Violinist and teacher Nicholas Roth and his wife pianist Rucky van Mill met Leonard Salzedo in the early 1960s. Soon after, they moved from their flat in Kilburn to a house in Wembley, round the corner from the Salzedo family home, with their daughter Rucky.

Living in Wembley in the 1960s

Budapest trio

Leonard also knew Nicholas’ brother Georges, a cellist, because they were both in the RPO. Nick and Georges had set up the Budapest Trio; click here to hear a sublime performance of the Tchaikovsky Piano trio in A Minor on YouTube with George van Renesse on piano. Well worth a listen despite the crackles in this 1952 recording.

London Soloists Ensemble

In the mid-1960s Nicholas set up the 10-person virtuoso London Soloists Ensemble – one of the few such ensembles at the time. He was leader, and Leonard also played the violin – his last work as a professional violinist. Georges was first cello and Rucky also played with the ensemble.

Salzburg Festival

In 1966, the ensemble played at the Salzburg Festival; the players accompanied by their families, where we had the privilege and joy of hearing chamber music played superbly in the ‘chambers’ for which it was composed. Unforgettable.

As well as writing Concerto Fervido for the LSE, Leonard also adapted works for the Ensemble.

Leonard left after a few years, giving up the violin completely, but the LSE continued, and later included violist Richard Crabtree as one of its members.

Trinity Laban

Richard had been a student of Nicholas Roth’s at Trinity College of Music as it was then, now Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance where Richard is a professor. Richard is an accomplished soloist described by The Strad as having ‘…admirable instrumental command ..tone warm and radiant…’ and will be playing the Viola Concerto to close the Salzedo Celebration concert, with Charles Matthews, described by MusicWeb International as ‘immensely musical’, conducting.

Nicholas Roth

Nicholas, who had been a pupil of both Hubay and Ysaye, taught at TLCMD for many years and became Head of Strings. An internet search of his name will see him cited as their teacher in the careers of many professional string players, including a YT interview with Duncan Riddell RPO leader talking about the difference being a student of Nick’s made to him.

String Quartets

And it was through Nicholas that Leonard met the Archaeus Quartet, founded by two TLCMD teachers, who premiered many of his string quartets and recorded five of them. Buy String Quartets 2 and 7 here; buy String Quartets 1, 5 and 10 here

Leonard Salzedo Centenary plus one Celebration concert

24^th September 2022 6pm Conway Hall, London; buy tickets here