I was pleased to see the entry in the latest BMS News regarding Michael Hurd’s discussion on my grandfather’s successful music drama The Immortal Hour. I was made aware of this a little while ago and placed a link on my Facebook account (“Rutland Boughton Promotions”).
Michael was, of course, Boughton’s biographer and in 1978 he persuaded the BBC to produce a radio programme on his life with extracts from the music dramas which Michael introduced so eloquently and there began a growing interest in Rutland Boughton. Michael left us a wonderful legacy which has never been surpassed.
In 2014 I instigated the re-publishing of his biography when I was managing The Rutland Boughton Music Trust. Recently I was engaged in an interview with Andrew Green who has written an extensive article about the The Immortal Hour for the BBC magazine and this was issued in June should members of BMS wish to be informed? I was subsequently reminded of the successful production of that music drama in Street in 1996 and of Bethlehem in 2005, all of which attracted media attention.
Despite all of this, I am saddened that none of the major works are performed these days; The Immortal Hour, Bethlehem and indeed The Queen of Cornwall should at least make a comeback.
Yours
Ian R Boughton
ianrboughton@btinternet.com