Sir Adrian Boult BBC Documentary

[@ianmorgan536]

If there is a more heartfelt, humorous tribute to a conductor than the “Please Boult the Gate” inscription as you enter the garden at Elgar’s Birthplace, I’ve yet to see one? A marvellous programme. Thanks for sharing it👏🏻👍.

[@ChrisKing-io4kc]

One of the greatest - yet greatly underrated - conductors of any time. And not just of British music.

[@jamesargles6395]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I watched it absolutely enthralled. Without wishing to sound too old-fashioned (although that’s probably true), I couldn’t help reflecting on whether any such documentary would or could be made nowadays… the subject treated seriously and in depth, the interviews thoughtful and insightful, the use of archive film always in context and illustrative, and all beautifully threaded together by Tod Handley’s narration and reminiscences - and, glory be, not a single moment of condescension or dumbing down to make any of the themes more ‘accessible’ or ‘viewer-friendly’ - rather, the documentary treats its viewers with respect for their interest in conducting, in music and above all in one of the great 20th-Century conductors. Superb!!!

[@martingatt7769]

I owe a great deal to Sir Adrian when as a very young and very raw LPO bassoonist he "took me under his wing" and even suggested me as a professor at the RCM. I learned everything about the structure of music ,humility, dedication to the art and what it was to be a professional player Thank you Martin Gatt

[@monsieurgrigny]

A marvellous, utterly gripping documentary. Thank you so much for posting.

[@nicholasjagger6557]

Fantastic, thanks for posting. What a great musician

[@canokanofficial]

Thank you very very much for sharing this documentary! I was looking for that everywhere for years. Sir Adrian Boult, a true embodiment of pure music making, was one of the greatest conductors of 20th century. His baton technique is unsurpassed. Furthermore, his left hand has its own function, so it is not the mirror of beating right hand. As it said many times in the documentary, his architectural vision of music is unrivalled. You don’t get a sluggish interpretation of, for example, a Brahms work approached by Boult. One feels a natural flow of big lines/phrases, which makes a climax of music even more powerful. I personally study and take example of his technique as he wrote down in his famous Handbook of Conducting. Nowadays, I think, during our show-bussiness-conductors, we have so many things to learn about artistic depth and dedication to music.

[@Horichdaslicht1858]

I have never heard a better Brahms 3 than his recording with the LSO, c, 1970

[@RWBHere]

Thanks for uploading this gem of BBC archive material. Sir Adrian Boult deserves to be remembered through his recordings for many decades.

[@fitterstoke45]

Fascinating insight into one of Britain's finest musicians, which I don't remember seeing before. Thank you for posting this.

[@BritinIsrael]

This was wonderful to watch. To hear his philosophy about conducting and conductors and seeing him in action both in the concert hall and studio gives us an insight in to man as well as the musician. I shall never forget the one and only time i attended a live concert with Boult conducting. It was in the mid 1960's with Boult conducting the Halle Orchestra in the Free Trade Hall Manchester. He gave an unforgettable performance of Elgar's 2 nd Symphony. At the end every single member of the orchestra stood and applauded him to show their respect for the man.

[@2leftfield]

Just a superb documentary. I have heard a great many recordings by Sir Adrian Boult (with great pleasure), but this is the first time I got to see him at work. What a wonderful, clear conductor he was. I would have enjoyed playing under his baton very much, had I the opportunity.

[@jamesargles6395]

You make an excellent point about Boult’s technique - I couldn’t agree more! I recall reading an interview in which Sir Mark Elder recounted bumping into Adrian Boult backstage after conducting a heavy-duty performance at the 1978 London Proms. Boult looked him up and down, remarking: “I see you’re one of the sweaty ones.” What a brilliant way to categorise conductors!!

[@Michael-cb9yn]

Very interesting. Just one point that was mentioned around the 45 minute mark. Oistrakh and Milstein weren't from "very different backgrounds". Oistrakh was a few years older, but both were born in Odessa and both were taught by Pyotr Stolyarsky.

