MAY 2019 MEETING REPORT

CHRISTOPHER BEAUMONT 

explores Patrick Moore's

musical legacy 

 

                          President, Ivy Price                                              Christopher Beaumont                 

 

Patrick Moore’s Musical Legacy was the theme at the May meeting of the Society. Most people remember him as the quite unselfconscious  British eccentric – a populariser of science without equal. In his obituary in the Guardian, Dennis Barker described him as having the air of a crusty, uncompromising bachelor and slightly dotty boffin.....straight out of a Victorian or Edwardian novel.....a distinguished amateur astronomer, prolific author, composer and manic xylophone player. His father Capt. Charles Calder-Moore died when Patrick was young, and he was educated at home by tutors and his mother, Gertrude, a retired opera singer, as he suffered from a heart condition. He developed an interested in astronomy at the age of 6 and became a member of the British Astronomical Association at the age of 11.
The subject of Christopher Beaumont’s presentation was the other major lifelong interest of this remarkable man: music. Patrick had the gift of perfect pitch, and from the age of 10 went on to compose 116 pieces of music and 3 comic operas. Self taught, much of his music was composed for xylophones. He also enjoyed performing, and on one occasion, at the Theatre Royal in Bath, he played 21 xylophone pieces, 19 of which were his own compositions. Christopher himself is also a remarkable man. He met Patrick when he was a schoolboy, and they went on to enjoy a lifelong friendship, so much so that he is now his archivist.....an enormous task since Sir Patrick left a vast library of material. Christopher displayed his own considerable musical talent by playing several pieces on the xylophone, including Penguin Parade, accompanied by the fine pianist Derek Carden. They were rewarded for their wonderful presentation by thunderous applause.
The other Society event held in May, a fundraising/charity coffee morning hosted by David and Edith Brown, raised £219.  

 

Christopher Beaumont with accompanist Derek Cardon

Patrick Moore with Christopher Beaumont                        Christopher Beaumont              

                     Derek Cardon                                              Vice President, Liz Armishaw