the National Film Theatre, which invariably fails to mention in its brochures that the film is conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham.)

A part of the enormous popularity of his broadcasts was his readiness to respond to requests for particular pieces. This, however, led to disappointments as not all could be played; some were unsuitable, and he found it necessary to institute a policy that no piece should appear more than twice in one season.

In 1952, and again, in 1953, Jenkins was voted Most Popular Music Entertainer in the Daily Mail National Radio Award.

In 1952, in the course of an audition, Jenkins met Michelle Le Mesurier Croll. She was a flute-player who had played at Sadlers Wells and with Boyd Neel. They were married in 1953, and thus Dorothy's son of sixteen months once more had a mother.

Unfortunately there began to be difficulties with the B.B.C. Either Jenkins had got used to the silence of studio broadcasting and could not return in comfort to the more relaxed ambience of a Spa, or audiences had become less interested in music and, consequently, less restrained. Whatever the cause, Jenkins found knitting needles and teaspoons, books and newspapers, or what the change in their usage represented, beyond endurance, and he said so. Very likely he intended to say so politely, but he gave offence to those who regarded spas as social places not to be intruded upon by B.B.C. sets, and sat in in silence.

There were also new faces and ideas in Portland Place. Jenkins began to realise

that he might be better off musically outside, and that he would be considerably better off financially.

For two seasons Jenkins played with great acclaim at Scarborough, but there were disagreements with the management. The violinist felt that half-empty houses indicated over-priced tickets. He invited audiences to move forward into unoccupied more expensive seats. The management couldn't stomach this, but later, after Jenkins had left, realised that he was correct - prices were reduced.

At this stage Jenkins seems to have wanted a change of direction. Perhaps he sensed that the great days of "light" music were drawing to a close, perhaps the disagreements over policy and clashes of personalities had soured his delight in that world, perhaps he simply wanted a change. In the event he was successful in obtaining a grant from the Arts Council towards the costs of about twenty-five concerts in the provinces. A typical programme included the "Devil's Trill" Sonata, the "Moonlight" Sonata, Fantasia for Flute, Violin and Piano by Goossens, the Franck Sonata and a piece by Françaix.

His next venture was the formation of a quintet, and with renewed interest from the B.B.C., a very popular series ensued. Indeed, such was the B.B.C.'s renewed interest in Jenkins that he was soon in charge of the Tom Jenkins Orchestra. Amongst those who appeared with his orchestra were Julian Bream, Gwydion Brooke, Jack Brymer, Jack Byfield, Osian Ellis and Ronald Smith, also the B.B.C. Singers. The orchestra sometimes appeared as the Winter Garden Orchestra, and he also lead the Spa Orchestra.

For a while a possible avenue opened: he would lead the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Sir Thomas Beecham, but Tom became seriously ill, so this did not come about.

A major operation was necessary in 1956 to remove a lung. It left him too weak to perform as a soloist; but, determined to continue; what turned out to be his last appearances were as an unnamed orchestral player. Tom Jenkins died in 1957.

In the mid-'30s Jenkins bought a Gagliano of circa 1800. In 1948, with the help of a member of his family, he was able to purchase an early Stradivarius.

Much of the information for this article is from The Tom Jenkins Story by Peter Pugh and Duncan Heath, an excellent full-length biography of Jenkins which appeared in 1995, published by Cambridge Business Publishing.

Tom Jenkins had little interest in the gramophone, preferring performance before an audience. Thus his recorded legacy is best represented, perhaps not by what he achieved on his few visits to the studio, but rather by air-checks of his playing in Grand Hotel. These, made before the days of readily available and easily operated tape recorders, were on aluminium discs with a soft lacquer coating, for which special "trailer" needles were provided. Most were thrown away, for whatever reason he had them made, he had no interest in keeping them, but a few survived, badly stored at the back of a garage. These have been carefully cleaned and transferred to Compact Disc using the latest technology. As a principle it has been recognised that there is a balance between removing surface noise and losing the vibrant, vivid sound and individual tone which are the means by which a living artist communicates with fellow human beings.

