Scraping a Living:A Life of a Violinist
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Peter Mountain: Scraping a Living: Synopsis Violinist Peter Mountain, born in Yorkshire in 1923 gives an account of a musician's career in Britain during the 20th century, with fascinating insights concerning a wide range of musical personalities encountered, and memories of the spirit of the times. Book 1 covers early life and training, with some family and ancestral background. This leads on to a more detailed look at life as a student at the RAM during the London Blitz, and wartime service in the Royal Marine Band, including the D Day invasion and later tour of the Far East with Lord Mountbatten. It also covers the return to civilian life, with membership of the Boyd Neel Orchestra and the Philharmonia; other freelance activities and work as soloist and chamber-music player; and marriage in 1945 to the pianist Angela (Muriel) Dale, with details of recital work together. Book 2 starts in Liverpool in 1955, with appointment as Leader of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. This is followed by two years' mostly freelance activity in London, beginning in 1966, with the LPO, Glyndebourne and coaching and chamber-music. It concludes with a move to Bristol in 1968 as Concertmaster of the BBC Training Orchestra, later renamed the Academy of the BBC. Book 3 starts in 1975 with appointment as Head of Strings at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, and ends in 1990 with retirement. As well as the Academy, this book covers an extensive range of extramural activity, mainly centred on Scottish musical life. Book 4 deals with post-retirement musical activity upon returning to family roots in Yorkshire.
About the Author
Peter Mountain was born in Shipley, West Yorkshire in 1923 into a family of musicians. He was taught music by both parents and won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music when he was sixteen. He studied the violin with Rowsby Woof and played under the baton of Sir Henry Wood, arriving in London the day after the beginning of the German Blitz. During the latter part of hostilities and post-war he played in the Staff Band of the Royal Marines, and was among the first British troops to enter Paris. He also led a Symphony Orchestra sent to accompany Mountbatten on his re-entry into Singapore after the end of the Japanese war. During this tour of duty he played the Tschaikovsky Violin Concerto in Bangkok to an audience that included the King of Siam. He later went on to study with the eminent Russian pedagogue Sascha Lasserson. He was a member of the Boyd Neel String Orchestra and the original Philharmonia Orchestra. From 1955 to 1966 he was leader of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Later posts include Concertmaster of the BBC Training Orchestra, Head of Strings at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and guest leaderships of many orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Orchestra and the Northern Sinfonia. He has played concertos with many orchestras and led his own string quartet and other chamber ensembles, including a long-term sonata ensemble with his wife, the pianist Angela Dale. He has worked widely as an examiner and adjudicator; and as a coach for many Youth Orchestras, including the National Youth Orchestra and the Scottish National Youth Orchestra. He has served on the Board of the Scottish Arts Council, and was also Chairman of the Scottish Society of Composers. He has been awarded Fellowships by the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and an honorary Doctorate of Literature by Bradford University in recognition of his work in musical education.
Inside This Book
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating insight into a rich and varied life,
This review is from: Scraping a Living: A Life of a Violinist (Paperback)
When Peter Mountain arrived for his first day as a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London, he had to turn round and go straight back to his digs. It was the third day of the Battle of Britain, and the building had been declared off limits because of an unexploded bomb in a nearby street.
It set the tone for a long and often extraordinary playing career, beginning in the days when 78 rpm recordings were still state of the art, and ending with Peter's final professional engagement at the age of 80 in 2003. This book is not only a valuable and possibly unique historical document, it is also highly readable and entertaining. Encompassing the author's adventures as a member of the Royal Marine band that was part of Lord Mountbatten's escort on his way to Singapore after VJ day, a stint as a session musician working on films like Moby Dick with Gregory Peck, a succession of memorable encounters with the great and good of the world of classical music, and much much more, it is a heartfelt and often touching account of a life inspired by the unswerving belief in the power of music to elevate the human spirit. There are passages throughout the book which are primarily for the benefit of other professional musicians, and may be of limited interest to the average reader, but don't let that put you off. This is a treasure house of insights into a time whose like we will never see again, and you won't find anything else quite like it.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (1 customer review)
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Mountain of Gratitude,
By E. A. Smith "Ted Smith" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Scraping a Living: A Life of a Violinist (Paperback)
I am only slightly younger than Peter Mountain and have been aware of his career and reputation for nearly seventy years. During this time he has lead most of the major orchestras in ths country and has a unique fund of anecdotes about international conductors and soloists. Most of these have been my heroes and so it has been both rewarding and enlightening to read Mountain's intimate thumbnail sketches of them. He writes with humour, sometimes critically - always entertainingly, and I warmly recommend the book to all music lovers who have watched and listened to orchestras in Britain throughout the last 70 years.
Ted Smith |
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