Clive Lythgoe
Encyclopedia
Clive Lythgoe was a leading British classical pianist of the 1950s and 1960s, popular in both the UK and the United States, where he was considered to be "Britain's answer to Liberace
".
, Essex, on 9 April, 1927, the son of a Royal Army Medical Corps
sergeant major. He grew up at Wimbledon
, London
, where he sang in the church choir, and disappointed his parents by shunning a career in law or accountancy.
At seven he was entranced by the piano player in a Carmen Miranda
film, and some years later, he won a piano scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
, which marked the start of his musical career. Towards the end of the World War II
, he joined the RAF. By the 1950s, he had become a regular fixture on the concert circuit.
, for whom he turned pages.
His career breakthrough was under Arthur Bliss
in 1954, performing the conductor's own piano concerto at the first of what were to be many performances at the annual Royal Albert Hall
Proms.
Lythgoe consolidated his reputation when he performed the premiere of Malcolm Williamson
’s piano concerto at the 1958 Cheltenham Music Festival
.
Lythgoe appeared as a soloist with all the leading British orchestras, under conductors including Sir Colin Davis
, Sir John Barbirolli
, and Zubin Mehta
.
In the 1960s, he was the first classical pianist to abandon formal concert attire. The stylish collarless suit which Pierre Cardin
designed for him attracted the attention of Brian Epstein, who asked if the Beatles could adopt the same style.
He owned a six-bedroom house in Surrey, a hand-built Bristol 405
sports car, but became increasingly depressive. By the early 1970s, Lythgoe was relying heavily on drugs to get him through performances.
During World War II, a bomb had landed in his back garden, decapitating the girl next door and ripping off his piano teacher's arm. Decades later, he claimed still to wake up screaming at the memory.
offered an engagement playing Brahms' second piano concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic, Lythgoe astonished both the conductor and himself by declining. Lythgoe recalled that he felt he had reached a "musical menopause".
A breakdown caused him to abandon performances altogether, and in 1976, he accepted the post of Dean of the Music School Settlement in Cleveland, Ohio
, where he became a well-loved figure, appearing again in his own television series and playing occasional concerts with the Cleveland Orchestra, some of which were conducted by his friend Sir Colin Davis.
He lived alone in a simple one-bedroom co-op apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens
.
In 2000, a New York Times profile led to renewed media interest and a career revival.
recording, Music For Pleasure, scaled the pop charts, and won the British "Record Of The Year Award", an award he shared with Sir Georg Solti
and The Beatles.
His acclaimed recordings of American piano music were added to the permanent collection of the White House Library by Jimmy Carter
.
radio series, My Piano and I, and a 26 week television series for London’s ITN. Celebrity guests included Gracie Fields
, who became a close friend and took him with her to perform in New York.
In the USA, he hosted a TV series, called A Touch Of Lythgoe for PBS.
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
".
Early life
He was born in ColchesterColchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, Essex, on 9 April, 1927, the son of a Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
sergeant major. He grew up at Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, where he sang in the church choir, and disappointed his parents by shunning a career in law or accountancy.
At seven he was entranced by the piano player in a Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda, GCIH was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, Broadway actress and Hollywood film star popular in the 1940s and 1950s. She was, by some accounts, the highest-earning woman in the United States and noted for her signature fruit hat outfit she wore in the 1943 movie The Gang's...
film, and some years later, he won a piano scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Guildhall School of Music and Drama is an independent music and dramatic arts school which was founded in 1880 in London, England. Students can pursue courses in Music, Opera, Drama and Technical Theatre Arts.-History:...
, which marked the start of his musical career. Towards the end of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he joined the RAF. By the 1950s, he had become a regular fixture on the concert circuit.
UK career
Lythgoe was a protégé of Myra HessMyra Hess
Dame Myra Hess DBE was a British pianist.She was born in London as Julia Myra Hess, but was best known by her middle name. At the age of five she began to study the piano and two years later entered the Guildhall School of Music, where she graduated as winner of the Gold Medal...
, for whom he turned pages.
His career breakthrough was under Arthur Bliss
Arthur Bliss
Sir Arthur Edward Drummond Bliss, CH, KCVO was an English composer and conductor.Bliss's musical training was cut short by the First World War, in which he served with distinction in the army...
in 1954, performing the conductor's own piano concerto at the first of what were to be many performances at the annual Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
Proms.
Lythgoe consolidated his reputation when he performed the premiere of Malcolm Williamson
Malcolm Williamson
Malcolm Benjamin Graham Christopher Williamson AO , CBE was an Australian composer. He was the Master of the Queen's Music from 1975 until his death.-Biography:...
