Margaret
Humphrey, a piano teacher in Newport near Cardiff (Wales, Great Britain)
had many pupils. One day, in the early nineteen twenties, a small,
blind boy was presented to her. He came from a deprived background.
Margaret immediately recognized his talent, took him under her wing
and gave him lessons for free.
The young boy's name was Alec Templeton.
Some music lovers
know the name Alec Templeton as of the composer of "Bach Goes
To Town". And if their knowledge goes a bit further they
also may recall "Mozart Matriculates" and even "Scarlatti
Stoops to Conga". Templeton was known as the radio and TV
celebrity who in the nineteen forties and fifties regularly appeared
on shows hosted by Bing Crosby, and who later had his own show called
"It's Alec Templeton Time" (6/3 - 8/26/1955).
The more serious
collector, while consulting a record catalog for references of specific
recordings, may have seen the entry under Gershwin of blind Alec Templeton's
recording of "Rhapsody in Blue" with Andre Kostelanetz
for Columbia in the nineteen forties. The recording was issued on
two 12" shellac discs (CX-196; C-DX1045/6) and on vinyl (ML-4455)
and was listed in Columbia's catalog next to the famous recording
of Oscar Levant with the Philadelphia Orchestra and conductor Eugene
Ormandy. Note: The recording by Gershwin himself with Paul Whiteman
and his orchestra on one Victor 12" disc (V-35822) was the abridged
version.

Although Levant
mastered both the "Rhapsody" and the "Concerto in F"
with insight and skill as hardly anybody else did, Templeton - being
a talented improviser also - had a good rhythmic feeling for Gershwin's
syncopated music, while his Rhapsody in Blue clearly shows that his
technical skill was somewhat limited.
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Alec
Templeton at the time of his NBC radio broadcasts for Alka Seltzer.
Postcard image editied by R.A.B.
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Templeton's radio
and TV fame was a good reason for Don Gabor to have a recording made
of the improviser which was released on Remington R-199-158 - Alec
Templeton plays improvisations on Offenbach and Strauss. Alec
Templeton himself wrote the liner notes for this recording.
In the season
of 1951-1952 Alec Templeton concertized with the Cincinnati Symphony
Orchestra with success. Laszlo Halasz and Don Gabor had good relations
with the orchestra and its conductor Thor Johnson. Several recordings
for the Remington label were scheduled with this orchestra, recordings
to be supervised by Don Gabor and recording director Laszlo Halasz
(former director of the New York City Opera Company). The recording
engineer was Robert Blake. Gershwin's Concerto in F was the
work to be recorded with Templeton.
Templeton's is
an outstanding interpretation despite the fact that he is not a virtuoso
and does not play the demanding and at times highly complex piano
style impeccably, but the treatment of the rhythmic sections are very
original and his phrasing is beautiful; the blues in the second movement
is soulful, foreboding the dramatic, expressive lamentation. The critics
were very positive about the performance of Templeton and conductor
Johnson, as well as the sound quality of the recording of R-199-184.
Warren De Motte evaluated the performance in The
Long Playing Record Guide: "Templeton-Johnson enjoy their
musical romp and are well recorded."
Another critic mentioned Templeton's restricted technique, but praised
the outstanding musicality of Templeton and Johnson and wrote: "...his
interpretation as well as the orchestral part are very compelling."
And he also referred to Robert Blake's successful registration: "The
sound transmitted by this record has a flabbergasting clarity and
naturalness; especially the sound of the piano is a surprise."
As with the recording of the Prokofiev concerto played by Jorge Bolet
and the same orchestra, here too the grand piano was a Baldwin.
Alec
Templeton around 1953.
(Picture taken from R-199-158. Edited
by R.A.B.)
Alec Andrew Templeton
was born on July 4th, 1909 in Cardiff (Wales, UK) and was blessed
with absolute pitch. At the age of four, he composed his first piano
composition and earned his first money when playing at a children's
concert. He began his musical studies at an early age in his hometown
and as a teenager auditioned for the British Broadcasting Corporation
(BBC) and played for them until 1935. Meanwhile he studied at the
Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music, both in London.
He held degrees for both institutions. At eighteen he composed "Trio
for flute, oboe and piano" for which he was complimented by composer
Ralph Vaughan Williams. On Counterpoint/Esoteric 5533 Alec Templeton
plays his "Trio" together with Julius Baker (flute) and
Albert Goltzer (oboe) and on side two The Phoenix Quartet plays Templeton's
"Quartet Pastorale" which is his Quartet No. 2. The Trio
was recorded by Robert E. Blake Jr., Don Gabor's recording engineer.
One trait of Templeton was his English humor. That is why his compositions
have such witty names as "You and I On Our Lanai", a Hawaiian song,
or - on the more serious side - one can but smile at the title "Pocketsize
Sonata" for clarinet and piano. (He wrote a No. 1 and a No.2).
Templeton's compositions are available as sheet music and can be found
on the web, and are also appreciated by music students who are constantly
searching for uncommon repertory.

Jack Hylton,
British bandleader, who with his jazz orchestra had played in the
Paris Opera, brought Alec Templeton to the United States when Hylton
was to broadcast a series of radio programs for the Standard Oil Company.
The liner notes of R-199-158 state that 'Templeton soon established
himself as an incomparable and sincere artist.'
In addition to his imaginative creativity when 'modernizing' the classical
masters, Alec Templeton composed serious works for piano, for orchestra,
string quartet, and for voice. Templeton: "Good music need not be
ponderous to be good. It can be everything from Bach to jazz." His
style is close to the idiom of British folk songs.
Alec Templeton and his wife Julie lived for many years in Greenfield
(Connecticut). In the house was a large collection of musical boxes
which made music by means of perforated steel discs. Chimes were hanging
from trees in their garden and, when moved by the wind, made music.
Even their limousine had a license plate 'MUSIC'. Several records
were issued with the sound of Alec Templeton's mechanical music boxes
and chimes.
In 1949, Margaret Humphrey celebrated her jubilee as a music teacher.
Alec traveled to South Wales (Great Britain) to give a recital in
her honor. He also invited her to spend a holiday in America as a
thank you - according to Dr.
John Bertalot, Cathedral Organist Emeritus (USA). Because of
personal circumstances, Margaret Humphrey was unable to make the visit,
but of course she appreciated the generous invitation very much.
It was in Connecticut where Alec Templeton died, only 53 years of
age, on March 28th, 1963.
Rudolf A. Bruil, page first published fall 2001