SearchGetRecordReading Festival Chorus (1945-91)
Collection Summary
Collection Title
Reading Festival Chorus (1945-91)
Unique Identifier
D/EX 1225
Description
A collection of material relating to the Reading Festival Chorus (est. 1945), including a collection of programmes for performances given by the group from 1945 to 1991, held as seven envelopes of loose material and a scrapbook of programmes with press cuttings.
Envelopes:
D/EX 1225 7/1/1-12 (12 programmes, 1945–50)
D/EX 1225 7/2/1-22 (22 programmes, 1951–60)
D/EX 1225 7/3/1-21 (21 programmes, 1961–70)
D/EX 1225 7/4/1-7 (5 programmes, 1971–73)
D/EX 1225 7/5/1-10 (10 programmes, 1977–80)
D/EX 1225 7/6/1-7 (6 programmes, 1981–89)
D/EX 1225 7/7/1-4 (4 programmes, 1991)
Scrapbook:
D/EX 1225 8/1 (26 programmes, 1945–59)
The majority of the programmes contained in the scrapbook are repeats of those held loosely in the series of envelopes.
The programme collection is largely complete from 1945 to 1982 and includes programmes for the annual Christmas performance of Handel, Messiah. The majority of the performances of this period were given at venues in Reading, principally the Town Hall (1945–77) and the Hexagon Theatre (1978–82), with occasional concerts at the Minster Church of St. Mary the Virgin in the Butts.
From 1982, the collection is more miscellaneous in nature and the venues are more wide ranging, including some outside of Reading.
The majority of the concerts were conducted by W. Ewart Masser (1945–67), Maurice Miles (1968–70) and Peter Edwards (1971–82). Particularly during the early decades, a number of the concerts were given with the Reading Symphony Orchestra.
Many of the programmes include either words or notes. Those for the Hexagon performances are typically more extended and some incorporate biographical notes, photographs and lists of the choral and/or orchestral ensembles.
In addition to these collections of programmes, the archive includes a separate sequence of handbills and programmes, held at the following shelf marks.
D/EX 1225 6: Posters and Handbills
D/EX 1225 6/1/1-2: Handbills for concerts, 1954 and 1964
D/EX 1225 6/2/1-8: Handbills for concerts, 1978–1982
D/EX 1225 6/3/1-15: Handbills for concerts, 1987–1992
D/EX 1225 6/4/1-15: Posters for concerts, 1987–1992
Envelopes:
D/EX 1225 7/1/1-12 (12 programmes, 1945–50)
D/EX 1225 7/2/1-22 (22 programmes, 1951–60)
D/EX 1225 7/3/1-21 (21 programmes, 1961–70)
D/EX 1225 7/4/1-7 (5 programmes, 1971–73)
D/EX 1225 7/5/1-10 (10 programmes, 1977–80)
D/EX 1225 7/6/1-7 (6 programmes, 1981–89)
D/EX 1225 7/7/1-4 (4 programmes, 1991)
Scrapbook:
D/EX 1225 8/1 (26 programmes, 1945–59)
The majority of the programmes contained in the scrapbook are repeats of those held loosely in the series of envelopes.
The programme collection is largely complete from 1945 to 1982 and includes programmes for the annual Christmas performance of Handel, Messiah. The majority of the performances of this period were given at venues in Reading, principally the Town Hall (1945–77) and the Hexagon Theatre (1978–82), with occasional concerts at the Minster Church of St. Mary the Virgin in the Butts.
From 1982, the collection is more miscellaneous in nature and the venues are more wide ranging, including some outside of Reading.
The majority of the concerts were conducted by W. Ewart Masser (1945–67), Maurice Miles (1968–70) and Peter Edwards (1971–82). Particularly during the early decades, a number of the concerts were given with the Reading Symphony Orchestra.
Many of the programmes include either words or notes. Those for the Hexagon performances are typically more extended and some incorporate biographical notes, photographs and lists of the choral and/or orchestral ensembles.
In addition to these collections of programmes, the archive includes a separate sequence of handbills and programmes, held at the following shelf marks.
D/EX 1225 6: Posters and Handbills
D/EX 1225 6/1/1-2: Handbills for concerts, 1954 and 1964
D/EX 1225 6/2/1-8: Handbills for concerts, 1978–1982
D/EX 1225 6/3/1-15: Handbills for concerts, 1987–1992
D/EX 1225 6/4/1-15: Posters for concerts, 1987–1992
Format
Date range of collection
1945 - 1991
Accumulation Dates
-
Suggested Audience
Not Specific
Associated People or Organisations
Associated Places
Associated Times
This collection is about
Location Details
Berkshire Record Office
9 Coley Avenue Reading Berkshire RG1 6AF Open Map
Email
arch@reading.gov.uk
Telephone
0118 901 5132
Collections Overview
Berkshire Record Office was established in 1948 to locate and preserve records relating to the county of Berkshire and its people, and to make them available for research to anyone who is interested in the county's past.
For details of other collections held at the same location: See the location record
Additional Collection Information
Accrual Status
closed
Related Publications
Management Information (Type)
Collection Owner(s)
Collection Creator(s)
Collection Collector(s)
Collection Custodians(s)
Associated Collection(s)
