Hugh Allen (conductor)
Encyclopedia
Sir Hugh Percy Allen was an English
musician, academic and administrator. He was a leading influence on British musical life in the first half of the 20th century.
, Berkshire
, England. His musical talent was apparent from an early age, and at 11 he was organist of a local parish church. He won an organ scholarship to Christ's College, Cambridge
, graduating BA from Cambridge in 1895. He became cathedral organist at St Asaph Cathedral
and then Ely Cathedral
, before, in 1901, becoming organist of New College, Oxford
, where he revitalised the musical life of the whole university.
In 1907 he was appointed conductor of the Bach Choir in London
and in 1913 he shared the Leeds
Festival with Artur Nikisch and Sir Edward Elgar
.
resigned the professorship of music at Oxford, and Allen succeeded him. But when Sir Hubert Parry
died later in the year Allen was appointed director of the Royal College of Music
in London, and Oxford thought it would lose him. Allen in fact retained his professorship for the rest of his life. He kept his rooms at New College, and for another seven years conducted the Oxford Bach Choir.
As Director of the Royal College, as The Times
later observed "he was then brought into a wider sphere and began to show unsuspected qualities of statesmanship." He expanded the size of the college from 200 to 600 students and consolidated the alliance between the Royal College and the Royal Academy of Music
. In addition to his duties at the college, he continued to conduct. The Royal Choral Society
, the Royal Philharmonic Society
and the Incorporated Society of Musicians owed much to his help when they experienced difficult times. He became for a time "the acknowledged but unofficial head of the music profession in this country." At an Oxford dinner in honour of Ravel
Allen was described as "notre ami qui fait chanter tout le monde."
Allen received many honours, being knight
ed in 1920, and appointed GCVO in 1935. Besides receiving his Oxford doctorate he was awarded honorary doctorates by the universities of Cambridge (1925), Reading (1938), Sheffield
(1926), and Berlin
. He was also an honorary fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge
(1926); and in 1937 he was Master of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.
On 17 February 1946, Allen was knocked down by a motorcyclist in Oxford, and three days later he died in the Radcliffe Infirmary
from his injuries at the age of 76.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
musician, academic and administrator. He was a leading influence on British musical life in the first half of the 20th century.
Early years
Hugh Allen was born in ReadingReading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, England. His musical talent was apparent from an early age, and at 11 he was organist of a local parish church. He won an organ scholarship to Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
, graduating BA from Cambridge in 1895. He became cathedral organist at St Asaph Cathedral
St Asaph Cathedral
St Asaph Cathedral is the Anglican cathedral in St Asaph, Denbighshire, north Wales. It is sometimes claimed to be the smallest Anglican cathedral in Britain.- History :...
and then Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral is the principal church of the Diocese of Ely, in Cambridgeshire, England, and is the seat of the Bishop of Ely and a suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon...
, before, in 1901, becoming organist of New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
, where he revitalised the musical life of the whole university.
In 1907 he was appointed conductor of the Bach Choir in London
London
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...
and in 1913 he shared the Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
Festival with Artur Nikisch and Sir Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
.
Oxford and the RCM
In 1918 Sir Walter ParrattWalter Parratt
Sir Walter Parratt KCVO was an English organist and composer.-Biography:Born in Huddersfield, son of a parish organist, Parratt began to play the pipe organ from an early age, and held posts as an organist while still a child...
resigned the professorship of music at Oxford, and Allen succeeded him. But when Sir Hubert Parry
Hubert Parry
Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet was an English composer, teacher and historian of music.Parry's first major works appeared in 1880. As a composer he is best known for the choral song "Jerusalem", the coronation anthem "I was glad" and the hymn tune "Repton", which sets the words...
died later in the year Allen was appointed director of 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, and Oxford thought it would lose him. Allen in fact retained his professorship for the rest of his life. He kept his rooms at New College, and for another seven years conducted the Oxford Bach Choir.
As Director of the Royal College, as The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
later observed "he was then brought into a wider sphere and began to show unsuspected qualities of statesmanship." He expanded the size of the college from 200 to 600 students and consolidated the alliance between the Royal College and 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...
. In addition to his duties at the college, he continued to conduct. The Royal Choral Society
Royal Choral Society
The Royal Choral Society is an amateur choir, based in London. Formed soon after the opening of the Royal Albert Hall in 1871, the choir gave its first performance as the Royal Albert Hall Choral Society on 8 May 1872 – the choir's first conductor Charles Gounod included the Hallelujah Chorus from...
, the Royal Philharmonic Society
Royal Philharmonic Society
The Royal Philharmonic Society is a British music society, formed in 1813. It was originally formed in London to promote performances of instrumental music there. Many distinguished composers and performers have taken part in its concerts...
and the Incorporated Society of Musicians owed much to his help when they experienced difficult times. He became for a time "the acknowledged but unofficial head of the music profession in this country." At an Oxford dinner in honour of Ravel
Maurice Ravel
Joseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
Allen was described as "notre ami qui fait chanter tout le monde."
Retirement and death
At both the Royal College and at Oxford he modernised the curriculum and made the regulations for degrees both more liberal and more exacting. He retired from the college in 1937, but his years of work came to fruition in 1944 when Oxford founded a Faculty of Music.Allen received many honours, being knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1920, and appointed GCVO in 1935. Besides receiving his Oxford doctorate he was awarded honorary doctorates by the universities of Cambridge (1925), Reading (1938), Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
(1926), and 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...
. He was also an honorary fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
(1926); and in 1937 he was Master of the Worshipful Company of Musicians.
On 17 February 1946, Allen was knocked down by a motorcyclist in Oxford, and three days later he died in the Radcliffe Infirmary
Radcliffe Infirmary
The Radcliffe Infirmary was a hospital in central Oxford, England, located at the southern end of Woodstock Road on the western side, backing onto Walton Street. The Radcliffe Infirmary, named after physician John Radcliffe, opened in 1770 and was Oxford's first hospital...
from his injuries at the age of 76.