David Adam CairnsCBE (born 8 June 1926, Loughton, Essex) is a British journalist, non-fiction writer and musician. He is a leading authority on the life of Berlioz.[1]
He is the son of the distinguished neurosurgeon, Sir Hugh Cairns.
He co-founded the Chelsea Opera Group (COG) in 1950, together with Stephen Gray.[2] Their first concert was a concert performance in Oxford of Mozart's Don Giovanni under the baton of a 22-year-old Colin Davis.[2] Cairns and Davis went on to form a partnership to champion the music of Berlioz.[3] During the early 1960s, Davis conducted the COG in concert performances of several of Berlioz's large-scale works, including La Damnation de Faust, Roméo et Juliette, Les Troyens and Benvenuto Cellini.[4] Cairns became classical programme coordinator for Philips Records between 1967 and 1972 (in the London division of Phonogram), when Davis released his ground-breaking cycle of Berlioz recordings for the label (with sleeve notes by Cairns).[3]
His translation of Berlioz's autobiography (Mémoires) was first published by Gollancz in the United Kingdom in 1969.[5]
His two-volume biography of Berlioz: Berlioz: The Making of an Artist 1803–1832 and Berlioz: Servitude and Greatness 1832-1869.[6] has been widely praised. Reviewing the second volume for Opera magazine, Michael Kennedy described it as "one of the finest of all biographies of a composer" going on to praise his depiction "of Berlioz's lifelong struggle against the philistinism of Parisian musical life", and proclaims that "he has given Berlioz the literary memorial he deserves".[7] The books won several major awards, including the Royal Philharmonic Society's Music award, the Yorkshire Post 'Book of the Year', the British Academy's Derek Allen prize, the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction, and biography of the year in the Whitbread Book Awards.
In his book Mozart and his Operas, published in 2006 by University of California Press, Cairns stated part of the appeal of Mozart's music was its simultaneous embodiment of both "the perfection our souls long for and the sensation of our longing".
In 2019, a substantial collection of his essays on the composer was published under the title Discovering Berlioz - Essays, Reviews, Talks.[3]
HonoursEdit
In 1991, the French government named him an Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his work in promoting Hector Berlioz as a key French composer. In 2013, he was elevated to the position of Commandeur. In the UK, he was appointed CBE in the 1997 New Year Honours.
^ ab"Chelsea Opera Group: About COG". www.chelseaoperagroup.org.uk. 2001. from the original on 20 July 2019.
^ abcQuinn J (June 2020). "Discovering Berlioz - Essays, Reviews, Talks By David Cairns". www.musicweb-international.com. from the original on 21 January 2021.
^"The Hector Berlioz Website - Champions: David Cairns". www.hberlioz.com. 22 October 2014. from the original on 26 April 2021.
david, cairns, writer, other, people, with, same, name, david, cairns, disambiguation, david, adam, cairns, born, june, 1926, loughton, essex, british, journalist, fiction, writer, musician, leading, authority, life, berlioz, contents, biography, honours, refe. For other people with the same name see David Cairns disambiguation David Adam Cairns CBE born 8 June 1926 Loughton Essex is a British journalist non fiction writer and musician He is a leading authority on the life of Berlioz 1 Contents 1 Biography 2 Honours 3 References 4 SourcesBiography EditHe is the son of the distinguished neurosurgeon Sir Hugh Cairns He co founded the Chelsea Opera Group COG in 1950 together with Stephen Gray 2 Their first concert was a concert performance in Oxford of Mozart s Don Giovanni under the baton of a 22 year old Colin Davis 2 Cairns and Davis went on to form a partnership to champion the music of Berlioz 3 During the early 1960s Davis conducted the COG in concert performances of several of Berlioz s large scale works including La Damnation de Faust Romeo et Juliette Les Troyens and Benvenuto Cellini 4 Cairns became classical programme coordinator for Philips Records between 1967 and 1972 in the London division of Phonogram when Davis released his ground breaking cycle of Berlioz recordings for the label with sleeve notes by Cairns 3 His translation of Berlioz s autobiography Memoires was first published by Gollancz in the United Kingdom in 1969 5 His work in journalism has spanned a number of high profile newspapers and magazines He was chief music critic of the Sunday Times from 1983 to 1992 having earlier been music critic and arts editor of The Spectator Other publications for which he has been a music critic include the Evening Standard Financial Times and New Statesman 1 Before becoming a music journalist he worked in the House of Commons Library His two volume biography of Berlioz Berlioz The Making of an Artist 1803 1832 and Berlioz Servitude and Greatness 1832 1869 6 has been widely praised Reviewing the second volume for Opera magazine Michael Kennedy described it as one of the finest of all biographies of a composer going on to praise his depiction of Berlioz s lifelong struggle against the philistinism of Parisian musical life and proclaims that he has given Berlioz the literary memorial he deserves 7 The books won several major awards including the Royal Philharmonic Society s Music award the Yorkshire Post Book of the Year the British Academy s Derek Allen prize the Samuel Johnson Prize for non fiction and biography of the year in the Whitbread Book Awards In 1983 he founded the Thorington Players 1 a London based orchestra that he conducted regularly in St Mary s Church Putney and at St John s Smith Square In his book Mozart and his Operas published in 2006 by University of California Press Cairns stated part of the appeal of Mozart s music was its simultaneous embodiment of both the perfection our souls long for and the sensation of our longing In 2019 a substantial collection of his essays on the composer was published under the title Discovering Berlioz Essays Reviews Talks 3 Honours EditIn 1991 the French government named him an Officier de l Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his work in promoting Hector Berlioz as a key French composer In 2013 he was elevated to the position of Commandeur In the UK he was appointed CBE in the 1997 New Year Honours References Edit a b c Grove Cairns David Adam a b Chelsea Opera Group About COG www chelseaoperagroup org uk 2001 Archived from the original on 20 July 2019 a b c Quinn J June 2020 Discovering Berlioz Essays Reviews Talks By David Cairns www musicweb international com Archived from the original on 21 January 2021 The Hector Berlioz Website Champions David Cairns www hberlioz com 22 October 2014 Archived from the original on 26 April 2021 Rushton J 2001 The music of Berlioz Oxford Oxford University Press p xiv ISBN 9780198167389 Allen Lane The Penguin Press London 1989 1999 Kennedy M Berlioz s literary memorial Michael Kennedy on the Cairns biography Opera January 2000 Vol 51 No 1 p45 47 Sources EditGrove Music Online Cairns David Adam article by Stanley Sadie Portals Classical music Biography Music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Cairns writer amp oldid 1171863420, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
