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Robert Murchie
Robert Murchie (2 March 1884 – 26 July 1949) was a virtuoso British flautist and a prominent member of the major English orchestras between 1914 and 1938. He was successively principal flautist in the New Symphony, Beecham Symphony, Queen's Hall, New Queen's Hall, London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic Society, BBC Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestras. In 1926 he founded a chamber ensemble of leading wind players known as the London Wind Quintet. He was described by Sir Henry Wood as "one of the finest of living flautists" who said he had "a tone, a technique and a musicianly style that cannot be surpassed". In her book 'The Flute Book', by Nancy Toff, she describes Murchie thus: The English style of flute playing reached its apogee in the playing of Robert Murchie, perhaps the premier London flautist between the two world wars.
Murchie was born on 2 March 1884 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland to Robert Arnot Murchie and Isobel Gray Rankin. His father was a painter decorator. Robert was one of six children, all of who could play a musical instrument. Robert's father bought him a piccolo when he was seven years old and a flute when he was nine. At aged nine, he was performing for ships' officers in Scotland and by sixteen he had played in the Scottish Orchestra under Richard Strauss.
The 1901 Scotland census states that aged 17 Robert was a theatre musician in his native Scotland. In 1906 he was awarded a free open scholarship to study with William Lewis Barrett at the Royal College of Music, London. The minutes books of the Executive and Finance Committee of the RCM from 19 July 1906 state that Murchie was helped to purchase the quality of instrument he needed for his studies, by allowing its £24 cost to be deducted in instalments from his maintenance grant. In 1907 he received his first Musical Times notice from a Bach Cantata concert at the Royal College of Music, where as a student he performed under Sir Charles Villiers Stanford.
In 1909 Murchie was playing with the New Symphony Orchestra as their piccolo player, as can be seen in their orchestra lists of the period.
He married Florence Barrow, a fine singer, also a student at the RCM, in 1910 and they had two children, Robert Arnot Murchie and James Ian Murchie. James, who was himself a fine flautist, his father's pupil, was an RAF Pilot who died aged 19 in 1941 when his Vickers Wellington was shot down over Germany during a night raid on Berlin.
Early in his career, Robert was a member of the Royal Victory Band, an ensemble that recorded for the British Victory label ca. 1912. In September 1913, Murchie was chosen to play alongside the great Italian coloratura soprano, Luisa Tetrazzini, in a recording of Caterina's grand aria from Meyerbeer's L'étoile du nord. He joined the London Symphony Orchestra in 1914 and remained with the orchestra until 1920. Whilst a flautist with the London Symphony Orchestra, he saw active service during the first World War, enlisting in 1916 and served, attaining the rank of Sergeant, in the 45th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. He became the Brigade bandmaster in 1917 and played the Fourth Army over the Rhine.
He became one of the leading flute players in London, succeeding Albert Fransella as principal flute of the orchestra of the Royal Philharmonic Society (1925–1932). He was also the first principal flute of the newly formed BBC Symphony Orchestra (1930-1938). Murchie was arguably the leading orchestral flautist in London during the inter-war years, a fact that allowed him to negotiate a salary of £1,000 p.a. in 1930, far higher than the standard principals' salary of £800. He was also at various times principal flute of the London Symphony Orchestra, the New Queen's Hall Orchestra and the Henry Wood Symphony Orchestra. Murchie also played with the BBC's Wireless Military Band, conducted by Lieut. B. Walton O'Donnell of the Royal Marines, which was founded in 1927 and disbanded in 1943. The Military Band had great success both at home and overseas.
He was principal of the variously named Proms orchestras from 1919 until 1928, when he left for a period of two years. He returned in 1931 and continued as principal until retiring after his last Prom, in which he played Bach's Concerto No. 8 in A minor for Flute, Violin, and Piano, on 22 September 1937, when he took up professorships at Trinity College of Music and the Royal College of Music.
