Betty Humby Beecham
Encyclopedia
Betty Humby Beecham, Lady Beecham (1908 – 2 September 1958) was a British
pianist
, who married the English conductor and impresario Sir Thomas Beecham
in February 1943. She was 29 years his junior.
Betty Humby was the daughter of Daniel Morgan Humby, a dentist and member of the Royal College of Surgeons. At the age of 10, she was the youngest ever person to win a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. When she was 14, she taught 30 pupils of her own, and two years later she became a piano professor, under Myra Hess
at Tobias Matthay
's London music school. Later she married an Anglican parson, Rev. H. Cashel Thomas, who in the early 1940s was vicar of St. Philip's in London. They had a son, Sir Jeremy Cashel Thomas, born June 1, 1931.
With the outbreak of World War II, Betty Humby Thomas organized concerts in British cathedrals. In 1940, she left Britain for the United States with her young son Jeremy. While in the U.S. she hoped to raise money for London's Great Ormond Street Hospital
for Sick Children, where her brother was chief surgeon.
Having met in the 1930s in England, in the U.S., Betty Humby Thomas and Sir Thomas Beecham were reintroduced by Andrew Schulhof, who managed each of them. He later arranged for them to perform the Delius piano concerto together in June 1941 at a studio concert for CBS
.
Betty Humby Thomas married Sir Thomas January 19, 1943, one month after his divorce was granted from wife Utica Celestia Welles. According to John Lucas's biography, Thomas Beecham: An Obsession with Music, they were married in secret before a police justice in Manhattan. They lived in New York City at 31 East 79th Street.
Her best-known recording is probably that of the Delius
concerto, with her husband conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
, in 1946, shortly after he had founded it. This recording of October 1946 replaced an earlier version, made with the London Philharmonic Orchestra
on October 3, 1945, which was not released.
According to the Lucas biography, her performance of the Delius concerto at Lafayette, Indiana, on December 1, 1950, marked the end of Lady Betty's playing career.
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...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
, who married the English conductor and impresario Sir Thomas Beecham
Thomas Beecham
Sir Thomas Beecham, 2nd Baronet CH was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. He was also closely associated with the Liverpool Philharmonic and Hallé orchestras...
in February 1943. She was 29 years his junior.
Betty Humby was the daughter of Daniel Morgan Humby, a dentist and member of the Royal College of Surgeons. At the age of 10, she was the youngest ever person to win a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. When she was 14, she taught 30 pupils of her own, and two years later she became a piano professor, under Myra Hess
Myra Hess
Dame Myra Hess DBE was a British pianist.She was born in London as Julia Myra Hess, but was best known by her middle name. At the age of five she began to study the piano and two years later entered the Guildhall School of Music, where she graduated as winner of the Gold Medal...
at Tobias Matthay
Tobias Matthay
Tobias Augustus Matthay was an English pianist, teacher, and composer.-Biography:Matthaw as born in London in 1858 to parents who had come from northern Germany and were naturalised British subjects...
's London music school. Later she married an Anglican parson, Rev. H. Cashel Thomas, who in the early 1940s was vicar of St. Philip's in London. They had a son, Sir Jeremy Cashel Thomas, born June 1, 1931.
With the outbreak of World War II, Betty Humby Thomas organized concerts in British cathedrals. In 1940, she left Britain for the United States with her young son Jeremy. While in the U.S. she hoped to raise money for London's Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children is a children's hospital located in London, United Kingdom...
for Sick Children, where her brother was chief surgeon.
Having met in the 1930s in England, in the U.S., Betty Humby Thomas and Sir Thomas Beecham were reintroduced by Andrew Schulhof, who managed each of them. He later arranged for them to perform the Delius piano concerto together in June 1941 at a studio concert for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
.
Betty Humby Thomas married Sir Thomas January 19, 1943, one month after his divorce was granted from wife Utica Celestia Welles. According to John Lucas's biography, Thomas Beecham: An Obsession with Music, they were married in secret before a police justice in Manhattan. They lived in New York City at 31 East 79th Street.
Her best-known recording is probably that of the Delius
Frederick Delius
Frederick Theodore Albert Delius, CH was an English composer. Born in the north of England to a prosperous mercantile family of German extraction, he resisted attempts to recruit him to commerce...
concerto, with her husband conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London. It tours widely, and is sometimes referred to as "Britain's national orchestra"...
, in 1946, shortly after he had founded it. This recording of October 1946 replaced an earlier version, made with the London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Orchestra
The London Philharmonic Orchestra , based in London, is one of the major orchestras of the United Kingdom, and is based in the Royal Festival Hall. In addition, the LPO is the main resident orchestra of the Glyndebourne Festival Opera...
on October 3, 1945, which was not released.
According to the Lucas biography, her performance of the Delius concerto at Lafayette, Indiana, on December 1, 1950, marked the end of Lady Betty's playing career.
External links
- Beecham-Handel Piano Concerto
- Peerage
- Lyndon Jenkins: "While spring and summer sang: Thomas Beecham and the music of Frederick Delius", Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2005, ISBN 9780754607212, S. 92 ff, 105, 106