Adrian Beers
Encyclopedia
Adrian Simon Beers MBE (6 January 1916 – 8 April 2004) was a British
double bass player
and teacher at the Royal College of Music
and the Royal Northern College of Music
. He was a principal player in the Philharmonia Orchestra
and the English Chamber Orchestra
, and a chamber musician, notably in the Melos Ensemble that he helped found.
and studied the cello, piano and double bass with his father. Deputising for him as a player in music hall
s, then the dominant form of popular entertainment in Britain, he gained early experience and repertoire. He won a Caird Scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music
in London with Claude Hobday
, where he also studied composition with Herbert Howells
. He made a living by playing in the Gaiety Theatre
and later the London Casino.
After the war he was a member of the newly formed Philharmonia Orchestra
until 1963, occasionally returning until 2002. He also played in the Goldsbrough Orchestra, which later became the English Chamber Orchestra
(ECO). "His secure intonation, precise sense of timing and sonorous tone earned him the respect of everyone, particularly Benjamin Britten
, Daniel Barenboim
and Raymond Leppard
during many years with the ECO, and also George Solti, Zubin Mehta
, Otto Klemperer
and others who conducted the Philharmonia."
In 1950 Adrian Beers was a founding member of the Melos Ensemble that "set new standards of music-making". Their cellist Terence Weil
became a close friend. Beers recalled: "Looking back at old diaries, I don't know how I did it. Three sessions a day - sometimes travelling up north and coming home at night - then on again at 9:30, rehearsing sometimes at midnight with the Melos."
His close working partnership with Benjamin Britten led to performances at the Aldeburgh Festival
as the opening night in 1969, including Schubert's Trout Quintet
with the Amadeus Quartet
and Britten at the piano. That night the Snape Maltings
concert hall was destroyed by fire, also destroying Beers' Grancino
double bass and Britten's piano. Britten helped with the purchase of a replacement, again a Grancino.
Beers became a teacher at the Royal College of Music and in 1973 at the newly formed Royal Northern College of Music
in Manchester. His student Rodney Slatford
described his teaching, concluding: "One gleaned most from Beers from sharing an orchestral desk with him."
Beers was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1990 New Year Honours
, "for services to music". He continued playing and teaching into his eighties. He died on 8 April 2004 in London.
's Madrigals and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas
(with Jessye Norman
), both conducted by Raymond Leppard, Vivaldi's
Laudate Pueri, conducted by Vittorio Negri, Handel's Saul
, conducted by Charles Mackerras
, Bach's Brandenburg concertos
, conducted by Johannes Somary, and music conducted by Benjamin Britten: Bach's St John Passion, Mozart's Symphonies. and his opera Idomeneo
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
double bass player
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
and teacher at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
and the Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music is a music school in Manchester, England. It is located on Oxford Road in Chorlton on Medlock, at the western edge of the campus of the University of Manchester and is one of four conservatories associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music...
. He was a principal player in the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
and the English Chamber Orchestra
English Chamber Orchestra
The English Chamber Orchestra is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and the ECO Ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall...
, and a chamber musician, notably in the Melos Ensemble that he helped found.
Biography
Beers was born in Glasgow on 6 January 1916, the son of double bass player Aloysius "Wishy" Beers. He attended Bellahouston AcademyBellahouston Academy
Bellahouston Academy is a non-denominational state-run secondary school in Bellahouston, south-west Glasgow, Scotland.-History:Bellahouston Academy first opened in 1876 as a private school, run by Alexander Sim. It was taken over by the Govan School Board in 1885, and has been a state school ever...
and studied the cello, piano and double bass with his father. Deputising for him as a player in music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
s, then the dominant form of popular entertainment in Britain, he gained early experience and repertoire. He won a Caird Scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music
Royal College of Music
The Royal College of Music is a conservatoire founded by Royal Charter in 1882, located in South Kensington, London, England.-Background:The first director was Sir George Grove and he was followed by Sir Hubert Parry...
in London with Claude Hobday
Claude Hobday
Claude Hobday was an English double-bass player, a member of a well-known musical family, who took part in various early chamber-music recordings....
, where he also studied composition with Herbert Howells
Herbert Howells
Herbert Norman Howells CH was an English composer, organist, and teacher, most famous for his large output of Anglican church music.-Life:...
. He made a living by playing in the Gaiety Theatre
Gaiety Theatre, London
The Gaiety Theatre, London was a West End theatre in London, located on Aldwych at the eastern end of the Strand. The theatre was established as the Strand Musick Hall , in 1864 on the former site of the Lyceum Theatre. It was rebuilt several times, but closed from the beginning of World War II...
and later the London Casino.
After the war he was a member of the newly formed Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
until 1963, occasionally returning until 2002. He also played in the Goldsbrough Orchestra, which later became the English Chamber Orchestra
English Chamber Orchestra
The English Chamber Orchestra is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and the ECO Ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall...
(ECO). "His secure intonation, precise sense of timing and sonorous tone earned him the respect of everyone, particularly Benjamin Britten
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten, OM CH was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He showed talent from an early age, and first came to public attention with the a cappella choral work A Boy Was Born in 1934. With the premiere of his opera Peter Grimes in 1945, he leapt to...
