Knebworth Festivals do have a history of world-class music, and this summer it was the turn of the Knebworth Village Festival to take that crown. ‘Midsummer Mozart’ was billed as a ‘fringe’ event, but that can only mean ‘fringe’ as in ‘decoratively hanging in front of the face’ as this event was a particularly special addition to this year’s fine Festival line up. It took place in beautiful St Martin’s church at the suggestion of local professional musicians, violinist Gaby Lester and her husband, horn player, Jonathan Williams. They brought with them a chamber of seven other exceptional musicians to perform Mozart’s Horn Quintet K407 and Divertimento K334 – and, of special interest and relevance to Knebworth, Elisabeth Lutyens’ String Trio 1939.
Elisabeth Lutyens (1906-1983) was the daughter of architect Edwin Lutyens, designer of Knebworth Garden Village and of St Martin’s church, and Emily, née Bulwer Lytton, daughter of Robert Lytton of Knebworth House. To hear Elisabeth’s work performed under a signature Lutyens arch in her father’s church was a special treat. The splendid piece – rarely aired and with no known recording – was thrillingly dramatic and, it could be said, more gothic than her father’s taste. This tarries with Elisabeth’s later career scoring films, particularly thrillers, including Hammer Horror movies such ‘Never Takes Sweets From A Stranger’.
This 1960 film was the personal favourite film of its late director Cyril Frankel, with whom I worked closely in my youth and whose small archive is now part of the Knebworth House Archive. So, you can imagine my delight at this rare opportunity to hear my first-cousin-twice-removed’s work. What a glorious and unique treat! The Mozart was good too.
Henry Lytton Cobbold
@HenryCobboldKH
