Edith Penville
Penville was considered an excellent flautist. She studied with D.S.Wood at the
Penville played a Rudall
Carte cocuswood flute (No.6839) with silver keys, open G#, modern pitch,
Rockstro model made by Schumacher in 1926.
She was a regular broadcaster
for the BBC from about 1925 to 1940 playing more than 60 different solos in her
programmes during that period. Broadcasting from
Her programmes were wide
ranging, often including pieces by Kohler, Terschak, Doppler and Edward de
Jong. Schwalbenflug(Kohler), Concert
Study(Kohler), Le Babillard(Terschak), Nocturne(Doppler), Rondo a la
Tarantelle(de Jong), and Rondo Capriccioso(de Jong) all received regular
performances. A certain amount of French music seems to have been in her
repertoire too. Serenade(Catherine),
Variations on a theme of Mozart(Hahn), Allegro Scherzando(Gaubert), Les
Ecureuils(Busser). Les Cygnes(Busser) and Petite Piece(Hué) were used in
broadcasts and recitals.
However, her favourite
composer appears to have been Joachim Andersen whose works were included in
most recitals. Second Impromptu Op.55,
Variations Drolatiques Op.26, Schmetherling, Fantasie Caractéristique Op.16,
Variations on a Swedish Air, L’Attente Op.51 No.1, Second Concert Piece, and
Reminiscences (Andersen/Doppler). Her 1930 recording of Andersen’s Fantasie Caractéristique shows more than
a hint of French influenced tone and vibrato.
Penville rarely broadcast
classical works apart from the Revell arrangements of Bach and Handel, although
Bach’s Sonata No.3 and Quantz’s Arioso & Presto did have an airing
during the period mentioned above.
Her early professional career
included a performance with the Halifax Chamber Choir at their first concert in
1899 and a recital accompanied by R.J.Forbes on 21s November
1911, at McEwan Hall, Edinburgh, being the first concert in the Harrison
Concert Series 1911-12. She gave a performance of Nellie Fulcher’s (RAM
student) Cantabile and Scherzo at the
opening ceremony of the Duke’s Hall, RAM, on
In 1920, Penville was playing
flute with O’Mara Opera Company and took part in a performance of Madam Butterfly
on 31st May of that year at the Royal Lyceum Theatre,
An interesting note appeared
in the West Cumberland Times on
Edith Penville recorded for
Beltona in 1926 and
Edith Penville’s Rudall Carte Flute
Stuart Scott,
November 2007
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