| Ddisgrifiad / Description | This is possibly a photograph of Riviere's Band. Jules Riviere, a former French Army musician, was appointed in 1887 to conduct what blossomed into the Pier Orchestra of 28 musicians. To reach his Bandstand, he had to pass the enormous Pier Pavilion, opened in September 1883 (after some delays when the original ornate glass roof was blown off, to the great financial embarrassment of the Pier company who promptly dismissed their engineer). 'There were differences of opinions at first between the Directors and myself about using the Pavilion, they inclined to the belief that visitors would not, even for good music, consent to be shut indoors on fine Summer evenings', recorded Riviere. He won the day, went inside and proceeded to treble the size of his Orchestra. Soon his reputation was nationwide and the young Henry Wood was sent to Llandudno to sit at the feet of his maestro and learn some of the showmanship which he later put into the Proms.
Original Index No. D0728. |