[@geoffreyford7288]

Dad came out of Guildhall school of music in 1931, as a good cellist was immediately invited to join the LSO. He played under plenty of conductors including Boult. When the 2nd World War came orchestral life came to an end. After the war dad joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra so played regularly under Boult. As a young lad dad took me to a rehearsal at the Maida Vale Studio with Boult conducting. He didn't object just said you go and sit over there laddy! At one point dad was joined by my uncle also Cello and Aunt who played the Bass. So from 48 till about 52 they were all playing for the BBC SO under Boult. I can still remember going to a Prom Concert in the late 60's to see Holst Planets absolutely magic.

[@JonasM.M.]

I adore slow and relaxed music therefore the kind of music he makes would be something I would never even consider listening to but as a person from what I’ve heard here I do have deep sympathy for him he seems to be a marvellous gentleman with great manners articulation and style

[@pauldavies6037]

Good old BBC good job this docu. wasn't wiped great insight to this wonderful man

[@Lulu-jl5zd]

Excellent documentary! Nobody has ever produced a finer recording of Elgar's first Symphony than Sir Adrian.

[@wm8392]

Or Elgar's second (Boult, 1944), for that matter

[@Tojazzer]

Thank you for posting. Very informative. 06:48 "The composers new about stereo before we did."

[@Horichdaslicht1858]

Thanks, I will watch this later. Besides being such a great champion of British composers, Sir Adrian was a superb interpreter of 19th century European repertoire, especially Brahms, and had he applied himself to Opera, what a great conductor of Wagner he could have been!

[@1685mymusic]

Greatest memory. His last Prom. He was so ill only did the second half. RVW 5th. Utterly unforgettable. He died a few months later. Genius. Whole Albert Hall went absolutely nuts at the end. I was 12. Don’t think I fully grasped the moment. R.I.P.

[@PeterLunowPL]

thank you so much for this gem !!!

[@srothbardt]

He was great in British music but lots of other things too! I have a great cd of him conducting the Khatchatirian Piano Concerto.

[@dermotmccaul1833]

Marvellous! Thank you so much.

[@AfroPoli]

Great stuff! Thank you!

[@analogueanorak1904]

Many thanks for sharing this enlightening video.

[@Backwardlooking]

Wonderful conductor. A timeless series of recordings of the Brahms Symphonies. 👍🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@angelacooper2661]

I hadn't been born when this was shown. Sir Adrian Boult was long-lived (I think he died when I was thirteen). My musical memory is very good and I have perfect pitch. Coming from a musical family, it is of great interest to me. I am now aged fifty four!

[@MrTonybond67]

oh for goodness sake. It is not about you, it is about a great musician. Who cares if you have perfect pitch?

[@johncourtneidge]

Sublime! Magnificent! He was the Sir Nigel Gresley of the podium: before the descent inti the Present Age of Hysterionics.

[@fido652]

@@johncourtneidge Please enlighten me ..?! Sir Nigel Gresley ?

[@paullewis2413]

“Berlioz is marvellous”. Clearly Boult was a man ahead of his time. One of the greatest and original composers yet apart from a few devotees his music was very much under appreciated in the early 20th century. As much as I love Elgar’s 2 symphonies, I have to agree with Boult’s early opinion of “Gerontius” it has too many longueurs for my taste. He is one of those conductors that you instinctively know will never give a poor or mediocre performance.

[@samwst56]

The P&M I heard here was utterly fantastic! :)

[@tom6693]

In an introductory note to his marvelous 1969 recording of Elgar's The Kingdom, Boult essentially agreed with your assessment of Gerontius and its longueurs: "I know that critics differ considerably in comparing the three great oratorios which Elgar has left us. The majority back Gerontius and would say it is a pity the he never reached those heights again. I am afraid I disagree. I think there is a great deal in The Kingdom that is more than a match for Gerontius, and I feel that it is a much more balanced work and throughout maintains a stream of glorious music, whereas Gerontius has its up and downs." I couldn't agree more.

[@mikesummers-smith4091]

He was one of those rare conductors - Furtwängler was another - who could make an orchestra sound better just by walking into the back of the hall.

[@terryquinn1419]

Great documentary. Interesting that he adored Berlioz so early, but none of his music played....

[@andyhurrell]

26:00 Is he contradicting his own advice about stick technique in the Pomp and Circumstance march?

