Robert Irving (conductor) facts for kids
.jpg)
Robert Augustine Irving (born August 28, 1913 – died September 13, 1991) was a famous British conductor. He was best known for leading music for ballet performances. He even earned a special award called the DFC for his bravery during World War II.
Robert Irving was born in Winchester, England. His father, R. L. G. Irving, was a well-known mountaineer and writer. Robert went to Winchester College and then to New College, Oxford, where he studied music. From 1934 to 1936, he learned from famous musicians like Malcolm Sargent and Constant Lambert at the Royal College of Music.
Contents
Robert Irving's Time in the Royal Air Force
During World War II, Robert Irving served in the Royal Air Force. He was a navigator in squadrons that attacked enemy ships. He was very brave and received the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) twice! This award is given for courage in flying.
He was the first person in the Royal Air Force to be both a Captain and a Navigator. This opened the door for other navigators to become aircraft captains. After the war, he decided to continue his music career instead of staying in the Air Force. He left with the rank of Squadron Leader.
Working with Ballet Companies
After the war, Robert Irving became an assistant conductor for the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Then, from 1949 to 1958, he became the main conductor and music director for the Sadler's Wells Ballet. He worked very closely with the famous choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton.
He helped Ashton choose music for ballets like Picnic at Tintagel. He also helped solve music problems for Ashton's ballet Sylvia by adding music from another composer. In 1956, to celebrate 25 years of the Royal Ballet, Irving arranged music by Alexander Glazunov for Ashton's ballet Birthday Offering.
Robert Irving on Television
Robert Irving also brought ballet to television! In 1954, he conducted music from Swan Lake for a TV show. Famous dancers Margot Fonteyn and Michael Somes performed. In 1958, he conducted the Philharmonia Orchestra for a BBC television show featuring Les Sylphides. He also conducted Ashton's Cinderella for NBC television in 1957.
Leading the New York City Ballet
From 1958 to 1989, Robert Irving was the music director for the New York City Ballet in the United States. Here, he worked a lot with another very famous choreographer, George Balanchine. For many years, he conducted the New York City Ballet's yearly performance of The Nutcracker. He also conducted the TV broadcast of The Nutcracker in 1958.
Robert Irving passed away in his hometown of Winchester in 1991 when he was 78 years old. There is a small plaque in his memory at Winchester College chapel.
Robert Irving's Recorded Music
Robert Irving made many recordings of ballet music. Some of his famous recordings include:
- Music from Massenet's Le Cid and Meyerbeer's Les Patineurs with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1952.
- Ballet music from La boutique fantasque and Gounod's Faust with the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1952.
- Walton's Façade suites with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1953.
- Arnold's Homage to the Queen Suite and his Eight English Dances with the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1953.
- Music from Ashton and Lambert's ballet Horoscope with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1953.
- Parts of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake in 1953 and The Sleeping Beauty in 1955.
- Almost all of Sylvia with the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1954.
- His own arrangement of Glazunov's music for the ballet Birthday Offering with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1956.
- A shorter version of Giselle with the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1961.
He also recorded other types of music, such as:
- Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite No. 2 with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1952.
- Dohnányi's Suite in F-sharp minor and Tchaikovsky's Hamlet with the Philharmonia Orchestra in 1954.
- Arnold's Four Scottish Dances and Britten's Matinées musicales and Soirées musicales in 1957.
Awards Robert Irving Received
Robert Irving was recognized for his amazing work in dance and music:
- Capezio Dance Award in 1975
- Dance Magazine Award in 1984
