PROGRAMS AT THE REGENT (Cont'd) - page 13

 was born in Birmingham, England, the son of George Ketelbey (written with no accent), and Sarah Aston. At the age of eleven he wrote a piano sonata that won praise from Edward Elgar. Ketèlbey attended the Trinity College of Music in London, where he showed his talent for playing various orchestral instruments reflected in the masterfully colourful orchestration, especially of oriental inspiration, that became his trademark, and beat the runner-up, Gustav Holst, for a musical scholarship. He used the pseudonyms Raoul Clifford and Anton Vodorinski for some of his earlier works (some reference books mistakenly give Vodorinski as his true name and Ketèlbey as the pseudonym). His name is frequently misspelt Ketelby.

Being appointed musical director of London's Vaudeville Theatre, Ketèlbey continued writing diverse vocal and instrumental music. Later, he became famous for composing lightweight, popular music, much of which was used as accompaniments to silent films, and as mood music at tea dances. Success enabled him to relinquish his London appointments.

Once, whilst conducting a programme of his own music at a Royal Command Performance, Ketèlbey gave a second rendering of the State Procession movement of his Cockney Suite during the interval, at the request of King George V, who had arrived too late to hear it performed at the beginning of the programme.

He was active in several other fields including being music editor to some well-known publishing houses and for some years Musical Director of the Columbia Graphophone Company.

Although not proven he is frequently quoted as becoming Britains first millionaire composer. In 1929 he was proclaimed in the "Performing Right Gazette" as "Britain’s greatest living composer", on the basis of number of performances of his works.

Ketèlbey had a long and happy marriage to a singer, Charlotte Siegenberg (born 1871, died 1947). After her death he married Mabel Maud Pritchett. There were no children by either marriage. He died at his home, Egypt Hill, in Cowes, where he had moved to in order to concentrate on writing and his hobby of playing billiards.

Ketèlbey's music is frequently heard on radio. In a 2003 poll by the BBC radio programme Your hundred best tunes, 'Bells across the meadow' was voted 36th most popular song of all time.

www.donaldbinks.com.au

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