Gareth Morris

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gareth Morris is a British flautist, born 13 May 1920. He was the principal in several London orchestras, including the Philharmonia Orchestra. He is known for continuing to play on a wooden flute, at a time when many other players had switched to metal instruments, although this trend now appears to be reversing.

He started his studies at the age of twelve and his main teacher was Robert Murchie (who played in the British première of Janacek's 'Mladi'. Entering the Royal Academy of Music just before the war, he quickly encountered Dennis Brain, who remained his lifelong friend until Brain's tragic death on the night of 31 August/1 September 1957. He was best man at Dennis's wedding. Morris served in the RAF, and was principal flute in the RAF Symphony Orchestra. After the war he was principal flute in about 10 chamber and other orchestras (Boyd Neel, National Symphony etc) as well as his solo career and activities with the Dennis Brain Wind Ensemble.

Morris succeeded Arthur Gleghorn as Principal Flute in the Philharmonia in 1948 and stayed until his engineered resignation in early February, 1972 (the press release at the time spoke of 'irreconcilable artistic differences'). His flute was a Rudall-Carte with closed G-sharp and vented D, and ultimately he performed on the instrument bequeathed to him by Murchie.

During the Klemperer years he was the British musician closest to Klemperer, and as Chairman of the New Philharmonia he was instrumental in arranging for Lorin Maazel to become Klemperer's Assistant Chief Conductor of the NPO.

Gareth Morris played at Her Majesty's Coronation in 1953. He married for the first time the following year, ultimately divorcing and remarrying his present wife, Patricia.

His style was of the English school, with a tight embouchure and he produced a very solid and powerful tone which was also capable of incredible delicacy. He eschewed the use of excessive vibrato. He was arguably the greatest orchestral flautist of the 20th century.

Having spent all of his active professional life in Canonbury, London, Morris now lives in Bristol close to the small town of Clevedon, where he was born along with his brother (Sir) Christopher Morris (publisher, CUP) and his sister, Jan Morris (the travel writer).

A magnificent photographic portrait taken in 1968 by the late Godfrey Argent is available from the National Portrait Gallery.