by Kate Stuart

THE English Speaking Union March meeting at Portal Premier Golf Club was well attended.

The speaker was Eleanor Roberts, an archivist and fundraiser for the Halle Orchestra on the topic of The History of the Halle Orchestra.

Charles Halle came over from Germany and taught piano lessons to the German community in 1848.

He founded the orchestra and gave the first concert in 1858.

Halle, a greatly loved man, was dismayed by the poverty in Manchester and thought music would lighten people’s lives.

He died suddenly in 1895 and all Manchester mourned.

The Halle is the only orchestra in the world to be named after its founder.

Eleanor then took us through the years, naming some of the great conductors in charge, Thomas Beecham, Hamilton Harty, and of course the great John Barbirolli and finishing with Mark Elder, now in residence.

This talk was especially relevant to the branch as the ESU sponsors two chairs of the youth orchestra, strings and woodwind.

The Halle does great things in state schools in the Manchester area.

The next meeting is April 14. Elizabeth Gowing will talk on ‘The Trail of an Edwardian Traveller in Kosovo'.

Please ring 01606 76534 for further information.