Aubrey Brain
Encyclopedia
Aubrey Brain was a British
horn
player and teacher. He was the father of Dennis Brain
.
in 1893. He came from a musical family. His father, A. E. Brain sr. was a member of the London Symphony Orchestra
(LSO) horn quartet. His brother Alfred was for many years principal horn player in the Queen's Hall
Orchestra under Sir Henry J. Wood
. He went to the United States to join the Damrosch Orchestra in 1923, and remained permanently, becoming an American citizen.
In 1911 Aubrey Brain won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music
. He was appointed principal horn of the New Symphony Orchestra
that same year, and in 1912 he went on the LSO's tour of the United States under Arthur Nikisch
. He was principal horn of Sir Thomas Beecham
's opera company orchestra in 1913.
In 1923 he succeeded his teacher Borsdorf as professor of horn at the Royal Academy of Music
, where his son Dennis
was among his students.
Dame Ethel Smyth
wrote her Concerto for Violin, Horn and Orchestra with Aubrey Brain in mind. He and Jelly d'Arányi
premiered the work under Sir Henry Wood on 5 March 1927. He also played it in Berlin
with Marjorie Hayward. He joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra
as principal horn, and remained there until illness caused his premature retirement in 1943. He was often a soloist, and made a number of recordings
He had a marked preference for French instruments, and played a hand horn made by Labbaye in c. 1865, to which English-made valves had been added. He would never permit the use of large-bore German horns in the BBC Symphony.
He married Marion Beeley, a singer at Covent Garden
. His two sons were Dennis Brain, even more famous as a horn player, and Leonard Brain, an oboist
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
horn
Horn (instrument)
The horn is a brass instrument consisting of about of tubing wrapped into a coil with a flared bell. A musician who plays the horn is called a horn player ....
player and teacher. He was the father of Dennis Brain
Dennis Brain
Dennis Brain was a British virtuoso horn player and was largely credited for popularizing the horn as a solo classical instrument with the post-war British public...
.
Biography
Aubrey Harold Brain was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1893. He came from a musical family. His father, A. E. Brain sr. was a member of the London Symphony Orchestra
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra is a major orchestra of the United Kingdom, as well as one of the best-known orchestras in the world. Since 1982, the LSO has been based in London's Barbican Centre.-History:...
(LSO) horn quartet. His brother Alfred was for many years principal horn player in the Queen's Hall
Queen's Hall
The Queen's Hall was a concert hall in Langham Place, London, opened in 1893. Designed by the architect T.E. Knightley, it had room for an audience of about 2,500 people. It became London's principal concert venue. From 1895 until 1941, it was the home of the promenade concerts founded by Robert...
Orchestra under Sir Henry J. Wood
Henry Wood
Henry Wood was a British conductor.Henry Wood may also refer to:* Henry C. Wood , American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient* Henry Wood , English cricketer...
. He went to the United States to join the Damrosch Orchestra in 1923, and remained permanently, becoming an American citizen.
In 1911 Aubrey Brain won a scholarship to 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...
. He was appointed principal horn of the New Symphony Orchestra
New Symphony Orchestra
-History:The New Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1991 in Sofia, Bulgaria by the music critic Julia Hristova as an alternative to the existing Bulgarian musical institutions...
that same year, and in 1912 he went on the LSO's tour of the United States under Arthur Nikisch
Arthur Nikisch
Arthur Nikisch ; 12 October 185523 January 1922) was a Hungarian conductor who performed internationally, holding posts in Boston, London and - most importantly - Berlin. He was considered an outstanding interpreter of the music of Bruckner, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Liszt...
. He was principal horn of Sir Thomas Beecham
Thomas Beecham
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet CH was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. He was also closely associated with the Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras...
's opera company orchestra in 1913.
In 1923 he succeeded his teacher Borsdorf as professor of horn at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
, where his son Dennis
Dennis Brain
Dennis Brain was a British virtuoso horn player and was largely credited for popularizing the horn as a solo classical instrument with the post-war British public...
was among his students.
Ethel Smyth
Dame Ethel Mary Smyth, DBE was an English composer and a leader of the women's suffrage movement.- Early career :...
wrote her Concerto for Violin, Horn and Orchestra with Aubrey Brain in mind. He and Jelly d'Arányi
Jelly d'Arányi
Jelly d'Aranyi, fully Jelly Aranyi de Hunyadvár was a Hungarian violinist who made her home in London.She born in Budapest, the grand-niece of Joseph Joachim, and sister of the violinist Adila Fachiri. She began her studies as a pianist, but switched to violin at the Music Academy in Budapest...
premiered the work under Sir Henry Wood on 5 March 1927. He also played it in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
with Marjorie Hayward. He joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra
BBC Symphony Orchestra
The BBC Symphony Orchestra is the principal broadcast orchestra of the British Broadcasting Corporation and one of the leading orchestras in Britain.-History:...
as principal horn, and remained there until illness caused his premature retirement in 1943. He was often a soloist, and made a number of recordings
He had a marked preference for French instruments, and played a hand horn made by Labbaye in c. 1865, to which English-made valves had been added. He would never permit the use of large-bore German horns in the BBC Symphony.
He married Marion Beeley, a singer at Covent Garden
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
. His two sons were Dennis Brain, even more famous as a horn player, and Leonard Brain, an oboist
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
.
Sources
- Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 5th ed., 1954