The Golden Shore

From a scholarly perspective, this study of Braithwaite provides much commentary about conducting opera, the experience of conducting and working with contemporaries in 20th century England, and more. For the everyday reader, this book is not only a scholarly read, but something that is also enjoyable outside of its scholarly prowess. From this perspective, one of the best parts of this work is Warwick Braithwaite’s unique perspective in which to view the happenings of the 20th century. It was enthralling to read about events of the 20th century from the perspective of a musician to see the impacts of world events on opera companies, musicians, and regular people within this field. The Golden Shore would be an excellent addition to any library, suitable for casual readers

This is a weighty proposition of a book. Its bulk promises and delivers much. There are 502 pages in all, of which 362 comprise the central feature, namely an otherwise unpublished autobiography by New Zealand-born conductor Warwick Braithwaite (1896-1971). Editor/librarian Roger Flury has thus rescued and made a viable proposition of a fascinating autobiography. Braithwaite’s narrative is buttressed and underpinned by Flury’s Preface, by his mid-book ‘Bridge Passage’ chapter (plugging a 1930s gap) and a Postlude. The main self-drawn life-narrative is decked out with unfailingly helpful footnotes by Mr Flury, none of which are indulgent or garrulously unfocused. The book is a good read and the pages fairly fly by with a schema being, for the most part, laid out chronologically. The early childhood chapters keep up the tempo and avoid the slough of despond that bogs down many authors’ memoirs in this department. Warwick’s account of old conflicts, disappointments, torments and scandals is gripping, as is his immersive commitment to music and orchestral and singing standards. His own life-account ends in a sheer drop into chasmal silence in 1956. Flury takes over with an Epilogue covering the years to 1971. The latter includes invaluable documentation around the conductor’s obsequies. A warm welcome is due this exemplary book which has been so well realised.

Warwick Braithwaite...left an incomplete autobiography, which the musicologist Roger Flury has edited for publication, researching and filling in gaps as necessary and providing context as well as brief but useful annotations. He writes in a lively and immediate style that testifies to his passion for music and its furtherance, causes he espoused with a tenacity that at times probably told against the success of his own career - though always with the benefit of music, musicians and audiences in mind, as opposed to any personal advancement. The breadth of his musical interests was remarkable.

This is an absorbing book: we learn a great deal about a gifted and sometimes 'difficult' musician, but also about the times in which he lived, and about his warm, sympathetic relationships with friends - as well as waspish dealings with those he came to regard as enemies. Extremely well edited (the footnotes are a mine of useful information) and fleshed out with valuable additional information by Flury, it is a significant contribution to British musical life (particularly operatic life) in the first half of the twentieth century. I recomend this well-produced and very reasonably priced book most warmly.