The English composer Stephen Dodgson was born on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1924. At the time I spoke with him in 2012, he was the closest living relative to share the surname Dodgson with his famous forebear, Charles Dodgson, better known as Lewis Carroll.
At 88, he was in good physical health, it seemed, but unfortunately he was developing serious problems with his memory. His wife informed me after our interview, which took place via telephone, that he had good days and bad days, and that he had been perfectly lucid the day before. In any case, he was a perfectly articulate and charming man, who even invited me to dinner at his house outside of London. However, at the end of 15 or 20 minutes, I still had nothing that I could use on my radio show, “The Lost Chord.”
Dodgson wasn’t making a lot of sense that afternoon, but when it came to his music, it was like a cloud lifted. He may not have been able to stay on topic long enough to give me any useful audio, but he had no trouble at all naming some of his favorite pieces.
After the program aired, in October of 2012, I was told by his wife that the two were able to listen to the webcast and that it brought Stephen a lot of pleasure to hear it. I was sorry to learn that he died six months later, nearly a month after his 89th birthday. This Sunday night on “The Lost Chord,” I will be rebroadcasting that program, a few days in advance of what would have been Dodgson’s 93rd birthday.
The composer was perhaps best known for his guitar music, beginning with a commission from Julian Bream in 1952. The show will open and close with selections from “Watersmeet,” from 2002, written for John Williams (the guitarist was to have been the Dodgsons’ dinner guest on the night that we spoke), for solo guitar and guitar ensemble.
Flutist Robert Stallman, who lived in Philadelphia for many years, will perform Dodgson’s Flute Quintet, composed in 2003. We’ll also hear the cantata “The Last of the Leaves,” from 1975, on texts of Austin Dobson, Ernest Rhys, G.K. Chesterton and Harold Monro, with bass Michael George and clarinetist John Bradbury. This was an absolute favorite of the composer and his wife.
Dodgson wrote no symphonies, but he wrote eight large-scale orchestral movements, which he called “Essays.” He selected the fifth of those for inclusion in our program. The Essay No. 5 was composed in 1985.
Stephen Dodgson was a gentleman in all regards. He was also an educator (beginning at the Royal College of Music in 1947) and a radio host (with the BBC). I am sorry I wasn’t able to take him up on his invitation for dinner, but it was a pleasure at least to make contact with him by telephone, since I genuinely admire his music. I hope you’ll join me tonight at 10:00 EDT* for “Dodgson’s Choice,” on WWFM – The Classical Network and at wwfm.org.
*Did you remember to turn your clocks ahead?
ON A RELATED NOTE: The Stephen Dodgson Charitable Trust has been quite active recently in promoting his music. You can learn more at their Facebook page, Stephen Dodgson – composer, or at stephendodgson.com.
