(News of the death of Terence MacDonagh
was recently received. Members of the I.D.R.S. mourn hi's passing.
The following obituary appeared in the London
Daily Telegraph on September 18, 1986.)
Terence MacDonagh, who has died aged 78, was an exquisite player of the oboe and the cor anglais.
A founder member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, he had a long association with Sir Thomas Beecham in the Royal Philharmonic and played under conductors from Toscanini, who once autographed his manuscript score, to Boulez.
Of Irish descent, he was the son of James MacDonagh, a distinguished performer on the cor anglais at a time when the instrument was little cultivated.
Young Terence first studied the piano under Arthur de Greef at the Brussels Conservatoire, then changed to the oboe and had private lessons in Paris from Mystil Morel, one of the most celebrated French players.
He trained at the Royal Academy of Music in London and joined the Scottish Orchestra in 1926. Four years later he was chosen to play the cor anglais in the new BBC Symphony Orchestra, becoming principal oboist in 1937.
During the 1939-45 War he served with the Fire Service and was awarded the British Empire Medal in 1941 for his work in the Blitz.
After the war he joined Beecham's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as principal oboist, playing several seasons at Glyndebourne and enhancing his reputation with sensitive solos of works by such composers as Mozart, Beethoven, Handel, Haydn, Grieg, Strauss, Delius and Bizet.
With the London Wind Soloists he undertook a series of outstanding recordings of Mozart's wind music and was also featured on a prized record of Mozart (K-452) and Beethoven (Opus 16) piano quintets made with Vladimir Ashkenazy.
In 1963 Mr. MacDonagh was elected to the Board of Professors of
the Royal College of music. He retired 15 years later as Senior
Wind Professor. In 1979 he was appointed an OBE.