Harry Rabinowitz, conducting Paint Your Wagon
Caricature
6 December 1952 (dated)
6 December 1952 (dated)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This caricature shows Harry Rabinowitz, conducting Paint Your Wagon by Lerner and Loewe at the Oxford New Theatre on 6 December 1952. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn't needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums.
Harry Rabinowitz (b.1916) was the musical director of Paint Your Wagon which opened on 2 December for a two-week run, starring Bobby Howes and Sally Ann Howes. Rabinowitz was born in Johannesburg in 1916 and, after attending the Guildhall School, came to the BBC in 1953. He worked for the BBC and Independent Television as well as working freelance, and is particularly remembered for directing the BBC’s light orchestras.
Harry Rabinowitz (b.1916) was the musical director of Paint Your Wagon which opened on 2 December for a two-week run, starring Bobby Howes and Sally Ann Howes. Rabinowitz was born in Johannesburg in 1916 and, after attending the Guildhall School, came to the BBC in 1953. He worked for the BBC and Independent Television as well as working freelance, and is particularly remembered for directing the BBC’s light orchestras.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Harry Rabinowitz, conducting <font -i>Paint Your Wagon</font -i> (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Pencil on cream cartridge paper |
| Brief description | Pencil caricature by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976) of Harry Rabinowitz conducting Paint Your Wagon, Oxford New Theatre. Dated 6 December 1952 |
| Physical description | Pencil caricature of Harry Rabinowitz, conducting Paint Your Wagon. Dated 6 December 1952. Part of an artist's hard-backed sketch book manufactured by George Rowney & Co., called 'The Euston Sketch Book'. The pencilled sketch is drawn directly onto the page (cream cartridge paper). Titled and dated by the artist and signed by the subject. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Michael Sommerlad |
| Object history | The artist of these caricatures, Gilbert Sommerlad, was by profession a musician who was born into a family that had a long tradition of professional musicians. In 1936 he moved to the recently built New Theatre, Oxford, to join his brother Roy (violin and clarinet) as resident pianist. Gilbert was an exceptionally good and popular rehearsal pianist, and visiting companies and individual performers used to make sure that he would be available. He became well-known in the profession and his ability as a caricaturist became common knowledge. The volume that includes this drawing contains sketches mostly of musical directors and conductors working at the Oxford New Theatre with Gilbert Sommerlad. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This caricature shows Harry Rabinowitz, conducting Paint Your Wagon by Lerner and Loewe at the Oxford New Theatre on 6 December 1952. It was drawn by Gilbert Sommerlad (1904-1976), a rehearsal pianist and orchestral violinist at the Brighton Theatre Royal from 1932 until 1936, and at the Oxford New Theatre from 1936 for over forty years. Sommerlad sketched the stars on stage when he wasn't needed in the orchestra pit, compiling the sketches in a series of albums. Harry Rabinowitz (b.1916) was the musical director of Paint Your Wagon which opened on 2 December for a two-week run, starring Bobby Howes and Sally Ann Howes. Rabinowitz was born in Johannesburg in 1916 and, after attending the Guildhall School, came to the BBC in 1953. He worked for the BBC and Independent Television as well as working freelance, and is particularly remembered for directing the BBC’s light orchestras. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.130:11-2002 |
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| Record created | December 2, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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