Jubilee Toy Symphony

Thematic Cat. #:

JH.E17

Commissioner:

The London Celebrations Committee for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee

Date of composition:

1977

First performance:

5 June 1977, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Gala Concert for Youth and Music, conductor Colin Davis. Chilingirian String Quartet. Toy instruments played by Graham Johnson, Melvyn Tan, Marius May, Pierre Fournier, Dorothy Tutin, Richard Baker, Joseph Cooper, Stuart Harling, Humphrey Burton, James Blades, Fenella Fielding, Ann Murray, Malcolm Williamson, John Denison, Nigel Kennedy, Linda Esther Grey, Richard Rodney Bennett, Dame Peggy Ashcroft, David Rendall, David Syrus, Jack Brymer, Steve Race, Yehudi Menuhin, Yitkin Seow.

Gala performance:

15 November 1977, London, St. James’ Palace, Royal College of Music String Orchestra conducted by Sir David Willcocks. HM The Queen Mother was guest of honour. JH at the piano.

Duration:

7’30”

Instrumentation:

17 toy perc (minimum)/pf/str. Quartet (with optional db)

Manuscript:

Royal College of Music Library

Publisher:

Novello & Co Ltd., c.1977

Availability:

Score and parts for sale from Novello.

Notes:

On the day of publication, November 15, 1977, the Jubilee Toy Symphony was performed at a Musical Party, in aid of the Musicians’ Benevolent Fund at St James’ Palace, in the gracious presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

The composer at the piano, and the Royal College of Music String Orchestra, were joined by a distinguished cast of Toy performers under the baton of Sir David Willcocks.

A minimum of 17 players is needed to play the toy instruments (including two to play the four glockenspiel notes in the score). It is advisable to increase the number of ‘blowers’ in proportion to the ‘bangers’.

The police-whistle occurs only in the cadenza of the last movement and can be played by a non-music-reader.

The work was commissioned by the London Celebrations Committee for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, especially for the Gala Concert given by Youth & Music at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden on 5 June 1977. Sir Robert Mayer, who founded Youth & Music, celebrated his 98th birthday on the same evening, and was present on the occasion.

The following artists took part in the first performance of the work:

Chime Bars Graham Johnson, Melvyn Tan

Cuckoos Marius May, Pierre Fournier

Quails Dorothy Tutin, Richard Baker

Nightingale Joseph Cooper

Crow Stuart Harling

Duck Humphrey Burton

Song-whistle James Blades

Police-whistle Fenella Fielding

Jingle-bells Ann Murray, Malcolm Williamson

Triangle John Dennison

Wood Blocks Nigel Kennedy

Castanets Linda Esther Gray, Richard Rodney Bennett

Maracas Dame Peggy Ashcroft, David Rendall, David Syrus

Tambourine Jack Brymer

Cymbals Steve Race

Drum Yehudi Menuhin

Piano Yitkin Seow

The Chillingrian String Quartet Conductor Colin Davis