Leon Goosens and the Gordon Jacobs Concerto #1

Tuesday April 15 2008

Gordon Jacob also wrote several pieces for Léon Goossens. His Concerto No. I for Oboe and Strings was originally commissioned by and dedicated to Evelyn Rothwell. Jacob has stated that when Goossens found out about the dedication he was outraged and complained, “Here am I, the leading oboist in the world, and you are going to write for one of my pupils!” Apparently Goossens convinced Jacob to dedicate the work to him, and then stole the first performance from Rothwell. She performed the concerto at the Ballet Club Theater of Notting Hill, February 26, 1934, but the first major performance was given by Goossens. On March 1, 1935 he played the piece with Sir Thomas Beecham conducting at Queen’s Hall, and received excellent reviews.

Wow, sounds similar to when Strauss offered de Lancie to premiere the Strauss Concerto and Tabuteau threw a fit. In any case, it certainly must have been a different time and different politics.

Taken from here.