Gareth Morris
Encyclopedia
Gareth Charles Walter Morris (13 May 192014 February 2007) was a British
flautist
. He was the principal flautist of a number of London
orchestras including the Boyd Neel Orchestra before joining the Philharmonia Orchestra
. He was the principal flautist of this orchestra for 24 years and Professor of the Flute at the Royal Academy of Music
from 1945 to 1985. Morris was known for using a wooden flute
, at a time when most other players had switched to using metal flutes.
Gareth Morris was born in Clevedon
, Somerset
, England
and was educated at Bristol Cathedral School
. He began to play the flute when he was aged 12, and subsequently studied privately with Robert Murchie. At 18 he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where his main teacher was Charles Stainer. At the Academy he met Dennis Brain
and became his lifelong friend. Morris was best man for Brain's wedding. Morris's Wigmore Hall
debut was in 1939 and he played in chamber music
groups, including the Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble and the London Wind Quintet. During the Second World War
he joined the Royal Air Force
and was principal flute in the RAF Symphony Orchestra.
Morris succeeded Arthur Gleghorn as principal flute in the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1948.
He played at Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation
in 1953. The Philharmonia Orchestra had been founded by Walter Legge
in 1945 but in 1964 Legge announced that he intended to disband it. However the members dissented from this and agreed that the orchestra should continue, that it should be self-governing, and that it should be renamed the New Philharmonia Orchestra. In 1966 Morris became chairman of this orchestra with Otto Klemperer
as the principal conductor. Morris had a close and deeply respectful relationship with Klemperer, but his relationship with Karajan has been described as "at best cordial, but he respected the conductor's talent".
Klemperer retired in 1971 when he was aged 87, and was succeeded by Lorin Maazel
followed by Riccardo Muti
. Morris retired shortly afterwards from the orchestra. The press release at the time spoke of "irreconcilable artistic differences" which had contributed to his resignation. However there was another, possibly more important, factor. While on tour with the orchestra in New York
, Morris was mugged and seriously injured. Amongst these injuries, a nerve in his mouth had been damaged and as a result, he had to completely give up playing the flute.
Morris's flute was originally a Rudall-Carte with open G-sharp and vented D, and later in his career he performed on an instrument bequeathed to him by Robert Murchie. His style was of the English school, with a tight embouchure
and he produced a very solid and powerful tone which was also capable of incredible delicacy. He eschewed the use of excessive vibrato
. He was said to be "at the forefront of English flute playing for more than half a century". Many composers wrote works for him, including Gordon Jacob
and Alan Rawsthorne
. During his career he gave the first British performance of Poulenc's Flute Sonata
in 1958.
Morris married first, in 1954, Joy Hazelrigg of Kentucky
and they had a daughter, Emily. Following a divorce, in 1975 he married Patricia Murray, with whom he had three children, Thomas, Mary and Catharine.
Morris retired to Bristol and there continued to teach. In 1991 he published a tutorial entitled Flute Technique. His other actiovities included being an adjudicator
, an orchestral coach and a lecturer. He frequently taught at the Dartington summer school. His siblings are Christopher, a music publish
er at the Oxford University Press
, and Jan Morris
, the travel writer. A photographic portrait taken in 1968 by Godfrey Argent is held by the National Portrait Gallery.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
. He was the principal flautist of a number of 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...
orchestras including the Boyd Neel Orchestra before joining the Philharmonia Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the leading orchestras in Great Britain, based in London. Since 1995, it has been based in the Royal Festival Hall. In Britain it is also the resident orchestra at De Montfort Hall, Leicester and the Corn Exchange, Bedford, as well as The Anvil, Basingstoke...
. He was the principal flautist of this orchestra for 24 years and Professor of the Flute at the Royal Academy of Music
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music in London, England, is a conservatoire, Britain's oldest degree-granting music school and a constituent college of the University of London since 1999. The Academy was founded by Lord Burghersh in 1822 with the help and ideas of the French harpist and composer Nicolas...
from 1945 to 1985. Morris was known for using a wooden flute
Western concert flute
The Western concert flute is a transverse woodwind instrument made of metal or wood. It is the most common variant of the flute. A musician who plays the flute is called a flautist, flutist, or flute player....
, at a time when most other players had switched to using metal flutes.
Gareth Morris was born in Clevedon
Clevedon
Clevedon is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, which covers part of the ceremonial county of Somerset, England...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and was educated at Bristol Cathedral School
Bristol Cathedral School
Bristol Cathedral Choir School , until 2008 known as Bristol Cathedral School, is a non-selective musical Academy in Bristol, England. It is situated next to Bristol Cathedral, in the centre of the city. The choristers at Bristol Cathedral are educated at the school, which has a strong musical...
