Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Music Examples
- Preface
- Dedication
- 1 ‘A Veritable Muck-Midden’
- 2 The Royal College of Music and the Mendelssohn Scholarship, 1900-1907
- 3 The Mendelssohn Scholarship, 1904-7
- 4 Earning a Living
- 5 Dyson's War, 1914-16
- 6 Wellington College
- 7 Winchester College
- 8 Winchester Works: The Canterbury Pilgrims, St Paul's Voyage to Melita and The Blacksmiths
- 9 Winchester towards London
- 10 Major Works, 1937-43
- 11 Director of the Royal College of Music, 1938-52: The First Five Terms
- 12 The War Years, 1939-45, Seen through Dyson's College Addresses
- 13 The Royal College of Music, 1945-7
- 14 The Royal College of Music, 1947-52: Rebuilding, Development and Endgames
- 15 Major Works, 1948-52
- 16 Return to Winchester and Retirement
- 17 Carnegie Trust, Final Works and Endings
- Bibliography
- Appendix 1 List of Dyson's Works
- Appendix 2 Texts Set by Dyson
- Appendix 3 The Canterbury Pilgrims: 35 Performances Conducted by Dyson, 1931-60
- Appendix 4 Select Bibliography
- Appendix 5 Discography
- Index of Dyson's Works
- General Index
14 - The Royal College of Music, 1947-52: Rebuilding, Development and Endgames
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 November 2014
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Music Examples
- Preface
- Dedication
- 1 ‘A Veritable Muck-Midden’
- 2 The Royal College of Music and the Mendelssohn Scholarship, 1900-1907
- 3 The Mendelssohn Scholarship, 1904-7
- 4 Earning a Living
- 5 Dyson's War, 1914-16
- 6 Wellington College
- 7 Winchester College
- 8 Winchester Works: The Canterbury Pilgrims, St Paul's Voyage to Melita and The Blacksmiths
- 9 Winchester towards London
- 10 Major Works, 1937-43
- 11 Director of the Royal College of Music, 1938-52: The First Five Terms
- 12 The War Years, 1939-45, Seen through Dyson's College Addresses
- 13 The Royal College of Music, 1945-7
- 14 The Royal College of Music, 1947-52: Rebuilding, Development and Endgames
- 15 Major Works, 1948-52
- 16 Return to Winchester and Retirement
- 17 Carnegie Trust, Final Works and Endings
- Bibliography
- Appendix 1 List of Dyson's Works
- Appendix 2 Texts Set by Dyson
- Appendix 3 The Canterbury Pilgrims: 35 Performances Conducted by Dyson, 1931-60
- Appendix 4 Select Bibliography
- Appendix 5 Discography
- Index of Dyson's Works
- General Index
Summary
The winter of 1947 was one of the most severe on record. The College suffered for a particularly bad fortnight in sub-zero temperatures. As in the war, life went on as normal. Nothing was cancelled, nothing changed. But the event was notable. ‘It was a fine triumph of will and devotion’, said Dyson. ‘Almost equally heroic were the concert audiences. I was one of the weak ones who sat swathed in rugs.’ He went on: ‘the effect of this blizzard was in some ways like the effect of the air-raids during the war. The challenge of danger and discomfort seems to pull people together in a most remarkable way. All one's minor fads and troubles appear to vanish.’ Dyson then gives an overview of the state of College and its finances:
… our main worries to-day are food, fuel and repairs, in that order. The food we can supply here is a very important addition to the scanty rations many of you get outside. I am therefore very interested in your Beethoven sonatas, but cauliflowers are now half-a-crown and cabbages not much less. I enjoy your spirited orchestral playing, but I am also listening anxiously for the rumble of a load of coke. I like you to read our music and books, but there is a horrible patch of dry rot in our library on the top floor, and you can put your hand through some of the panels.
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Sir George DysonHis Life and Music, pp. 291 - 321Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2014
Accessibility standard: Unknown
Why this information is here
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.Accessibility Information
Accessibility compliance for the PDF of this chapter is currently unknown
and may be updated in the future.