George Ball was born on the 18th of June 1896, in Australia. His father, George Charles Ball, was a musician from TOMS Tenement, St Breock, and his mother, Mary Hannah Ball (nee Spear), was from Church Farm, St Mawgan; they had been married on the 11th of October 1887 at St Columb Register Office and, shortly after, they emigrated to Sydney where George junior was born. However, the climate there was too hot for him so the family returned to this country when he was three years old.
The family had many musical connections including George Charles Ball’s brother, James (George Thomas Ball’s uncle), who, according to the Cornish Guardian of the 2nd August 1912 (page 6 – St Issey), was band master of Wadebridge Silver Band. James’ sons John, William and Andrew were also members of Wadebridge Silver Band.
On their return to Cornwall the family lived at Arrallas, near St Enoder, where his Spear grandparents lived and where his brother, Sydney, was born in 1899. Shortly after, the family moved to London to live at 18 Victoria Parade, Muswell Hill.
On the 27th of June 1907 the Royal Cornwall Gazette reported that ten-year-old Master G T Ball, had passed with distinction in a piano-playing examination held by the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. It stated, “Master Ball, who is a pupil of Mr G D Cunningham, FRCO, ARAM, is a native of Cornwall, and last week he received a congratulatory letter from Sir William Treloar, Lord Mayor of London, who also hails from Cornwall…” Sir William Treloar’s letter read: “The Lord Mayor warmly congratulates master G T Ball on his recent successes in musical examinations and is glad that a Cornish boy shows such proficiency at so early an age and hopes that such will be maintained and increased throughout his career. This young Cornish prodigy is the grandson of the late Mr and Mrs Ball of Hay-crock Farm, St Breock, and of the present Mr and Mrs Spear of Arrallas, St Enoder, and the son of Mr George Charles Ball who married Miss Spear of Mawgan, 20 years since, and went to Australia, where he was engaged as trumpet and cornet soloist to the Philharmonic and Orchestral Societies of Sydney, New South Wales. He was formerly bandmaster of the 16th DCLI Band, St Columb Major. The examination was held in the Royal College of Music, London.”
More success followed and on the 8th of May 1908 the Cornish Guardian reported that eleven-year-old George T Ball had passed with distinction his piano playing examination held by the Associated Board of the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. It stated: “The lad won the maximum marks in the following: strictness of time and choice of tempo; observance of phrasing and accent; variety of tone; quality of touch; discretion in use of pedal. Master Ball, who is a pupil of Mr G D Cunningham, FRCO., ARAM., won distinction at the last year’s examination and was also a prize winner at the Alexandra Palace Competitive Musical Festival for piano playing in 1908.”
Under the heading of “Cornish Lad’s Musical Success in London”, the Cornwall and Devon Post in June 1909 hailed this “lad with a future” as it recorded his latest success. George was certainly making a name for himself and the various newspaper reports never failed to mention his Cornish pedigree. “Relatives and friends and Cornish people in general will be pleased to know that the son of Mr and Mrs George Ball has won the first prize and medal in the open competition for piano solos at the great musical festival held by the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Counties at the Alexandra Palace on the 6th of May. The press report on this concert said, ‘Special mention should be made of master G T Ball, who should rank among the first, and undoubtedly more would be recorded of him a few years hence. He selected Mosgowski’s Valse Brilliant, a very ambitious choice, considering he is only 12 years old, and he played it very finely.’ He defeated 89 competitors in open competition at the musical festival, Alexandra Palace. He won second in a German open competition, and on the 6th of May 1909, won first prize and medal in open competition at Alexandra Palace.”
