[Excerpt]
Beginning with Ella
There was music in my life from the start coming mainly from my dear Grandmother, Ella Rosenthal Miley. She was a magnificent pianist. I do not know whether the RTE archives say anything about her but she broadcast piano and violin recitals with Lorna Thompson (violin) monthly on 2RN from the mid 20s until 1938 when she died. Ella had the highest standards and no time for "unmusical musicians". She had a beautiful description for musicians of whom she approved, she would say that he or she had "Minstrelsy" and hence the title at these memoirs.
When, as a Jewess, she and my grandfather (a Catholic Solicitor) decided to get married there was uproar all around (par for the course in those days) and they had to have the ceremony performed in London.
Ella had two Bechstein pianos, a grand and an upright, and I still have the upright in my living room. I was her favourite grandchild. She was a rather forbidding figure and while all her other grandchildren went almost hysterical when they first saw her, I apparently gave her a lovely smile and she never forgot it.
We had an acoustic wind-up gramophone in our children's playroom and the record I remember best from that gramophone was of John McCormack singing the beautiful song I hear you calling me.
At the age of about six, Ella sent me for piano lessons to the Leinster School of Music (run by May Cosgrave, a sister of Willie Cosgrave, our first Prime Minister). This was not successful and did not last very long. Later, every Wednesday afternoon, I called at her house and, interspersed between reading detective stories such as Sexton Blake and The Saint, and eating hot buttered toast, she tried to teach me the piano. I am afraid I was a poor pupil but, to her everlasting credit, when I came to play the clarinet I could read music. I think she also laid the foundation of my feeling for musical standards. I suppose the most ambitious of Ella's broadcasts was a rendering of the little known Saint Seans Trumpet Septet. The players who could have been described in dance music terms as a "band of stars" were: Ella (Piano), Lorna Thompson (Violin), Rita Christopher (Violin), Signor Grossi (Viola), Joe Scholfield (Cello), Zach Lee (Double Bass), Tommy McCurtain (Trumpet).
I well remember the excitement of attending a rehearsal of this work in Ella's drawing room. After the music she provided a superb afternoon tea for her fellow musicians.
My first drum
Parallel with these activities, at 9 years of age I used to regularly join Ella and my father, Jack Miley, in listening with pleasure to Jack Payne's popular BBC Dance Orchestra. Can you imagine three generations listening to and enjoying U2 today!
The rhythm of the dance music got to me and I started accompanying it drumming with pen nibs on a table. Ella took this seriously so when I was ten years of age we proceeded in her chauffeur-driven car to Waltons in North Frederick Street. Martin Walton (who was a client of my uncle's firm Miley & Miley, Solicitors) treated us very well and Ella bought me a little 10" side drum and a stand, together with a pair of drumsticks. I played this little drum (mainly with the wireless) for four years and got tremendous pleasure out of it. Among my favourite programmes to accompany were Saturday Night Music Hall on the BBC and the weekly performances by the Coventry Hippodrome Orchestra, conducted by Charles Shadwell whose signature tune was I want to be happy from No, No. Nanette. They played lovely selections one of which was a selection of Souza Marches. I suppose from this I got a knack of following the music which has stayed with me to this day.
I had not much time for classical music in those days but my father used to give gramophone concerts in his drawing room. I turned over the records in his study and gradually came to appreciate what was going on. I suppose the best record to remain in my memory from that time was of Adolph Busch and Rudolph Serkin playing the Beethoven Spring Sonata. When I was 12 years old the Regal Rooms beside the Theatre Royal, opened as a Ballroom with Jimmy Campbell's Band (the Theatre Royal had booked these musicians a year too soon!) I was mad keen to hear the band and believe it or not my dear mother brought me there to a Saturday afternoon Tea Dance and we danced together enthusiastically.
(part 1) Accountancy Ireland, Vol. 33, No. 6 December 2001
(part 2)Accountancy Ireland, Vol. 34, No. 1 February 2002
I was interested to read your article especially because I am trying to find out about my grandmother who was Ella Gertrude Rosenthal. Her father was Alfred E Rosenthal who was born in Dublin and was a solicitor. He lived in london for most of his life and I have been told that my grandmother Ella was somehow connected to the stage. I was wondering if this could possibly be the same person. I await your reply with interest.
E.J. Crease
I was interested to read your article especially because I am trying to find out about my grandmother who was ella Gertrude Rosenthal, her father was Alfred E Rosenthal who was born in Dublin and was a solicitor. He lived in England for most of his life and I have been told that my grandmother was somehow connected to the stage. I was wondering if this is the same person. I await your reply with interest.
Edward J Crease