Unseen Holst TV film found in archives
BBC Gloucestershire TV footage contains revealing and amusing insights into the British composer
Published:
Producers at BBC Gloucestershire have unearthed a previously unseen film about the life of composer Gustav Holst.
The film documentary, which contains interviews with composers Edmund Rubbra and Herbert Howells and Holst’s daughter Imogen, was put together in the 1970s but, for some reason, was never completed.
Among the more amusing reminiscences of Holst, described on the footage as ‘rather a gnome-like little man with a nice smile’ by one of his former pupils at St Paul’s school, were those of Rubbra, who recalled the composer practising his trombone in fields as he walked between London and Cheltenham.
‘An irate farmer came rushing up to [Holst],’ said Rubbra. ‘and said “You’re causing problems with our sheep. They’re lambing too soon.”’.
To see some of the uncovered footage, click here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/8165835.stm