. He began to play the flute when he was aged 12, and subsequently studied privately with Robert Murchie. At 18 he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music where his main teacher was Charles Stainer. At the Academy he met Dennis Brain
Dennis Brain
Dennis Brain was a British virtuoso horn player and was largely credited for popularizing the horn as a solo classical instrument with the post-war British public...
and became his lifelong friend. Morris was best man for Brain's wedding. Morris's Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall is a leading international recital venue that specialises in hosting performances of chamber music and is best known for classical recitals of piano, song and instrumental music. It is located at 36 Wigmore Street, London, UK and was built to provide London with a venue that was both...
debut was in 1939 and he played in chamber music
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
groups, including the Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble and the London Wind Quintet. During the Second World War
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 Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
and was principal flute in the RAF Symphony Orchestra.
Morris succeeded Arthur Gleghorn as principal flute in the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1948.
He played at Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
in 1953. The Philharmonia Orchestra had been founded by Walter Legge
Walter Legge
Harry Walter Legge was an influential English classical record producer, most notably for EMI. His recordings include many sets later regarded as classics and reissued by EMI as "Great Recordings of the Century". He worked in the recording industry from 1927, combining this with the post of junior...
in 1945 but in 1964 Legge announced that he intended to disband it. However the members dissented from this and agreed that the orchestra should continue, that it should be self-governing, and that it should be renamed the New Philharmonia Orchestra. In 1966 Morris became chairman of this orchestra with Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer
Otto Klemperer was a German conductor and composer. He is widely regarded as one of the leading conductors of the 20th century.-Biography:Otto Klemperer was born in Breslau, Silesia Province, then in Germany...
as the principal conductor. Morris had a close and deeply respectful relationship with Klemperer, but his relationship with Karajan has been described as "at best cordial, but he respected the conductor's talent".
Klemperer retired in 1971 when he was aged 87, and was succeeded by Lorin Maazel
Lorin Maazel
Lorin Varencove Maazel is an American conductor, violinist and composer.- Early life :Maazel was born to Jewish-American parents in Neuilly-sur-Seine in France and brought up in the United States, primarily at his parents' home in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. His father, Lincoln Maazel , was...
followed by Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti
Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian conductor and music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.-Childhood and education:...
. Morris retired shortly afterwards from the orchestra. The press release at the time spoke of "irreconcilable artistic differences" which had contributed to his resignation. However there was another, possibly more important, factor. While on tour with the orchestra in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Morris was mugged and seriously injured. Amongst these injuries, a nerve in his mouth had been damaged and as a result, he had to completely give up playing the flute.
Morris's flute was originally a Rudall-Carte with open G-sharp and vented D, and later in his career he performed on an instrument bequeathed to him by Robert Murchie. His style was of the English school, with a tight embouchure
Embouchure
The embouchure is the use of facial muscles and the shaping of the lips to the mouthpiece of woodwind instruments or the mouthpiece of the brass instruments.The word is of French origin and is related to the root bouche , 'mouth'....
and he produced a very solid and powerful tone which was also capable of incredible delicacy. He eschewed the use of excessive vibrato
Vibrato
Vibrato is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms of two factors: the amount of pitch variation and the speed with which the pitch is varied .-Vibrato and...
. He was said to be "at the forefront of English flute playing for more than half a century". Many composers wrote works for him, including Gordon Jacob
Gordon Jacob
Gordon Percival Septimus Jacob was an English composer. He is known for his wind instrument composition and his instructional writings.-Life:...
and Alan Rawsthorne
Alan Rawsthorne
Alan Rawsthorne was a British composer. He was born in Haslingden, Lancashire, and is buried in Thaxted churchyard in Essex.-Career:...
. During his career he gave the first British performance of Poulenc's Flute Sonata
Flute Sonata (Poulenc)
The Flute Sonata by Francis Poulenc, for flute and piano, was written in 1957. It is dedicated to the memory of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, an American patron of chamber music. Poulenc composed it for the flutist Jean-Pierre Rampal, and he and Rampal gave the première in June 1957 at the...
in 1958.
Morris married first, in 1954, Joy Hazelrigg of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and they had a daughter, Emily. Following a divorce, in 1975 he married Patricia Murray, with whom he had three children, Thomas, Mary and Catharine.
Morris retired to Bristol and there continued to teach. In 1991 he published a tutorial entitled Flute Technique. His other actiovities included being an adjudicator
Adjudicator
An adjudicator is someone who presides, judges and arbitrates during a formal dispute. The term adjudicator essentially means a judge, without invoking the legal term. An ombudsman is a type of adjudicator in local government in the United Kingdom....
, an orchestral coach and a lecturer. He frequently taught at the Dartington summer school. His siblings are Christopher, a music publish
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
er at the Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, and Jan Morris
Jan Morris
Jan Morris CBE is a Welsh nationalist, historian, author and travel writer. She is known particularly for the Pax Britannica trilogy, a history of the British Empire, and for portraits of cities, notably Oxford, Venice, Trieste, Hong Kong, and New York City.With an English mother and Welsh father,...
, the travel writer. A photographic portrait taken in 1968 by Godfrey Argent is held by the National Portrait Gallery.