Montague Birch

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Charles Montague Birch (* 1884 in Leamington Spa , † February 20, 1947 in Bournemouth ) was a British violinist and conductor.

Life

'Monty', his nickname, held the position of second violinist in the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra , the forerunner of the 1954 renamed Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra . In 1912 the music director Dan Godfrey named him his assistant conductor . In 1934 Birch applied in vain to succeed Godfrey, who was retiring. Instead of Birch, it was decided that Richard Austin would be the chief conductor. As a result of the beginning of the Second World War , the number of orchestra members was reduced to just 24 musicians by 1940. Richard Austin resigned himself to the bloodletting and Birch got his chance and steered the orchestra through the war years. At the same time he was given responsibility for the Bournemouth Home Guard Band , for which he composed the Home Guard March The Carabiniers . But already in earlier years, in 1913 he composed the Intermezzo Pizzicati for strings and in 1923 Dance of the Nymphs . He recorded both pieces with the orchestra on 78 rpm shellac records. He also has a Processional March as organ music (1907) and the song The Farmer's Lad with his own lyrics (1911). Birch also provided the music for Cyril Delevanti's revue Bournemyth , which was produced in the old winter garden in Bournemouth in June 1916.

After the war Birch had a good chance of being appointed music director, but died on February 20, 1947 and Rudolf Schwarz was appointed as his successor.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The first violin - a beacon in the orchestra. The second fiddle is no less important . Retrieved December 26, 2016 .
  2. ↑ Lloyd S. Liner note to EMI CDM 7 64719 2nd Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra 1893-1993.
  3. ↑ 78rpm records (shellac records on the gramophone). Shellac 78rpm . Retrieved December 26, 2016 .
  4. ^ Robert R. Craven: Symphony Orchestras of the World: selected profiles . Greenwood, 1987, ISBN 0-313-24073-6 , p. 346.
personal data
SURNAME Birch, Montague
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Birch, Charles Montague (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British violinist and conductor
DATE OF BIRTH 1884
PLACE OF BIRTH Leamington Spa
DATE OF DEATH February 20, 1947
Place of death Bournemouth