Lionel Falkman (1892 - 1963)

The recording discussed below was not in the catalogues for long, and its performers are probably unfamiliar to many. The following information is mainly taken from “Who’s Who in Music”, 1935:

Lionel Falkman was born in Port Talbot in the second quarter of 1892. He was a student of Kalman Ronay and Leopold Auer. He was married to one Nita Seline, with whom he had a daughter.
Positions held: Musical Director, Capitol, Cardiff 10 yrs, Paramount Theatre, M/c 3 yrs, Now with J. Lyons & Co.
Publications: Violin Transcription "Dance of the Comedians."
Special studies: Violin tuition, orchestral conducting.
Has played with Richter at Covent Garden & New Symphony Orchestra with Sir Landon Ronald. Principal Violin for Pavlova's first tour Gt Britain. Has given over 200 Sunday Concerts at Cardiff, Broadcast Recitals & played Concertos with Queen's Hall Orchestra, National Orchestra of Wales & Bournemouth with Sir Dan Godfrey.
Recreations: Golf, bridge.
Address: 45a Redcliffe Square, South Kensington, SW19

Curiously, in searching for information about Falkman online, I found that there was an exhibition of his photography in the spring of 2007, from which the following notes are taken:

“Lionel Falkman took up photography in the last 10 years of his life. As a musician he was first violinist in Pavlova’s orchestra, involved in early BBC television recordings and band leader at the Lyon’s Corner House in Oxford Street. He took up photography late in life and produced a series of remarkable portraits on show for the first time at Lichtaffen Gallery. In recognition of his service and the institutions Lichtaffen will host a tea party at the gallery on Sun 20 May. Visitors will be served tea by a Lyon’s nippy, listen to original recordings by Lionel and his band and have their photograph taken in Falkmans style. Lizzy Le Quesne will perform a dance inspired by Pavlova and dedicated to Lionel’s memory.”

Lionel Falkman died on April 14 1963 in Cardiff at the age of 71.

I’m unsure which of his recordings were played at the exhibition. He may have made later recordings with “his band”. The ones I have traced so far are the one given below, and Regal G9229 (matrices 7851-2, 7852-1) issued January 1929. This contains “Ay, ay, ay” and “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen”, both with Falkman playing solo violin, the first with the theatre orchestra, the second with Charles Barrington at the piano. He also recorded 2 unissued 12” sides at the same session, WAX 4061 and 4062, containing Strauss’s Vienna Woods and the Mazurka from Delibes’s Coppelia

Offenbach arr. Myddleton – Orpheus in the Underworld
Capitol Theatre Cardiff Orchestra, Lionel Falkman

Regal G 9205 (10")
Matrices WA 7853-1, 7854-1 (35635, 35634)
Recorded 15th September 1928
Available from December 1928 to August 1930