Gareth Morris facts for kids

Gareth Charles Walter Morris (born May 13, 1920, died February 14, 2007) was a famous British flute player. He was the main flute player for several orchestras in London, including the Boyd Neel Orchestra. Later, he joined the Philharmonia Orchestra. He played as the principal flautist for this orchestra for 24 years. He also taught the flute at the Royal Academy of Music from 1945 to 1985. Morris was special because he used a wooden flute, even when most other musicians had started using metal ones.

Early Life and Musical Start

Gareth Morris was born in Clevedon, Somerset, England. He went to school at Bristol Cathedral Choir School. He started playing the flute when he was 12 years old. He took private lessons with Robert Murchie.

When he was 18, he won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. There, his main teacher was Charles Stainer. At the Academy, he became good friends with Dennis Brain, another famous musician. Morris was even the best man at Brain's wedding.

Morris played his first big concert at Wigmore Hall in 1939. He also played in small music groups, like the Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble and the London Wind Quintet. During World War Two, he joined the Royal Air Force. He was the main flute player in the RAF Symphony Orchestra.

Playing with the Philharmonia Orchestra

In 1948, Morris became the principal flute player for the Philharmonia Orchestra. He took over from Arthur Gleghorn. He even played at Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation in 1953.

The Philharmonia Orchestra was started by Walter Legge in 1945. In 1964, Legge said he wanted to close the orchestra. But the musicians disagreed. They decided the orchestra should continue and manage itself. They renamed it the New Philharmonia Orchestra. In 1966, Morris became the chairman of this orchestra. Otto Klemperer was the main conductor. Morris had a very good and respectful relationship with Klemperer.

Retirement and Later Life

Klemperer retired in 1971 when he was 87 years old. Lorin Maazel and then Riccardo Muti took over as conductors. Morris retired from the orchestra shortly after. A press release at the time mentioned "artistic differences" as a reason for his leaving.

However, there was another important reason. While on tour with the orchestra in New York City, Morris had an accident that caused a serious injury. A nerve in his mouth was damaged. Because of this, he could no longer play the flute.

Morris's flute was first a Rudall-Carte model. Later, he played an instrument given to him by Robert Murchie. He was known for his "English school" style of playing. He used a tight embouchure (how you shape your mouth to play). This helped him make a strong and clear sound. He was also able to play very softly and gently. He avoided using too much vibrato (a wavering effect in the sound). People said he was "at the forefront of English flute playing for more than half a century." Many composers wrote music for him, including Gordon Jacob and Alan Rawsthorne. In 1958, he performed the first British show of Poulenc's Flute Sonata.

Family and Legacy

Morris first married Joy Hazelrigg from Kentucky in 1954. They had a daughter named Emily. After they divorced, he married Patricia Murray in 1975. They had three children: Thomas, Mary, and Catharine.

Morris moved back to Bristol after retiring and continued to teach. In 1991, he wrote a teaching book called Flute Technique. He also worked as a judge for music competitions, an orchestra coach, and a lecturer. He often taught at the Dartington Summer School. His siblings were Christopher, a music publisher at the Oxford University Press, and Jan Morris, a famous travel writer. A photo of him taken in 1968 by Godfrey Argent is kept at the National Portrait Gallery.