in Royal Festival Hall - the 1950's

from Southbank Centre Archive:

 I remember a time when there were no seats on either side of the performance area and as a schoolgirl I would sit on the floor and have my first taste of concert going with a huddle of others.  2.  I remember watching Benjamin Britten's face as he sat in the Royal Box listening to Dennis Brain playing his piece for Horn, Tenor and Strings and improvising  making Britten smile.   3)  I remember Britten and Poulenc playing a double piano concerto (? did Poulenc write one?) and enjoying each other's companionship and playing so clearly, as one master to another.

cite as

Southbank Centre (ed.), Southbank Centre Archive. In Southbank Centre Archive. https://led.kmi.open.ac.uk/entity/lexp/1447692530684 accessed: 29 March, 2024 (Southbank Centre Archive, http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/about-us/history-and-archive/southbank-centre-archive)

location of experience: Royal Festival Hall

Listening to

hide composers
Britten performed by Denis Brain

Experience Information

Date/Time the 1950's
Medium live
Listening Environment in the company of others, indoors, in public

Originally submitted by Liz Ford on Mon, 16 Nov 2015 16:48:51 +0000
Approved on Thu, 23 Feb 2017 11:03:56 +0000