David Wooldridge

[adriano]

David Wooldridge, alias Michael Humphry (b. 1927) is the author of an exciting Biography of Charles Ives. As a composer, he wrote one of the most beautiful vocal song cycle with orchestra I ever heard in my life. This work, called Five Italian Songs (1978) was performed by Heather Harper and the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Michael Gielen at the Royal Albert Hall in London, on August 10, 1979). I am fortunate enough to have a recording of this great musical event.
A mystery: nobody in England and in the USA (where the composer lives) can tell me what has become of him. Last time I had him over the telephone was some 12 years ago. He sent me the orchestral and vocal score of Five Italian Songs, published by Hinchinbroke Music. Since then, I could not get in contact with David anymore; my letters remained unanswered, nobody could find out the address of the Publisher, not even the official Composer's Copyright Companies!
Anybody heard of David Wooldrige?
Adriano, Zürich/Switzerland
Composer-Conductor

[Artonglind]

If it was the most beautiful song cycle you ever heard I'd certainly want to see/hear it! Can the scores be bought somewhere?

[Gareth Vaughan]

Hinchinbroke is supposed to be located in Bridgewater, Connecticut. June Emerson acts as agent for some of David Wooldridge's music for winds (notably the Wind Quintet, Op. 12, published by Hinchinbroke) so I have sent her a message asking if she has contact details for this publisher. The British Library and Bodleian Library, Oxford, both list Full Scores of the Five Italian Songs in their catalogues.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I have been given the following telephone number for Hinchinbroke: 00 1 860 354 5694.

[adriano]

Oh, thanks Gareth for your good research and news 
Don't know whether those scores are available for sale; I have got them from the composer years ago. I may be able to send a CDR copy of the performace I have to people who give me their postal address.

[Martin Anderson]

I come rather late in the day to the exchange about David Wooldridge. I too was at that Prom concert in 1979 and concur on the sheer beauty of the music. I happened to mention them to Robin Holloway at a BBC Christmas bash a few years ago and he agreed on their quality. So re-assured that my response hasn't been youthful enthusiasm, and having started Toccata Classics not so long ago at that point, I decided that perhaps I could do something to promote Wooldridge's music. The first step, of course, was to contact the composer -- whom I remember taking a bow at the 1979 Prom -- and I managed to obtain his number through the American Musicological Society mailing list (to which I belong). When I rang, a woman's voice answered the phone and so I asked if I could speak to him. "Who is that calling?" the voice asked, guardedly, and so I explained my purpose. "Oh, David would have been so happy to speak to you" she said, and explained that her husband had died a few weeks earlier.
There was more bad news to follow. He was self-published (Hitchinbroke, or whatever the name is -- I can't see the earlier posts as I write this -- was his own undertaking) and there had been a fire in the family house not long before and much of his music had gone up in smoke -- and as he was self-published, there weren't copies safely sequestered elsewhere. I've since been in touch with his son, who lives in Vienna, and I would still like to record the Five Italian Songs for Toccata Classics, plus whatever other Wooldridge orchestral music I can get hold of.
Cheers
Martin

[adriano]

Hi, Martin, I feel ashamed for not having seen your post of one year ago!
I actually visit blog sites not very often.
Anyhow, I have nothing to add to this theme, unfortunately. There is no money around anymore for crazy recordings and my efforts to record the Five Italian Songs are an impossible dream. Everything I record (I have just done my 44th CD) is only thanks to private sponsors, but I could not find any for Wooldrigde. I once was in contact with a nice British lady (Sybil Pentith) who knew him, we tried to organize something and she gave me the composer's telephone number, so I could at least have a nice talk with him. After that, Wooldridge sent me the orchestra and vocal scores of the Five Italian Songs - a gift I will never forget.
Best regards
Adriano
www.adrianomusic.com

[Archimus]

If anyone is interested, I have a great recording of that first (and only, I guess, incredibly) performance of the Italian Songs, and also of his Fantasy Concertante of 1985.  I've got a massive collection of rare pieces, so if anyone is looking for something specific....

[Gareth Vaughan]

I would dearly love to hear the Five Italian Songs and, indeed, any other music by Wooldridge.

[pianoroberto56]

Hi, I join somewhat later than other admirers of David Wooldridge. I read in the PROMS archive that the David Wooldridge composer of the Five Italian Songs was born in 1931. I am not sure why one of the contributor to this forum states he was born in 1927...
In any case, I too own a transfer on CD from that 1979 performance but I only have the Fantasia Concertante on tape.
Judging by the Five Italian Songs op. 31, Wooldridge was a composer who would have deserved attention from some recording labels and I really cannot explain why he is virtually unknown.
Any more news about DW would be greatly appreciated.

[adriano]

You are perfectly right, pianoroberto56
Due to the hopeless situation of most CD labels, I gave up struggling for Wooldridge - as for many other unsung composers I was dreaming of in my younger years. In a way, I feel tired of all this... Some of my early ideas are now being realized by cpo, Chandos and similar companies, this too makes me feel sad, in a way, but, on the other side, who am I? I am no star and not a cliché/repertoire conductor who is allowed to make concerts...
The only hope is that an intelligent conductor and an good singer would perform the Italian Songs in concert again and that a live CD would be done, coupled with some more works by this neglected composer.

[Killikyjones]

I am currently helping my father declutter. I have found music  and scores written by David wooldridge. My dad knew him and he came to stay in our house when I was young. I am wondering where best to send his music? Reading about the fire he had at his home in Conneticut, surely his family may be interested? Any thoughts? I think it would be terrible to not try to do something with the scores.

[adriano]

Great to hear that, Killyjones; but which works are they?

[Martin Anderson]

Can you drop me a line at martin@toccataclassics.com, please, Killikyjones? I would like to get a Toccata Classics recording project of David Wooldridge's music off the ground, and it may be that you have some music that survived the fire at his home but is not available elsewhere. And Archimus, I would love to hear the Fantasia Concertante, if you would be so kind...Many thanks.

[Elroel]

Hello Gentlemen,

Read with interest what you wrote about Wooldridge.
I found the work below at this site:  http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/Name/David-Wooldridge/Composer/13209-1

Diversions (3), Op. 41 by David Wooldridge
Performer:  John Graham (Viola)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1982