This modest house in Wharf Road, Stamford, as the plaque records, was the boyhood home of Sir Malcolm Sargent.
Sargent began as the church organist in Melton Mowbray - there is a plaque on the house where he lived there too - but thanks to his extraordinary musical talents and skill at social climbing he ended as a celebrated conductor and star of the Proms.
His nickname of 'Flash Harry' may tell you something of his reputation among orchestral players. Yet I was seven when he died and remember it being a big news story and how sorry people were.
There is a good piece on Sargent's current reputation by Ivan Hewett.
Sargent does seem to have been more respected by choir members, particularly amateurs, than by professional orchestral players. However, he must have made the Proms what they are today and have brought many ordinary folk to "classical" music. There were fields of music where he could not be bettered - I still treasure my LP of his "Planets".
ReplyDelete