News
Xenia Frankel RIP
(Posted 17th September 2008)
We are sad to announce the death of Benjamin Frankel’s widow, Xenia, on 27th July this year, at the age of eighty-one. Her sons have set up an account in the name of “The Xenia and Benjamin Frankel Memorial Prize” which will be for a piano performance. It is intended that this should be adjudicated and presented by the Guildhall School of Music in London, where Benjamin Frankel was principal teacher of composition during the years 1946-56. The GSM has expressed considerable interest in the proposal. Xenia Frankel was an immensely gifted musician who studied piano with Albert Ferber, Edith Vogel and Madeleine Windsor. The prize is seen as a fitting tribute to her and her late husband, and one which will link their names together in perpetuity.
Anyone interested in making a donation to the fund should contact Dimitri Kennaway at DKennaway@aol.com or write c/o 218A Finchley Road, London NW3 6DH, England - UK.
Further news will be posted here when available.
New Frankel film music CD from Naxos
Tuesday, 25th April, 2006.
On 1st May, 2006, Naxos releases the long-awaited re-recording of Frankel’s complete historic score to the Hammer film “Curse of the Werewolf” (Cat.No:8.557850), with Carl Davis conducting the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The CD also includes the complete premiere recording of the score from “The Prisoner” (1955), as well as selections from “The Net” (1953) (”Love Theme”) and “So Long At The Fair” (1950) (including the evergreen “Carriage and Pair”). Amazon UK (click here) and HMV UK (click here) are taking pre-orders. In Germany, it is now available from the JPC website (click here).
The CD is due for an American release on 16th May. It can now be pre-ordered from Amazon USA (click here).
Frankel illustrated talk
Tuesday, 25th April, 2006.
On Saturday 6th May, 2006, the composer’s stepson Dimitri Kennaway will give a talk on Frankel’s life and work, with musical illustrations from recordings of his concert and film music. The talk, organised and hosted by the British Music Society, will be from 2.30pm to 5.00pm in the Jubilee Room, The New Cavendish Club, 44 Great Cumberland Place, London W1H 7BS (near Marble Arch). Tickets are £7.00 for members, or £8.00 for non-members and may be bought on entrance, or by post, from Andrew Knowles, 30 Florida Avenue, Hartford, Huntingdon, Cambs, PE29 1PY (cheques made payable to The British Music Society). Please enclose a stamped, addressed envelope with your application(s).
Frankel online exhibition
Sunday 19th March, 2006
Benjamin Frankel is the subject of an online virtual exhibition set up by the British Library to mark the centenary of his birth. Click here to visit the exhibition.
Forthcoming BBC Radio 3 documentary series
Monday 16th January, 2006
Benjamin Frankel will be featured as the Composer of the Week in BBC Radio 3’s long-running documentary series. Beginning on Monday 30th January, the five-part programme will be broadcast daily between 12pm and 1pm and repeated the following week between midnight and 1am.
Presented by Donald Macleod, Composer of the Week is one of Radio 3’s longest running programmes and is available to listeners of FM radio (90-93FM), DAB Digital Radio, and Digital TV.
Following each daily broadcast, episodes from the series will be made available online for listening via the BBC’s radio player.
You can find out more information about the radio series and how to listen to the programmes online by visiting the Composer of the Week web site on BBCi.