The British Isles: A Musical Tour – London

Despite Britain’s green and pleasant land, London has attracted and inspired the vast majority of British and foreign composers – after all, that’s where the money is. But whether letting their hair down in Chelsea or awed by the grandeur of Westminster, composers have nonetheless found plenty to inspire their music.

Hammersmith
Holst – Hammersmith
Gustav Holst, director of music at St Paul’s Girls’ School (1905-34, succeeded by Howells 1936-62), composed many of his works there in the soundproofed room specially built for him; he was inspired to write Hammersmith for the BBC’s military band.

10 Berkeley Street
Gershwin – Primrose
At this address, in summer 1924, George Gershwin wrote his musical Primrose; this includes the number ‘Berkeley Square and Kew’ and, in a deliberate skit of G & S’s ‘Three little girls from school’, ‘Four little Sirens we’ – a rare instance of Gershwin writing in four-part vocal harmony. This also, notably, was the first musical he had a hand in orchestrating.