All these examples of his playing are from live broadcast performances, thus this compilation can be listened to as a continuous concert. As a live broadcast, of course, between the pieces there were announcements, tuning and applause, and these, where they survive, have been left in.

Applause was usually generous, testimony to his audience's appreciation; longer instances have been trimmed for convenience on repeated listening.

1 "Songs my Mother taught me" is believed to be the only surviving example of the artist's pre-war work. As with any great player, quality is evident the instant the bow touches the strings. The accompanist on this track is Sydney Ffoulkes.

2 Jenkins was invited to a dress rehearsal or first night of a musical then running in London, which resulted in a "Selection" for the B.B.C. Grand Hotel Orchestra. The impromptu announcement alludes to the B.B.C.'s inviolable rule against advertising.

3 The song "Estrellita" was written in 1914 and the melody re-used by the composer for the slow movement of his last major work, the violin concerto of 1941. Jenkins uses Albert Sammons' bowings and fingerings. (A momentary jar on one note appears to be due to a defect of the record.)

4 There is something of a puzzle about Wieniawski's "Scherzo Tarantelle". According to those who knew him he did not care for the piece, but was frequently asked for it and, as was his wont, obliged by playing it. This may account for the performance being a little inflexible for some ears. Nevertheless, in announcing it he refers to it as his own choice.

6 "Arioso" is not the familiar "Air on the G-String", a transcription by Wilhelmj from Bach's third suite, but a transcription by Sam Franko of the Sinfonia for oboe and strings from Cantata No.156-Ich steh' mit einem Fuss im Grabe. There are also piano transcriptions by Wilhelm Kempff, and by Alfred Cortot, and Bach himself re-used the melody for the slow movement of his Concerto in F minor BWV 1056. It is sometimes said that violinists are born able to produce fine tone or not. This, if true, can surely be said of this performance. Nevertheless, when we hear the word "effortless" bandied about of a great artist, we should always make a point of bearing in mind that what sounds effortless results from years of hard work, and continuous maintenance of the voice or hands to Olympic standards.

7 and 9 La Capriciosa has survived in two performances, which allows interesting comparison and insight into the artist's work. (In the first there is a momentary lapse; these records are not clinical exercises in assembling pieces of tape, but vibrant live performances.)

8 An arrangement for small group of the band, perhaps by Byfield or a B.B.C. arranger.

10 Schubert's "Serenade" has long been immensely popular with violinists. Jenkins does not play the usual arrangement by Elman, but one by Jack Byfield.

11 The piece is not by Tossy Spivakovsky, born 1907, pupil of Serato and Hess, active Germany, Australia and U.S.A., but by Michael Spivakovsky, born Michael Marlow, died 1983, believed to have been a session violinist and contemporary of Jenkins.

13 De Sarasate, like Paganini, was not a great composer; his talent lay in writing very effectively for his instrument, and in spotting what would transcribe graciously for it. "A true test of violinistic fitness"-Robin Stowell (The Strad).

Drigo's "Valse Bluette" is announced but no record has survived. 14 Jenkins used Kreisler's "Caprice Viennois" as a signature tune. Very few can

bring it off with the necessary nonchalance and the, equally necessary, sound intonation of the opening phrase. Jenkins is in this class; he brings to this performance his unique sound and style.

15 Josef Suk, 1874-1935, son-in-law of Dvorak and member of the Bohemian String Quartet, is probably best remembered for his Four Pieces, but he was a significant Czech composer. (There is, alas, a momentary interruption at the end of the original recording; it is not a fault in the compact disc.)

16 Until recently it was very normal for a Guest Artist to appear in all types of musical entertainment - symphony concerts and "Grand Hotel" included. Often the group of pieces performed had no connection with others in the programme.

Dorothy Bond had a light, charming coloratura, easily able to compass the requirements of Donizetti's music; she reaches the high F with excellent intonation. Tom Jenkins directs the B.B.C. Grand Hotel Orchestra from the violin.