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Robert Murchie
Robert Murchie (2 March 1884 – 26 July 1949) was a virtuoso British flautist and a prominent member of the major English orchestras between 1914 and 1938. He was successively principal flautist in the New Symphony, Beecham Symphony, Queen's Hall, New Queen's Hall, London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic Society, BBC Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestras. In 1926 he founded a chamber ensemble of leading wind players known as the London Wind Quintet. He was described by Sir Henry Wood as "one of the finest of living flautists" who said he had "a tone, a technique and a musicianly style that cannot be surpassed". In her book 'The Flute Book', by Nancy Toff, she describes Murchie thus: The English style of flute playing reached its apogee in the playing of Robert Murchie, perhaps the premier London flautist between the two world wars.
Murchie was born on 2 March 1884 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland to Robert Arnot Murchie and Isobel Gray Rankin. His father was a painter decorator. Robert was one of six children, all of who could play a musical instrument. Robert's father bought him a piccolo when he was seven years old and a flute when he was nine. At aged nine, he was performing for ships' officers in Scotland and by sixteen he had played in the Scottish Orchestra under Richard Strauss.
The 1901 Scotland census states that aged 17 Robert was a theatre musician in his native Scotland. In 1906 he was awarded a free open scholarship to study with William Lewis Barrett at the Royal College of Music, London. The minutes books of the Executive and Finance Committee of the RCM from 19 July 1906 state that Murchie was helped to purchase the quality of instrument he needed for his studies, by allowing its £24 cost to be deducted in instalments from his maintenance grant. In 1907 he received his first Musical Times notice from a Bach Cantata concert at the Royal College of Music, where as a student he performed under Sir Charles Villiers Stanford.
In 1909 Murchie was playing with the New Symphony Orchestra as their piccolo player, as can be seen in their orchestra lists of the period.
He married Florence Barrow, a fine singer, also a student at the RCM, in 1910 and they had two children, Robert Arnot Murchie and James Ian Murchie. James, who was himself a fine flautist, his father's pupil, was an RAF Pilot who died aged 19 in 1941 when his Vickers Wellington was shot down over Germany during a night raid on Berlin.
Early in his career, Robert was a member of the Royal Victory Band, an ensemble that recorded for the British Victory label ca. 1912. In September 1913, Murchie was chosen to play alongside the great Italian coloratura soprano, Luisa Tetrazzini, in a recording of Caterina's grand aria from Meyerbeer's L'étoile du nord. He joined the London Symphony Orchestra in 1914 and remained with the orchestra until 1920. Whilst a flautist with the London Symphony Orchestra, he saw active service during the first World War, enlisting in 1916 and served, attaining the rank of Sergeant, in the 45th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. He became the Brigade bandmaster in 1917 and played the Fourth Army over the Rhine.
He became one of the leading flute players in London, succeeding Albert Fransella as principal flute of the orchestra of the Royal Philharmonic Society (1925–1932). He was also the first principal flute of the newly formed BBC Symphony Orchestra (1930-1938). Murchie was arguably the leading orchestral flautist in London during the inter-war years, a fact that allowed him to negotiate a salary of £1,000 p.a. in 1930, far higher than the standard principals' salary of £800. He was also at various times principal flute of the London Symphony Orchestra, the New Queen's Hall Orchestra and the Henry Wood Symphony Orchestra. Murchie also played with the BBC's Wireless Military Band, conducted by Lieut. B. Walton O'Donnell of the Royal Marines, which was founded in 1927 and disbanded in 1943. The Military Band had great success both at home and overseas.
He was principal of the variously named Proms orchestras from 1919 until 1928, when he left for a period of two years. He returned in 1931 and continued as principal until retiring after his last Prom, in which he played Bach's Concerto No. 8 in A minor for Flute, Violin, and Piano, on 22 September 1937, when he took up professorships at Trinity College of Music and the Royal College of Music.