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Newent Orchestral
Society Music Heritage Project & Orchestra History This project explores Newent's musical heritage. Sponsored by the Newent Orchestra, it promotes such diverse celebrities as record producer, Joe Meek, and composer, Rutland Boughton.
Newent Market House, Exhibition venue.
Valuable and historic records on view. Newent's Celebrities Newent is a small market town on the edge of the Three Choirs Festival Triangle. It is the birthplace of Joe Meek and the final home of Rutland Boughton (died 50 years ago this year), both major figures in their respective music genres, who suffered and sank when their eccentric lifestyles alienated fans and the establishment, and their musical achievments were eclipsed by personal torments.
Joe Meek (1929-1967), recent subject of a major biopic with Kevin Spacey, Con O'Neill and Ralph Little, was a pioneer of modern pop music and his protégés ranged from Chas of "Chas and Dave", to Mitch Mitchell of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Welsh superstar, Tom Jones, to jazz innovator, Humphrey Littleton. His Telstar-type production techniques were hugely innovative and successful but he descended into a morass of madness and ended up blasting his landlady with a shotgun, then shooting himself, not living to reap the benefits of his pioneering work. History of the Newent Orchestra A fully documented history of the orchestra compiled by George Taylor is now available. If you would like a copy, please send your enquiry to the orchestra secretary. The orchestra was formed in 1940 by Clem Thurston, who ran a grocery business in Newent. He was supported by others, including the Rev. C.J.K. Burnell and his family, who were virtually a small orchestra in themselves. Viola player, Carline Crampton, joined the company and became the Newent Orchestra's first conductor. The orchestra has been rehearsing and presenting concerts since this time - a remarkable achievement for the product of such a relatively small community. Carline Crampton was the orchestra's conductor for 48 years, handing the baton over to Adrian Courteny for a period and then to the present conductor, George Taylor, in 1992. The orchestra is fortunate to own an extensive collection of music scores, many of these being old and of historic interest. Exploring this musical treasure trove is always a pleasure at rehearsals and the collection provides much of the music for creating original and entertaining concert programmes.
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Rutland Boughton
(1878-1960, photo copyright Rutland Boughton Music Trust) founded a colony of artists and
the first Glastonbury Festival, an English "Bayreuth", prior to the First World
War, supported by Sir Edward Elgar and Sir Granville Bantock. Boughton, in his time,
was as popular as his contemporary, Vaughan Williams, and holds the record for the longest
continuously running West End opera, "The Immortal Hour", based on an ancient
Celtic saga. However, his allegiance with the communist party, which extended to him
welcoming Paul Robeson to Newent, and his reputedly immoral lifestyle contributed to a
complete fall from grace and popularity.
