SCTF: Hilary and Martin Anthony Burrage 'discovered the original full score' of Piano Quintet 'at the RCM in 1999'

[Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Hilary Burrage]

Earlier today, Nov. 21, 2011, AfriClassical quoted an article on the Piano Quintet of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912), who is featured at AfriClassical.com: “Sheffield Telegraph: “Raiding the work of the gifted ‘Hiawatha’ man.” We are pleased to report that we have received two noteworthy replies. Hilary Burrage of the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Foundation responds:

“Many thanks Bill, very interesting. I knew of the forthcoming recital in Sheffield, but had not yet seen this article.

"You may be interested to know that it was we at Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Foundation who pointed the Dante Quartet to the www.soundpost.org published parts for the Piano Quintet, in preparation for their performance tomorrow*. Always happy to help!

Best to all,

Hilary

"[* We also of course have the first hand-written realisations, prepared by my husband Tony, aka Martin Anthony Burrage, after he and I had discovered the original full score at the RCM (Royal College of Music) in 1999, cf this newspaper report.]"

Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma, http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com, adds this information about a work of the Black British violinist George Bridgetower: “The Dante Quartet also performed my arrangement of Bridgetower's Henry at the City of London's commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the end of slavery.”

'Martin Burrage...who first performed the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Op.1, has had an 1895 HC Silvestre of Paris'

[ABOVE: José White - Shown here after he received the 1st prize for violin at the Conservatoire de Paris in 1856. Bibliothèque Nationale de France; Wikipedia BELOW: Live-A-Music, comprised of five members of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, released a limited-edition CD in 2001. The program consists of Coleridge-Taylor's Fantasiestucke for String Quartet, Op. 5, and his Quintet for Piano and Strings, Op. 1.]

José Silvestre White (1835-1918), aka José Silvestre White y Lafitte, was an Afro-Cuban composer, violinist and professor who is profiled at AfriClassical.com, where his works are listed by Prof. Dominique-René de Lerma of http://www.CasaMusicaledeLerma.com

.

On December 31, 2009 AfriClassical posted: “José Silvestre White, Afro-Cuban Composer & Violinist, Born December 31, 1835.” Hilary Burrage commented on July 8, 2011: “I wonder if he was related to the Silvestre luthiers (P, and then HC) who lived in Paris at that time? Seems very possible..?”

Later the same day, after the first comment was published, Hilary Burrage wrote: “Thanks Bill. Slightly oddly, we knew about the Silvestre luthiers because my other half, Martin Anthony (Tony) Burrage, who ‘discovered’ and in 2001 first performed the Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Op.1, has had an 1895 HC Silvestre of Paris as his concert instrument for the past 40 years! Will be interesting to learn if anyone knows whether there may indeed be a genuine connection somewhere here. Very best, Hilary”

Hilary & Martin Burrage 'were guests at a ceremony in Liverpool Town Hall to mark the important legacy of John Archer'

[John Richard Archer (1863-1932)]

On October 21, 2010 AfriClassical posted: “John R. Archer (1863-1932), Pan-Africanist Colleague of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.” A comment has been made by Hilary Burrage, who recently informed us of the Samuel Coleridge Taylor Foundation:

“Following the 1998 Windrush events with which we were involved, my husband (Martin Anthony Burrage) and I were guests at a ceremony in Liverpool Town Hall to mark the important legacy of John Archer to our city and nation.

“Amongst the items on display was a needlework banner about John Archer which included, as I recall (will check again when I can) a quotation from Samuel Coleridge Taylor's 'Hiawatha' score.”
[Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912) is profiled at AfriClassical.com]