Ifor James
Encyclopedia
Professor Ifor James was a horn
player and teacher, numbering among his pupils many future Principal Horns and horn professors at British music schools.
James was born in Carlisle, England; his father was a noted cornet
player and his mother a famous soprano
. He began playing cornet in a brass band
at age four and by seven he was playing paying gigs as a trumpeter. He also played the organ
and was assistant organist in Carlisle Cathedral
. Taking up the horn in 1951, he studied first privately and then under Aubrey Brain
at the Royal Academy of Music
. His professional horn playing career began with the Halle Orchestra then the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
, and was much in demand for chamber recitals and solo work.
Moving to London, he played as principal horn with many orchestras and chamber groups. He was appointed professor of horn at the Royal Academy of Music
, principal horn of the English Chamber Orchestra
, and horn player in the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
, with whom he toured the world and made over 30 recordings. He was also appointed professor for horn at the Royal Northern College of Music
(Manchester). His final teaching appointment was as professor for horn at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik, Freiburg, Germany.
His musical taste was eclectic and he was for some time the principal conductor of the famous Besses o’th Barn Brass Band, winning the 1978 BBC
Brass Band of the Year Competition with them.
He was known among his students for sending them on curious errands such as paying hotel bills. He also had a puckish sense of humour. One former student recalls an incident where the two of them were at traffic lights in James' open-topped Morris Minor when a pretty girl walked alongside. James encouraged the younger man to "pinch her bottom as the lights go green, and I'll drive off". Needless to say when the young man did as bidden, James stayed put and turned to grin at the girl.
Welsh
to the core, he famously averred that he only played the horn because he could not sing.
His former students include over 100 professional musicians, over 30 of them currently principal horn players with orchestras in numerous countries. Nine are professors at music colleges, two are the principals of German music colleges and a further six are noted soloists.
At the 2005 British Horn Festival tributes to James were read out by Barry Tuckwell
, Michael Thompson
and others, and a commissioned Portrait by former student Tony Randall was premiered by an octet of former students including Simon de Souza
(professor of horn at Birmingham Conservatoire), Jeffrey Bryant (professor of horn at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama), Michael Thompson
(Aubrey Brain
Professor of Horn, Royal Academy of Music) and Frank Lloyd
(professor of horn at the Folkwang Hochschule and president of the International Horn Society
).
Ifor James' legacy to British horn playing is incalculable.
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, numbering among his pupils many future Principal Horns and horn professors at British music schools.
James was born in Carlisle, England; his father was a noted cornet
Cornet
The cornet is a brass instrument very similar to the trumpet, distinguished by its conical bore, compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B. It is not related to the renaissance and early baroque cornett or cornetto.-History:The cornet was...
player and his mother a famous soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
. He began playing cornet in a brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
at age four and by seven he was playing paying gigs as a trumpeter. He also played the organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
and was assistant organist in Carlisle Cathedral
Carlisle Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, otherwise called Carlisle Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Carlisle. It is located in Carlisle, in Cumbria, North West England...
. Taking up the horn in 1951, he studied first privately and then under Aubrey Brain
Aubrey Brain
Aubrey Brain was a British horn player and teacher. He was the father of Dennis Brain.-Biography:Aubrey Harold Brain was born in London in 1893. He came from a musical family. His father, A. E. Brain sr. was a member of the London Symphony Orchestra horn quartet...
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...
. His professional horn playing career began with the Halle Orchestra then the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society is a society based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, that organises concerts and other events mainly in the field of classical music. The society is the second oldest of its type in the United Kingdom and its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic...
, and was much in demand for chamber recitals and solo work.
Moving to London, he played as principal horn with many orchestras and chamber groups. He was appointed 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...
, principal horn of 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 horn player in the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, founded in 1951 by trumpeter Philip Jones, was one of the first modern classical brass ensembles to be formed. The group played either as a quintet or as a ten-piece, for larger halls...
, with whom he toured the world and made over 30 recordings. He was also appointed professor for horn at 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...
(Manchester). His final teaching appointment was as professor for horn at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik, Freiburg, Germany.
His musical taste was eclectic and he was for some time the principal conductor of the famous Besses o’th Barn Brass Band, winning the 1978 BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Brass Band of the Year Competition with them.
He was known among his students for sending them on curious errands such as paying hotel bills. He also had a puckish sense of humour. One former student recalls an incident where the two of them were at traffic lights in James' open-topped Morris Minor when a pretty girl walked alongside. James encouraged the younger man to "pinch her bottom as the lights go green, and I'll drive off". Needless to say when the young man did as bidden, James stayed put and turned to grin at the girl.
Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
to the core, he famously averred that he only played the horn because he could not sing.
His former students include over 100 professional musicians, over 30 of them currently principal horn players with orchestras in numerous countries. Nine are professors at music colleges, two are the principals of German music colleges and a further six are noted soloists.
At the 2005 British Horn Festival tributes to James were read out by Barry Tuckwell
Barry Tuckwell
Barry Emmanuel Tuckwell AC, OBE , is an Australian horn player who has spent most of his professional life in the United Kingdom and the United States.- Early life and education :...
, Michael Thompson
Michael Thompson (horn player)
Michael Thompson is a British horn player.After studying at the Royal Academy of Music, Thompson was appointed Principal Horn with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra aged just 18 years...
and others, and a commissioned Portrait by former student Tony Randall was premiered by an octet of former students including Simon de Souza
Simon de Souza
Simon de Souza is one of the most active and influential horn teachers in the United Kingdom. He teaches at the Birmingham Conservatoire , is horn tutor at Wells Cathedral School and the Purcell School and is also involved with the Junior departments of the Trinity College of Music and Royal...
(professor of horn at Birmingham Conservatoire), Jeffrey Bryant (professor of horn at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama), Michael Thompson
Michael Thompson (horn player)
Michael Thompson is a British horn player.After studying at the Royal Academy of Music, Thompson was appointed Principal Horn with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra aged just 18 years...
(Aubrey Brain
Aubrey Brain
Aubrey Brain was a British horn player and teacher. He was the father of Dennis Brain.-Biography:Aubrey Harold Brain was born in London in 1893. He came from a musical family. His father, A. E. Brain sr. was a member of the London Symphony Orchestra horn quartet...
Professor of Horn, Royal Academy of Music) and Frank Lloyd
Frank Lloyd (horn player)
Frank Lloyd is a virtuoso horn player and teacher, Professor of Horn at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Germany and formerly professor of horn at both the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and Trinity College of Music in London....
(professor of horn at the Folkwang Hochschule and president of the International Horn Society
International Horn Society
The International Horn Society is the primary international organization dedicated to players of the horn. It was founded in June 1970.It holds a symposium each year and publishes a journal, The Horn Call.-Formation:...
).
Ifor James' legacy to British horn playing is incalculable.