Alfred Edwin Brain Jr. facts for kids

Alfred Edwin Brain Jr. was an amazing English musician. He played the French horn. He was born in London on October 24, 1885. He passed away in Los Angeles on March 29, 1966. His family was full of famous horn players. His nephew, Dennis Brain, became one of the most famous horn players ever.

Alfred Brain's Early Life and Music

Alfred Edwin Brain Jr. was born in 1885. People called him "Junior" because his father had the same name. His father, Alfred Edwin Brain Sr., was also a famous horn player. Alfred started playing the trumpet when he was six years old. When he turned twelve, he switched to the French horn. His father taught him how to play it.

Alfred studied music at the Royal Academy of Music. He learned the horn from Adolf Borsdorf. He also learned to play the piano from G.D.Cunningham. This teacher later taught Alfred's nephew the organ.

Alfred's first professional job was with the Scottish Orchestra. After that, he played in the Queen's Hall Orchestra. He also joined the famous London Symphony Orchestra.

Serving During World War I

When World War I started, Alfred joined the Scots Guards. This was a part of the British Army. Later, in 1917, he worked in France. He did many brave and dangerous tasks there during the fighting. After the war ended, he received two special awards. He was given the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his bravery.

Music Career After the War

After returning from the war, Alfred got many jobs. He played with several orchestras in London. One important job was at Covent Garden. There, he played for the famous conductor Sir Thomas Beecham.

His brother, Aubrey Brain, was also a very talented horn player. Aubrey returned from the war after Alfred. By then, Alfred had taken many of the best horn jobs in London. This made it harder for Aubrey to find top positions.

Moving to the United States

In 1923, Alfred moved to the United States. He continued his music career there. He played in the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Later, he joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

In his later years, Alfred recorded music for many movie studios. He worked for big companies like 20th Century Fox. His horn playing can be heard in many old films.

• Oxford Music Online retrieved 21.11.2010