Humphrey Burton
Encyclopedia
Humphrey Burton, CBE
(born 25 March 1931) is a British classical music presenter, broadcaster, director, producer, and biographer of musicians.
Born in Trowbridge
, Wiltshire
, he attended The Judd School
, Tonbridge
before reading music and history at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
and joined the BBC
in 1955. He directed many programmes and documentaries and was made BBC Television's first Head of Music and Arts 1965-67. He then worked for eight years in commercial television co-founding London Weekend Television
, where he edited and presented ITV
's award-winning arts series Aquarius
, the inspiration for the South Bank Show. He returned to the BBC until 1981.
In 1970, at the request of Leonard Bernstein
, he began an association with the famous composer-conductor, making documentaries and filmed concerts in which Bernstein both conducted and/or offered commentary. These were produced for Unitel. One of them, Beethoven's Birthday: A Celebration in Vienna, was first telecast in Vienna in 1970, then telecast on CBS on Christmas Eve
in 1971, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175478/releaseinfo and won an Emmy in 1972.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175478/awards For later showings on A&E, and for VHS and DVD release, the program was retitled Bernstein on Beethoven: A Celebration in Vienna. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175478/
After leaving the BBC he worked in the USA and Europe as director or programme presenter in classical music, opera, ballet, documentaries and music competitions.
He has written biographies of Leonard Bernstein http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385423527 and Yehudi Menuhin
.http://www.amazon.com/dp/1555534651
He has been awarded four Emmies
and two British Academy Awards, the Royal Television Society
's silver medal and a Sony Gold Award
. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123598/awards
In 1970 Humphrey Burton and the Swedish radio/ TV broadcaster and writer Christina Hansegård were married in New York City.
He was awarded the CBE in the Millennium Honours 2000.
Co-author
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 25 March 1931) is a British classical music presenter, broadcaster, director, producer, and biographer of musicians.
Born in Trowbridge
Trowbridge
Trowbridge is the county town of Wiltshire, England, situated on the River Biss in the west of the county, approximately 12 miles southeast of Bath, Somerset....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, he attended The Judd School
The Judd School
The Judd School is a state secondary school in Tonbridge, Kent, southeast England. It was established in 1888 at Stafford House on East Street in Tonbridge, where it remained for eight years before moving to its present location on Brook Street, in the south of the town...
, Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
before reading music and history at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
Fitzwilliam College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in England.The college traces its origins back to 1869 and the foundation of the Non-Collegiate Students Board, a venture intended to offer students from less financially privileged backgrounds a chance to study...
and joined the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1955. He directed many programmes and documentaries and was made BBC Television's first Head of Music and Arts 1965-67. He then worked for eight years in commercial television co-founding London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...
, where he edited and presented ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
's award-winning arts series Aquarius
Aquarius (TV series)
Aquarius is a British arts television series, produced by London Weekend Television for the ITV network. It ran from 1970-1977 when it was replaced by The South Bank Show....
, the inspiration for the South Bank Show. He returned to the BBC until 1981.
In 1970, at the request of Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
, he began an association with the famous composer-conductor, making documentaries and filmed concerts in which Bernstein both conducted and/or offered commentary. These were produced for Unitel. One of them, Beethoven's Birthday: A Celebration in Vienna, was first telecast in Vienna in 1970, then telecast on CBS on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
in 1971, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175478/releaseinfo and won an Emmy in 1972.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175478/awards For later showings on A&E, and for VHS and DVD release, the program was retitled Bernstein on Beethoven: A Celebration in Vienna. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0175478/
After leaving the BBC he worked in the USA and Europe as director or programme presenter in classical music, opera, ballet, documentaries and music competitions.
He has written biographies of Leonard Bernstein http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385423527 and Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE was a Russian Jewish American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. He was born to Russian Jewish parents in the United States, but became a citizen of Switzerland in 1970, and of the United Kingdom in 1985...
.http://www.amazon.com/dp/1555534651
He has been awarded four Emmies
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
and two British Academy Awards, the Royal Television Society
Royal Television Society
The Royal Television Society is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present and future. It is the oldest television society in the world...
's silver medal and a Sony Gold Award
Sony Radio Academy Awards
The Sony Radio Academy Awards , started in 1983, are some of the most prestigious awards in the British radio industry. They are run by ZAFER Associates in association with the Radio Academy...
. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0123598/awards
In 1970 Humphrey Burton and the Swedish radio/ TV broadcaster and writer Christina Hansegård were married in New York City.
He was awarded the CBE in the Millennium Honours 2000.
Books
Sole author- Leonard Bernstein. New York: Doubleday, 1994. ISBN 0385423454 (10). ISBN 9780385423458 (13).
- Yehudi Menuhin: A Life. Boston: Northeastern UP, 2001. ISBN 1555534651 (10). ISBN 9781555534653 (13).
Co-author
- William Walton: The Romantic Loner: A Centenary Portrait Album. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2001. ISBN 0198162359 (10). ISBN 9780198162353 (13). (With Maureen Murray.)
External links
- "Burton, Humphrey (1931–)" – Biography at the BFIBritish Film InstituteThe British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
screenonlineScreenonlineScreenonline is a Web site devoted to the history of British film and television, and to social history as revealed by film and television. The project has been developed by the British Film Institute and funded by a £1.2 million grant from the National Lottery New Opportunities Fund.Reviews...
. - "Presenters: Humphrey Burton" – Biography at BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation...
Live Music and the Arts