, Daniel Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim
Daniel Barenboim, KBE is an Argentinian-Israeli pianist and conductor. He has served as music director of several major symphonic and operatic orchestras and made numerous recordings....
and Raymond Leppard
Raymond Leppard
Raymond "Def" Leppard, CBE is a British conductor and harpsichordist.He was born in London and grew up in Bath, where he was educated at the City of Bath Boys' School, now known as the Beechen Cliff School...
during many years with the ECO, and also George Solti, Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
, Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.-Biography:Otto Klemperer was born in Breslau, Silesia Province, then in Germany...
and others who conducted the Philharmonia."
In 1950 Adrian Beers was a founding member of the Melos Ensemble that "set new standards of music-making". Their cellist Terence Weil
Terence Weil
Terence Weil was a British cellist, principal cellist of the English Chamber Orchestra, a founding member of the Melos Ensemble, a leading chamber musician and an influential teacher at the Royal Northern College of Music.-Biography:Terence Weil was trained as a cellist under Herbert Walenn at the...
became a close friend. Beers recalled: "Looking back at old diaries, I don't know how I did it. Three sessions a day - sometimes travelling up north and coming home at night - then on again at 9:30, rehearsing sometimes at midnight with the Melos."
His close working partnership with Benjamin Britten led to performances at the Aldeburgh Festival
Aldeburgh Festival
The Aldeburgh Festival is an English arts festival devoted mainly to classical music. It takes place each June in the Aldeburgh area of Suffolk, centred on the main concert hall at Snape Maltings...
as the opening night in 1969, including Schubert's Trout Quintet
Trout Quintet
The Trout Quintet is the popular name for the Piano Quintet in A major by Franz Schubert. In Otto Erich Deutsch's catalogue of Schubert's works, it is D. 667...
with the Amadeus Quartet
Amadeus Quartet
The Amadeus Quartet was a world famous string quartet founded in 1947.Because of their Jewish origin, violinists Norbert Brainin, Siegmund Nissel and Peter Schidlof were driven out of Vienna after Hitler's Anschluss of 1938...
and Britten at the piano. That night the Snape Maltings
Snape Maltings
Snape Maltings is part of Snape, Suffolk, U.K., best known for its concert hall, which is one of the main sites of the annual Aldeburgh Festival....
concert hall was destroyed by fire, also destroying Beers' Grancino
Giovanni Grancino
Giovanni Grancino , son of Andrea Grancino, was one of the early Milanese luthiers, and may have worked with his brother, Francesco.Grancino's workshops were all located on Contrada Larga, now Via Larga in Milan...
double bass and Britten's piano. Britten helped with the purchase of a replacement, again a Grancino.
Beers became a teacher at the Royal College of Music and in 1973 at the newly formed Royal Northern College of Music
Royal Northern College of Music
The Royal Northern College of Music is a music school in Manchester, England. It is located on Oxford Road in Chorlton on Medlock, at the western edge of the campus of the University of Manchester and is one of four conservatories associated with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music...
in Manchester. His student Rodney Slatford
Rodney Slatford
Rodney Slatford is an English contemporary double bass player and teacher . He was the principal bass player of the Midland Sinfonia, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, and English Chamber Orchestra, a founder of the Nash Ensemble, and has been a principal player in other early music ensembles...
described his teaching, concluding: "One gleaned most from Beers from sharing an orchestral desk with him."
Beers was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1990 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
, "for services to music". He continued playing and teaching into his eighties. He died on 8 April 2004 in London.
Recordings
His long discography includes many notable recordings with the Melos Ensemble. With the ECO he recorded among others MonteverdiClaudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition – the...
's Madrigals and Purcell's Dido and Aeneas
Dido and Aeneas
Dido and Aeneas is an opera in a prologue and three acts by the English Baroque composer Henry Purcell to a libretto by Nahum Tate. The first known performance was at Josias Priest's girls' school in London no later than the summer of 1688. The story is based on Book IV of Virgil's Aeneid...
(with Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman
Jessye Norman is an American opera singer. Norman is a well-known contemporary opera singer and recitalist, and is one of the highest paid performers in classical music...
), both conducted by Raymond Leppard, Vivaldi's
Antonio Vivaldi
Antonio Lucio Vivaldi , nicknamed because of his red hair, was an Italian Baroque composer, priest, and virtuoso violinist, born in Venice. Vivaldi is recognized as one of the greatest Baroque composers, and his influence during his lifetime was widespread over Europe...
Laudate Pueri, conducted by Vittorio Negri, Handel's Saul
Saul (Handel)
Saul is an oratorio in three acts written by George Frideric Handel with a libretto by Charles Jennens. Taken from the 1st Book of Samuel, the story of Saul focuses on the first king of Israel’s relationship with his eventual successor, David; one which turns from admiration to envy and hatred,...
, conducted by Charles Mackerras
Charles Mackerras
Sir Alan Charles Maclaurin Mackerras, AC, CH, CBE was an Australian conductor. He was an authority on the operas of Janáček and Mozart, and the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan...
, Bach's Brandenburg concertos
Brandenburg concertos
The Brandenburg concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach are a collection of six instrumental works presented by Bach to Christian Ludwig, margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, in 1721 . They are widely regarded as among the finest musical compositions of the Baroque era...
, conducted by Johannes Somary, and music conducted by Benjamin Britten: Bach's St John Passion, Mozart's Symphonies. and his opera Idomeneo
Idomeneo
Idomeneo, re di Creta ossia Ilia e Idamante is an Italian language opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French text by Antoine Danchet, which had been set to music by André Campra as Idoménée in 1712...