Adrian Boult
Adrian Boult
SIR ADRIAN CEDRIC BOULT d1983. English conductor. Brought up in a prosperous mercantile family, he followed musical studies in England and at Leipzig Germany, with early conducting work in London for the Royal Opera House and Sergei Diagilev's ballet company. His first prominent post was conductor of the City of Birmingham Orchestra in 1924. When the BBC appointed him director of music in 1930, he established the BBC Symphony Orchestra and became its chief conductor. The orchestra set standards of excellence that were rivalled in Britain only by the London Philamonic founded two years later. Forced to leave the BBC in 1950 on reaching retirement age, he took on the chief conductorship of the LPO. The orchestra had declined from its peak of the 1930s, but under his guidance its fortunes were revived. He retired as its chief conductor in 1957 and later accepted the post of president. In the latter part of his career he worked with many other orchestras. He was known for his championing of British music and being a modest man who disliked the limelight. He felt as comfortable in the recording studio as on the concert platform, making recordings throughout his career. From the mid-1960s until his retirement, after his last sessions in 1978, he recorded extensively for EMI. He died in London aged 93 in 1983.
Adrian Boult
Reference Number. 9789
A good original 1939 autograph book page, clearly signed in ink by Adrian Boult (Adrian Cedric Boult Southampton 5 October 1939)
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