George Weldon

George Anthony Thomas Weldon[1] (5 June 1908, in Chichester, England – 17 August 1963, in South Africa) was an English conductor.

For the British colonial administrator, see George Weldon (Deputy Governor of Bombay). For the builder in Mississippi, see George and Thomas Weldon.

Biography

Weldon was the son of Major F H Weldon of the Sherwood Foresters.[2] He was educated at Sherborne School and the Royal College of Music. He studied conducting with Malcolm Sargent[3] and Aylmer Buesst.[4] In 1943, at 36 years of age, he became the conductor of the City of Birmingham Orchestra in succession to Leslie Heward. He was dismissed in 1950, following unsubstantiated rumours that he was having an affair with Ruth Gipps, choirmaster of the Birmingham orchestra's chorus.[5] It was announced that Weldon would be replaced by Rudolf Schwarz; according to Gipps, Weldon resigned before he could be dismissed.[6]

In 1952 Weldon became assistant to Sir John Barbirolli at the Hallé Orchestra and remained in that position until his death. In 1955 and 1956 he also conducted the Sadler's Wells Ballet.[2] He became well known for his love of sports cars.[2] While in Manchester, Weldon took charge of the Hallé summer seasons of promenade concerts, and many industrial concerts around the north of England. He frequently conducted in London and abroad, made broadcasts and many records.[7]

Recordings

Weldon made a series of recordings for EMI. His stereophonic recording of Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty with the Philharmonia Orchestra has been reissued on CD. Numerous other recordings by Weldon were also available on CD as of 2008.[8]

Notes
  1. King-Smith, p. 79
  2. "Mr. George Weldon", The Times, 9 August 1963, p. 2
  3. Halstead, p. 15
  4. Naxos
  5. Halstead, p. 151
  6. Halstead, p. 32
  7. Chislett W A. Notes to British Concert Pops. EMI LP, 30123, 1970.
  8. amazon.com

March 1942 - 1943: http://www.rtwcs.org.uk/archive/90plus.pdf Mr.George Weldon, conductor of the Tunbridge Wells Symphony Orchestra, is undertaking the direction of the Choral Society.

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References
  • Halstead, Jill (2006). Ruth Gipps: Anti-modernism, Nationalism, and Difference in English Music. Burlington, VT: Ashgate. ISBN 978-0-7546-0178-4.
  • King-Smith, Beresford (1995). Crescendo! 75 years of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. London: Methuen. ISBN 978-0413697400.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)


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