Regular visitors to this site will not be surprised to find a recording conducted by Landon Ronald. In this case, for the anniversary year, it’s Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No.1 with Benno Moiseiwitsch. The other item is a spoken word recording – the poet and playwright John Drinkwater reading some of his own works. The two men are connected by violinist Daisy Kennedy (of whom I now have several recordings.) Moiseiwitsch was her first husband, and Drinkwater was her second.

Mendelssohn – Piano Concerto No.1 in G minor Op.25
His Master’s Voice D 969-71
Matrices Cc 5655-III, 5656-II, 5657-I, 5658-I, 5659-II, 5660-II (single side numbers 05832/7)
Recorded 27th January 1925

Download – Mendelssohn – Piano Concerto No.1 – 1st movement – Moiseiwitsch, Ronald

Download – Mendelssohn – Piano Concerto No.1 – 2nd movement – Moiseiwitsch, Ronald

Download – Mendelssohn – Piano Concerto No.1 – 3rd movement – Moiseiwitsch, Ronald

(mp3 file – right click the link, then select “Save as” or click the play button)

I. Molto allegro con fuoco (2 sides)
II. Andante (2 sides)
III. Presto: Molto allegro e vivace (2 sides)

Royal Albert Hall Orchestra, Landon Ronald
Benno Moiseiwitsch, piano

Lecture 70: John Drinkwater reading his own poems
Part 1: Mystery; Vagabond; Moonlit Apples; Birthright
Part 2: Cotswold Love; Anthony Crumble; Mrs. Willow; Mamble
Columbia D 40140
Matrices WAX 4608-1, 4609-2 (11340, 11330)
Recorded 30th January 1929

Download – John Drinkwater reading his own poems

(mp3 file – right click the link, then select “Save as” or click the play button)

The sides are labelled as:

Made in England & Published by
Columbia Graphophone Co. Ltd.
Sole Official Publishers for
International Educational Society.

The address is given on side 1 as 26, Buckingham Gate, Westminster, S. W. 1, and on side 2 as 98, Clerkenwell Road, E.C. 1

JOHN DRINKWATER (1882-1937)

Associated with Barry Jackson in the formation of the company that developed into the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, in and for which his plays up to and including “Abraham Lincoln” were written. Published New Numbers in conjunction with Lascelles Abercrombie, Rupert Brooke and Wilfrid Wilson Gibson, and was a contributor to the five volumes of Mr. Marsh’s Georgian Poetry. In addition to his poetry and plays, he has written various critical studies, including volumes on Byron, Charles II, and Charles James Fox.

The texts of these poems are available on the John Drinkwater page on this site.