’s piano concerto at the 1958 Cheltenham Music Festival
Cheltenham Music Festival
The Cheltenham Music Festival is one of the oldest music festivals in Britain, held annually in Cheltenham in June/July since 1945. The festival is renowned for premieres of contemporary music, hosting over 250 music premieres as of July 2004....
.
Lythgoe appeared as a soloist with all the leading British orchestras, under conductors including Sir Colin Davis
Colin Davis
Sir Colin Rex Davis, CH, CBE is an English conductor. His repertoire is broad, but among the composers with whom he is particularly associated are Mozart, Berlioz, Elgar, Sibelius, Stravinsky and Tippett....
, Sir John Barbirolli
John Barbirolli
Sir John Barbirolli, CH was an English conductor and cellist. Born in London, of Italian and French parentage, he grew up in a family of professional musicians. His father and grandfather were violinists...
, and Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music. He is the Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.-Biography:...
.
In the 1960s, he was the first classical pianist to abandon formal concert attire. The stylish collarless suit which Pierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin
Pierre Cardin Cardin was known for his avant-garde style and his Space Age designs. He prefers geometric shapes and motifs, often ignoring the female form. He advanced into unisex fashions, sometimes experimental, and not always practical...
designed for him attracted the attention of Brian Epstein, who asked if the Beatles could adopt the same style.
He owned a six-bedroom house in Surrey, a hand-built Bristol 405
Bristol 405
The Bristol 404 and Bristol 405 were British luxury cars manufactured by Bristol Aeroplane Co., whose car division later became Bristol Cars. The models were successors to the Bristol 403 built between 1953 and 1958....
sports car, but became increasingly depressive. By the early 1970s, Lythgoe was relying heavily on drugs to get him through performances.
During World War II, a bomb had landed in his back garden, decapitating the girl next door and ripping off his piano teacher's arm. Decades later, he claimed still to wake up screaming at the memory.
US career
His 1973 Carnegie Hall debut was critically acclaimed, but Lythgoe spent the two days between the recital and the reviews on Valium. In 1976, five hours of back-to-back recitals in New York almost finished him off, and when Herbert von KarajanHerbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. To the wider world he was perhaps most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years...
offered an engagement playing Brahms' second piano concerto with the Berlin Philharmonic, Lythgoe astonished both the conductor and himself by declining. Lythgoe recalled that he felt he had reached a "musical menopause".
A breakdown caused him to abandon performances altogether, and in 1976, he accepted the post of Dean of the Music School Settlement in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, where he became a well-loved figure, appearing again in his own television series and playing occasional concerts with the Cleveland Orchestra, some of which were conducted by his friend Sir Colin Davis.
Later life
Lythgoe increasingly felt his true mission was to bring music to those not privileged enough to attend concert halls. When he settled in New York City, he became director of Horizon Concerts in New York City, a non-profit organization, and using talented young musicians he gave short concerts mixed with anecdotes to audiences in homeless centres, nursing homes, hospices and schools. He was also the director of the Roosa School of Music, a community music school located on Willow Place in Brooklyn Heights for several years, after which it was merged into another school.He lived alone in a simple one-bedroom co-op apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens
Jackson Heights, Queens
Jackson Heights is a neighborhood in the Northwestern portion of the borough of Queens in New York, New York, United States. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 3...
.
In 2000, a New York Times profile led to renewed media interest and a career revival.
Recordings
His first GershwinGeorge Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
recording, Music For Pleasure, scaled the pop charts, and won the British "Record Of The Year Award", an award he shared with Sir Georg Solti
Georg Solti
Sir Georg Solti, KBE, was a Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor. He was a major classical recording artist, holding the record for having received the most Grammy Awards, having personally won 31 as a conductor, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to his...
and The Beatles.
His acclaimed recordings of American piano music were added to the permanent collection of the White House Library by Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
.
Television and radio
In England, his TV series, The Lythgoe Touch, ran for a record-breaking 85 weeks, consecutively followed by a 52 week BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
radio series, My Piano and I, and a 26 week television series for London’s ITN. Celebrity guests included Gracie Fields
Gracie Fields
Dame Gracie Fields, DBE , was an English-born, later Italian-based actress, singer and comedienne and star of both cinema and music hall.-Early life:...
, who became a close friend and took him with her to perform in New York.
In the USA, he hosted a TV series, called A Touch Of Lythgoe for PBS.