Stroud Valleys Music Club: A musical illustration of a family tree

AT OUR February meeting we were entertained by club member Jennifer Crockford’s musical illustration of her family tree.

From the Gardiner branch of her family we heard pieces played and enjoyed by her Gloucester family, in particular Handel and Mozart.

Then she went back to the 19th century connection to another branch, firstly with the composer Balfour Gardiner.

His own works were few, yet enjoyable, but his greatest success was as a ‘musical angel’ supporting friends trying to create an English musical style.

Grainger, Delius and Bax received Balfour’s generous help and encouragement, and he paid for the first performance of Gustav Holst’s Planets Suite.

Balfour moved to Dorset where later his great-nephew John Eliot Gardiner grew up in a rural, musical environment.

At Cambridge John Eliot was inspired to create a new and dynamic sound with his Monteverdi Choir.

This led to the creation of two orchestras, and now as a world class conductor he is Sir John Eliot Gardiner.

In between stories from her family archive Jennifer played music illustrating her family and their friends, ranging from a Bach Chorale to Country gardens.