17 "Bird Songs of Eventide" is sung with great charm and lightness. Unfortunately the opening phrase was not caught by the recording machine. A "patch" from later in the record has been used to provide an approximately correct start.

18 Dorothy Bond sings the Waltz from Tom Jones excellently, the piece suiting her voice to a T. Again with Tom Jenkins directs from the violin,

19 A song as overtly sentimental as "Give a helping hand" can rather make us blush today, but as recently as 1952 such fare was much appreciated in the right context.

20 Olympia's Song is labelled simply: VOICE TEST TAKE 7 / MISS DOROTHY BOND. Beyond reasonable doubt it was sent to Sir Thomas Beecham for him to assess the artist's suitability for the part of the Doll in the film Tales of Hoffmann which he was to conduct. And, of course, she was chosen and contributed significantly to the film's success. The excuse for including it in a programme otherwise entirely of live performances is that it is an excellent example of the artist's voice and style, and is typical of the genre of pieces which she performed on such occasions. The accompanist is unknown.

21 Encore by Skalka. All that need be said of such pieces as "Dobra Dobra" is that they should be played excellently or not at all; Jenkins plays it excellently, with instinctive feel for the gypsy element.

My mother and father, Madge and Keith Cummings came to England from Perth,

Western Australia in 1934. My father was a viola player, and it was during a Summer season of light music concerts at Whitby in Yorkshire that he first met Tom Jenkins, who was already attracting a large and affectionate following as a violinist.

I got to know Tom when my parents settled in London after the war. Due to their close professional relationship and mutual respect, Tom and my father also became very close friends; my parents always organised gatherings of friends on Christmas Day and Tom was naturally included. There was happiness and much laughter as Tom and his two sons joined in our high spirited games of charades, and I have to this day the three level tea set stand used for their enactment of The Three Bears. To an impressionable child Tom's sense of fun and charismatic personality made a huge and lasting impression.

A few years later, for a short period he became my violin teacher, and I am grateful to this day for his influence over a typically difficult adolescent.

A visit with my mother to the Central Hall Westminster to hear Tom and the Tom Jenkins Trio play to a packed and very enthusiastic audience is vivid in my memory, and I

only wish I had been old enough to realise fully and understand the greatness of what I was hearing.

He wrote to me whilst in hospital having undergone operations for the illness that was so prematurely to end his life, and he seemed the same warm, witty and lively person that I had always known. I was deeply saddened when I heard the announcement of his death on the radio late one night.

It was when this Compact Disc was first thought about that I was given the opportunity by Tom's wife, Michelle of listening to the very few recordings of his playing to have survived; they allow me now, with age and experience, fully to appreciate his playing. He was a violinist of extraordinary qualities, both technically and musically. His sound was entirely individual; warmth, clarity and brilliance were added by his intensely expressive vibrato and impeccable intonation. In his genre he must have been unique, and we must be thankful that we are left with at least a glimpse of a style of playing that is now part of our violinistic heritage.

Diana Cummings

Music Publishers: Songs my mother taught me (Dvorak-Kreisler)-Alfred Lengnick Estrellita (Ponce-transcr. Heifetz)-Hawkes & Son Arioso (Bach-Franko)-Chappell & Co. Ltd. Wiegenlied (Schubert-Elman)-Schirmer Valse Burlesque (Spivakovsky)-Cleff Music Publishing Ltd. Caprice Viennois (Kreisler)-Schott & Co. Burleska (Suk)-Carlin Recorded Music Library Bird Songs at Eventide (Coates)-Chappell Recorded Music Library Acknowledgements: Symposium Records thanks Diana Cummings for much help

and encouragement with this issue and thanks Adrian Tuddenham for assistance with the production.

Copyright Notice: This digitally transferred compilation with its notes is copyright, it

may not be broadcast, copied, hired out, publicly performed or stored in a retrieval system without written permission.