No 8 — November 1977 Edited by Michael Walters
OBITUARY – ISIDORE GODFREY
Isidore Godfrey died in September 1977 at the age of 76. A lot will obviously be written about him in Gilbert & Sullivan literature, and there is little that I will wish to add. I heard him conduct only infrequently, those memories 1 have are of an incredible feeling of "magic." which he created in the theatre, an aura which I have experienced with no other conductor. Unfortunately, he did not manage to create the same feeling of magic on record. George Applegate writes:
In today's mail I received the sad news that "Goddy" has died. Kay and I were both saddened by that news for he and Mary were among our most valued friends. They were both here in the U.S. last year at Christmas and I had received a very nice letter from Goddy only a few months ago, in which he said they were hoping to see the Company at Brighton and during the Sadlers Wells Jubilee Season. Ever since our first meeting (I think it was during the 1937 season at the Martin Beck) we had a standing joke about recording Utopia & Grand Duke. At long last it has finally come to pass – but not while he was D'OC M.D. I shall always remember the thrill of seeing him enter the orchestra pit to be greeted with enthusiastic applause as soon as he was visible, and then the silence that followed (and on which he always insisted) before he would commence the Overture. It made quite an impression on me, being so different from the usual overture in New York City, where audiences rarely quiet down to hear the music. We're really going to miss Goddy. He was a wonderful friend.
"Lo, some we loved, the loveliest and the best, Which from his rolling vintage, Time hath pressed, Have drunk their cup a round or two before, And one by one, crept silently to rest." (Omar Khayyam)
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