[@jorybennett5932]

"I liked the American conductor." "But he was so dull, Sir Adrian." "That's why I liked him. I'm known as a dull conductor, myself."

[@william-michaelcostello7776]

Excellent, but what is with his long association with Vaughn Williams?Nothing shown.

[@johnd1442]

Lovely rememberance of a great conductor.But I am certain the narrator is wrong in saying the BBC Symphony was the first salaried orchestra "in this country". That distinction actually belongs to the Scottish National Orchestra which was on full time salaries several years earlier.

[@MrCoranglais]

@@johnd1442 I may be wrong, but I think the BBC SO became salaried in 1930...a little before the SNO...?

[@johnd1442]

@@MrCoranglais I am sure you may be correct. I was responding to a point I thought I had heard in the commentary or from one of the participants. Apologies if I was wrong.

[@김길동-j9z]

45:00 Nathan and David

[@pnocella]

Having performed under Sir Adrian Boult and do consider him one of the greatest conductors I, nevertheless, must respectfully disagree with him! Having the 2nd Violins on the conductor's right means that their instruments' F-holes (where the sound is emitted) is facing rearwards towards the back of the concert hall. Thus, the violin sound projects to the rear. It is definitely BETTER to have BOTH 1st & 2nd violins seated on the conductor's left! The Philadelphia Orchestra has done so VERY successfully since the reign of Leopold Stokowski as music director in the early 20th century!

[@pindarf1]

A long time ago I was a 2nd Violin under Simon Rattle (as he then was, not yet a "Sir" back then) in Brahms' 3rd and also Bernstein West Side Story (concert suite). The 2nds were beside the 1sts which tends to give a more homgenised sound. Especially when they are in unison or Octaves. The 2nds provide much needed support when the 1sts climb up to the dizzy heights and gives a bolstered unified sound which phrases better together. On the other hand I also appreciate the 2nds to the conductor's right (opposite the 1sts) this can be best for good effect when they alternate with each other playing ping-pong back and forth. I personally think the common aversion against having f-holes facing the other way is mostly psychological. I think any disadvantage, if there is any, to the sound of the 2nds with f holes facing the to the rear, is so little I don't reckon it's noticable to the audience in practice. Conclusion: I think both violin configurations both work but in different ways and I don't mind when the 2nds are opposite the 1sts any more. I've grown used to it now.

[@achantus1]

Have a record of his Messiah.

[@samwst56]

2 full time jobs~! Trip to the grave.

[@franckranaivo666]

❤🪢🌺💛🌻🎶🌹🍒🧭📃📚💫🇻🇦💛✝️💛🇻🇦💮🌸💐🌼🍋🌿🕊🇲🇬💒🇲🇬🫒🧭🧸📚💫🕯🏵🇦🇲⛑🇦🇲💮🌸🪢🌹🌻🌺🎶🇻🇦💛🍋⛑🍋💛🇻🇦🌼📚💫🎶🪢👧💮🌿👦

[@fido652]

Britten despised him !

[@angelacooper2661]

Why would Boult become an object of such disapprobation?

[@fido652]

@angelacooper2661 Yes, one wonders. In Britten's diaries from his teenage years and beyond he always finds Boult's conducting dreadful.

[@stuartwaby3081]

Well Britten's take on life left a lot to be desired, many refuse to listen to his compositions because of his abhorrent lifestyle! Sir Adrian as we know was an advocate of great Music 🎶 making.

[@swimmad456]

I think that tells you more about Britten than Adrian Boult

[@fido652]

@@stuartwaby3081 I've never heard of anyone refusing to listen to Britten because of what you term his lifestyle. I know he was beloved by the people who knew him and worked with him. If his being gay is something you find abhorrent then I can only express surprise that you consider yourself any kind of musician.

[@papagen00]

I don't care for British music either (or American music).

[@colinmaynard2879]

Good to know. Thank you.

[@hb1338]

You are missing out on so much, but that is your problem. I suspect that your position is based on nothing more than bigotry and prejudice, because there is such great variety in both British and American music.

[@1982violinist]

Fantastic documentary about a fatastic conductor ... Thanks for sharing