Gala London Concert
Helps Flood Victims
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
MAR 5 1953
a
By Melita Knowles
Staff Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
London
A combined effort by musicians
and music lovers to help those
who suffered in the recent floods
brought two of the best-known
conductors in Britain and the
Netherlands onto the same plat
form at the Albert Hall here
j March 4.
I Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke
j| of Edinburgh, and Princess Marie
plained, aims to further the cause
of music everywhere by means
of international exchanges.
Aid to Musicians
The doors of its club premises
on South Audley Street are open
always to welcome European and
other foreign artists who are
visiting London. The association
also has a plan to help young
British artists to give recitals in
foreign capitals.
The chairman of the associa
I- 11 tion, R. Douglas Gibson, and six
i Louise graced this gaja occasion of its vice.presidents were pre-
tt v T5r^n sented to Queen Elizabeth during
Eduard Van Beihum conducted j the interval: Sir Ernest Bullock,
the London Philharmonic Or- Sir George Franckenstein, Dame
chestra m works by Elgar, Bee- Myra Hess, Anthony Hubbard,
thoven, and Brahms.
D. U. Stikker, Netherlands
Ambassador in London, sat on
the Queen's right in the royal
box. Sir Rupert de la Bere, Lord i
Mayor of London, was also there, j
As a result of the concert about
£3,750 ($10,500) is to be divided
equally between the Lord
Mayor's National Flood and
Tempest Distress Fund and the
Netherlands National Emergency
Committee's Fund.
The Queen entered the royal
box in a lilac evening gown and
white ermine coat and remained
standing. The great audience
stood silently. Mr. Van Beinum
mounted the rostrum and con
ducted the orchestra for the
playing of the British National
Anthem. As the strains of "God
Save the Queen" were hushed,
Sir Adrian took over for the Na
tional Anthem of the Nether
lands.
The lights were lowered in the
royal box as the orchestra in
troduced the concert with the
solemn strains of Elgar's "Nim
rod."
The concert was held under
the auspices of the International
Music Foundation, founded by
Anthony Hubbard and now under
the presidency of Sir Adrian.
"For me it is a particular plea
sure," Sir Adrian said, "that these
two organizations with which I
am now most closely connected
should be combined to bring
about this concert."
The association, Sir Adrian ex
Mrs. C. Strickland Hubbard, and
Sir Reginald Thatcher.
Sir George Dyson and Dr.
Vaughan Williams, also vice-
presidents, were unable to be
present.
Lord Pender, president of the
Royal Albert Hall Corporation,
was also presented. This corpora
tion had put Albert Hall and all
its services at the disposal of the
association. A hundred musicians
had given their services, and
bands of volunteers sold pro
grams and rendered other serv
ices.
