JOHN AUSTIN
I first met John and Margaret at the long-gone College of Adult Education in Manchester where Roger had invited me to continue the Saturday viol consort classes originally set up by Joan Wess. Many other meetings were to follow:- consort classes at my house; annual viol weekends at Alston Hall; the Ambleside Summer School on two occasions, and of course John was Chair of NWEMF for a brief period until his heart attack made him give up. I enjoyed going to their house for committee meetings.
I wrote briefly about Margaret when she died in 2005 so it seemed fitting to add a few words about John. I shall remember his love of the harmonic twists and turns of English consort music – after a session he would frequently come to me to discuss an interesting moment in the piece, ask to see the score and point out the chord changes he had heard and enjoyed. He was a very rewarding player to have in a class. The last time I saw him was at Alston Hall last October when he was struggling to keep going but was still listening, responding and enjoying the music.
Elizabeth Dodd
Published in June 2012 Newsletter
