The Proms only exist today because of the generosity of a naturalised German financier, Sir Edgar Speyer, who became the target of a relentless campaign of persecution after the outbreak of the First World War. In a letter published in The Daily Telegraph on August 3, Alistair Lexden urged that tribute be paid to him on the centenary of his departure to escape his persecutors.
SIR--The coverage of this year’s Proms by the BBC is vigorously applauded by Greg Sanderson who is responsible for it as commissioning editor at the BBC (Letters, July 31).
He would have had nothing to applaud if the Proms had not been rescued from bankruptcy in 1902 by Sir Edgar Speyer, a successful German financier who became a British citizen. This close friend of Asquith donated “many thousands of pounds” for which he was publicly thanked by Sir Henry Wood. His generosity was totally forgotten after 1915 when he was hounded out of the country by wartime anti-German hysteria.
Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel was performed at every Prom concert sponsored by Speyer. It is on the programme for the last night of this year’s Proms. Would it not be appropriate for Mr Sanderson to commission a tribute in the Royal Albert Hall to this great benefactor on the centenary of his enforced departure from our country?
Lord Lexden
London SW1
UPDATE - Reply from Edward Blakeman, Director - BBC Proms 2015 (14th August)
Dear Lord Lexden
Thank you for your email, addressed to Greg Sanderson, which I am replying to as I am responsible for this year’s BBC Proms.
The Proms has a long and rich history and we look to reflect it in a variety of ways and at appropriate moments. At the Last night of the Proms this year we will be performing Strauss's Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, and I am pleased to say that we will use this opportunity to reflect Edgar Speyer's contribution to the Proms in the presentation on BBC Radio and Television and in the printed programme. Speyer's is a very interesting story in the history of the Proms and we are pleased to be able mark his connection through this particular piece of repertoire.
May I say on behalf of the BBC, that we are proud to be continuing the spirit of patronage and public service exemplified by Edgar Speyer and many other benefactors of the Proms. As you will know, the BBC took over the financing of the Proms in 1927 and continues to run the festival annually to this day.
You may be interested to know that Lord Black and Professor Lentin have also expressed their interest in seeing Edgar Speyer's contribution to the Proms recognised and I am also writing to them today.
Yours sincerely,
Edward Blakeman
Director, BBC Proms 2015