14 Facts About Beatrice Harrison

Beatrice Harrison was a British cellist active in the first half of the 20th century.

Beatrice Harrison gave first performances of several important English works, especially those of Frederick Delius, and made the first or standard recordings of others, particularly the first recording of Elgar's cello concerto in 1920 with the composer conducting.

The Harrison family moved back to England during her childhood and she studied at the Royal College of Music, London, and afterwards under Hugo Becker, and at the High School of Music in Berlin.

Hugo Becker had spoken to Sir Henry Wood of his admiration for Beatrice Harrison's playing even before her debut under his baton in 1911, playing Dvorak, Haydn and Tchaikovsky.

The Beatrice Harrison family became friends with Roger Quilter and his circle through the Soldiers' concerts in 1916.

On 11 March 1918 Beatrice Harrison performed Dvorak's Cello Concerto in B minor with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under Thomas Beecham.

Beatrice Harrison attracted wider attention as the first performer of Delius's Cello Sonata.

Beatrice Harrison gave the first festival performance of Edward Elgar's Cello Concerto outside London, at the Three Choirs Festival in Hereford in 1921.

Beatrice Harrison's performances became well known through broadcast in the early days of BBC sound radio.

Beatrice Harrison made one of the BBC's earliest live outside broadcasts in May 1924 when she sat and played her cello in the garden of her house Foyle Riding at Oxted, duetting with nightingales.

Contemporary accounts, including Beatrice Harrison's letters, are held at the Museum of Music History, Dorking, and cellist Kate Kennedy says that these disprove that a bird impersonator was used.

Beatrice Harrison was one of the English soloists who took part in Wood's very final season in July 1944, a month before his death.

Beatrice Harrison owned and played a cello made by Pietro Guarneri.

Beatrice Harrison is buried in the churchyard of St Peter's, Limpsfield, near Sir Thomas Beecham and other prominent musicians.