Then & Now: Durban symphony of music
THIS week’s pictures of old and new Durban are of the KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, currently in the middle of its Summer Season, and its forerunner, the Durban Symphony Orchestra (DSO).
The DSO was formed in 1922 under the baton of H Lyell-Taylor, who conducted until 1927. His successors were Dan Godfrey, Edward Dunn, William Pickerill and Dr Frits Schuurman, who resigned in 1966.
The Durban City Council then appointed Aubrey Pletnick as manager and introduced a policy of engaging overseas guest conductors.
From 1971 to 1977, the DSO consisted of 45 musicians, augmented to 72 musicians for a fourmonth season. The first photo was probably taken in the city hall in the early 1960s. In 1977, the council had a brief debate and ended up disbanding the entire orchestra.
The final concert was held on February 17, 1977, with music by Beethoven, Williamson, Kodaly and Mozart, whose Piano Concerto No 17 was performed by Malcolm Binns.
In 1982, a provincial orchestra was formed under the umbrella of Napac. The first concert of the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra (today the KZNPO) was held in Pietermaritzburg on October 25, 1983, and repeated in Durban two days later.
The first season of seven concerts under the baton of David Tidboald was an all-Beethoven cycle. Tickets ranged from R2 to R6.
The recent photo of the KZNPO, taken by Sibonelo Ngcobo at the season opening last week, includes Jitske Brien, who was principal second violin at the last DSO concert and, 42 years later, is still an ad hoc violinist with the KZNPO. Today ticket prices range from R68 (for students) to R240.
The Independent on Saturday appeals to readers who have old pictures of Durban and other parts of the province to send them to us for consideration. If any readers are featured in the old picture, we will do our best to recreate the scene with them in it again. Readers sending pictures digitally – images should be about 1MB – can address them, with the relevant information, to satmail@inl.co.za. If the pictures are in hard copy format, they can be posted to The Editor, Old Pictures, The Independent on Saturday, PO Box 47549, Greyville, 4023.