Ada St John Wright

  Notes:

1871 Census (age 8); Living in Priors Marston with parents, 3 sisters, a cousin (Julia Rands - 14, born in Northants), a governess and 3 servants.

1877; Leamington Spa Courier; Hotel Arrivals ".....Misses Wright, Priors Marston"

1879; Leamington Spa Courier; Fenny Compton and Dassett Magna Horticultural Society ".... Misses Wright, Priors Marston "

1881 census (age 18) Still living in Priors Marston with father, sister, cousin (Edith Rands) and 3 servants also living there. Mother dead by then.

1891 Census (age 27) living in Hampstead, London with her 2 sisters Eleanor and Sarah and a servant. All single. Occupation; 'Pianist, Music'.

http://www.concertprogrammes.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/5297;
"At St James's Hall; 11 December 1899: Grand Orchestral Concert given by Miss Edith Miller and Miss Ada Wright, led by Mr Edward O'Brien and conducted by Frederic Cowen, including the first performance of a finale movement from a piano concerto in D by Haydn."

1901 Census (age 38) living in Flat 3, 13 Powis(?) Lane, North Kensington, London as head of household with her 2 sisters. All still single. Occupation; "Living on own means". No servant anymore!

1914; The Musical Times and Singing-class Circular; "Miss Ada St. John Wright (Duke's Hall, March 2, with the New Symphony Orchestra under Mr. Landon Ronald)"

From Wendy; The Times March 3 1914; Reviews; Miss St.John Wright's Concert. Beethoven's Piano Concerto in C minor was the chief work in the pleasant orchestral concert which Miss St.John Wright gave with Mr Landon Ronald and the New Symphony Orchestra in the Duke's Hall, Royal Academy of Music, yesterday afternoon. The solo part of this was neatly played by the concert-giver, whose easy style, clean, rather unemotional touch, and careful phrasing seemed to be quite the right thing for music which belongs to the period of Beethoven's unawakened youth. The concerto was preced by Mozart's Overture to Figaro and followed by an Aria by Bach, which Mr.Gervse Elwes sang. The only other event was the revival of a Piano Concerto by Oskar Raid, a not very distinguished composer of the 19th century, who, as a pupil of Tausig, drew his ideas of musical composition, and especially of piano technique, from those which Liszt made current amongst his immediate disciples. The concerto has certain ornamental passages which one recognizes as Listz's property, some tunes which comes from an earlier date, but very little which could be marked as the individual thought of its composer. It seemed surprising that is should have attained the dignity of publication in 1878, and still more that it should be played in 1914. We should have liked to hear Miss St.John Wright end her concert with something more interesting.

From Wendy;The Times March 2 1922; Classified Ads; Opera - Aeolian Hall, Ada St John Wright, Tonight at 8:15, Piano Recital.
and
The Times March 4 1922; Reviews; Miss Wright's Recital; The pianoforte playing of Miss Ada St.John Wright is on small lines, but within its limits has good features. She is very clear in matters of detail, and her rhythms are steadily held, while her tone, though not at all powerful, has an agreeable quality. The programme of her concert at the Aeolian Hall contained music by Mozart, Haydn, Veracini and Rameau, in which the points named could be well observed. More, however, was needed to make the performances really alive and interesting. One had the impression that Miss Wright was never quite conveying her own ideas, never quite linking up platform with auditorium, which in effect is the secret of interpretation. Her playing, therefore, remained formal in sound and detached in feeling. She was assisted by Mr.Eric Marshall, who sang arais of Mozart and Massenet fluently, but without enough colour.

1922; Musical News and Herald "Ada St John Wright (pianist) assisted by Eric Marshall (vocalist)"

From Wendy H; The Times Feb 12 1926; Recitals of the Week. New Kensington Music Club. Although the pianoforte concerto of Haydn performed at the New Kensington Music Club's concert on Monday night cannot be said to add anything to our knowledge of Haydn, the event was interesting, since it had never been played in London before. A note in the programme explained that it was the only one to be saved from a set of 14, the others having been burnt, and that Miss Ada St John Wright, the pianist on this occasion, had previously played it once at Bournemouth. The concert began with another work whose interest was chiefly historical ; after all, one cannot expect each one of the Bach cantatas to be on the inspired level of those we all know, but that does not mean they should not come to a hearing from time to time. No.57 "Blessed is the Man" begins with an expressive bass aria, but falls away after that, and can only be listened to respectfully. No. 32 "Dearest Jesu" came at the end of the programme, and there were also four songs from the "Schemelli Gesang Buch" the last only, 'Jesu, Jewel of My Heart' being of especial beauty. A small orchestra of strings was conducted by Mr.C.Kennedy Scott, the chorales in the cantates were sung by a few members of the Oriana Madrigal Soc., and the soloists with Miss Dorothy Silk and Mr.Arthur Cranmer.
This confirmed in "A chronicle of first broadcast performances of musical works in the United Kingdom".

1926; Derby Daily Telegraph; "......roadcasting. Nottingham (323).—6.0, Robins. 6.30, London Radio Dance Band, .Programm© London. 7.40, bast Midlands Radio Guild .Bulletin, Mi. 11._(); Ada St. John Wright (piano) with Wireless Orchestra: Concerto D Major for piano and Orchestra viv ace Larghetto; Rondo (Aliegio ...... "

Tayside Evening Telegraph 1933; "3.30—The Bournemouth Municipal Augmented Orchestra (Conductor, Sir Dan Godfrey), Ada St John Wright (Pianoforte). Relayed from The Pavilion, Bournemouth. National....."

Death date from Arthur G-P notes on back of Priors Marston picture.

Music teacher. Noted pianist. 2nd person ever to perform a (previously missing) Haydn symphony. MTGP has (glowing) reviews from Daily Telegraph, Bristol Daily Mercury, Eastbourne Gazette etc. etc. Played concert in Harrogate in 1930's .

Brondesbury possible location of school she taught at - have letter from someone at Manor House, Brondesbury attesting to her excellence as both a teacher and performer of music.

Trustees of her will were Mr.George St John Rands and Kate St John Wright. Have Sept 1973 letter from Thomas J.Eckford, Rands & Co. (Consultant; G St John Rands - relative), Solicitors in Northampton regarding sales and reinvestment of British Electricity stock.