On the 31st of December 1910 the Cornwall and Devon Post reported: “Considerable distinction has been won by master George T Ball… The boy, who is still under 14 years of age, is a pupil of Mr C D Cunningham, a well-known organist of St James’s Church and the Alexandra Palace with whom he has been since 1907. The lad was sent to the Royal Academy of music in that year and passed with distinction. A year later he passed the higher division with distinction, and last year he passed with honours. Mr Cunningham is naturally very proud of his boy pianist. In 1909, he won the medal at the Alexandra Palace in the competition for pianists from 12 to 14 years and this year at the musical festival he achieved another notable success. The following is from the musical bill record of the 16th of inst: ‘The competition included the strongest of all – the piano class and here the signal triumph rewarded the efforts of a Moswell Hill competitor. In the advanced class, in which there was no age restriction, there were 27 entries, and a young genius took the laurels, George T Ball, who is not yet 14 years of age. The test was one to try the accomplished pianist, but Master Ball’s performance was a pianoforte poem, and he came out nine marks ahead of his nearest rival. At the succeeding concert, at the theatre, at which there was a large audience, he succeeded even better. He had nothing in his head then about marks.’ Master Ball has been a member of the St James’s Choir for five years and was also organist at Highfield School for some time. He has now won a scholarship in a competition, open to the United Kingdom, which entitles him to three years free tuition at the Royal College of music.”
In 1911, George entered the Royal College of Music and was appointed assistant organist at Whitefield’s Tabernacle.
Two years later, in January, he made his first public performance as an organist – at Queen’s Hall.
During 1914, he was awarded the Challen and Son and the John Hopkinson gold medals for piano and made his debut as organ recitalist at the Alexandra Palace. He was also appointed organist and choirmaster at Holy Trinity, Castelnau, Barnes.
The following year he gained his FRCO and ARCM (piano performance awards) and in 1916 he was awarded the RCM Director’s history essay prize and the Dannreuther Prize.
Many important performances followed leading to his appointment as Acting Organist, in 1919, and then as Organist, in 1923, at the Temple Church.
In 1926, George married Grace Evelyn Chapman at St Peter’s Church in Cranley Gardens and their daughter, Evelyn Pamela, was born the following year. That year he had made his first gramophone record and become a RCO examiner.
During the next few years he became President of the London Society of Organists, made trips to South Africa and France and, in 1932, Grace gave birth to a son, John Michael.
George Thomas Talben-Ball’s son, John, believed that his father had altered his name in 1924 for reasons of prestige and that there was a Scandinavian influence.
George was involved in many important events and in 1935 the Cornishman recorded the award of George’s Doctor of Music degree: “The Archbishop of Canterbury has conferred the Lambeth degree of Doctor of Music upon Mr G Thalben-Hall. One of the few virtuosi organisers of this country, Dr Thalben-Ball is organist of the Temple Church and official organist of the Royal Albert Hall. His frequent broadcast recitals are familiar to thousands. The distinction is a rare one and has seldom been bestowed outside Lambeth Palace.
Many in Redruth and district will remember Dr Ball as a youthful student of music, when his parents lived in the Cornish mining town, although it is believed they are natives of Newquay but proceeded to Sydney NSW where their brilliant son was born in 1896. [The reference here to Redruth is doubted and may have been included in error]. After leaving Cornwall, Thalben Ball made rapid progress in his profession, and while still in his teens held some important posts. Among those under whom he studied were Sir Frederick Bridge, Sir Charles Stanford, Dr Charles Wood, Sir Hubert Parry, Sir Walter Parry, and others… He is the editor of School Worship, and other church music. He lives at Kensington Park Gardens, London.”
In 1936, George accompanied the broadcast memorial service for King George V and the following year he was made a bard of Gorsedh Kernow taking the name Ylewyth Mur (Great Musician).
George’s mother, Mary Hannah Ball, died in 1937 in London and her ashes were returned to Cornwall and placed at St Enoder Church.
During the Second World War he was appointed Musical Adviser to the BBC’s Religious Broadcasting Department, received the Freedom of the City of London and played for Sir Henry Wood’s funeral.
In 1950, Dr G Thalben Ball FRCO provided a “Grand recital” at St Ives Wesley Chapel on the re-opening of the organ there.
George toured Australia in 1951 and was granted Fellowship of the Royal College of Music. Another tour of South Africa followed and then his debut in the United State of America – in New York.
George’s wife, Grace, died at Wimbledon on the 13th of July 1961: they had been married for 25 years. Seven years later, he married Jennifer Lucy Bate who was 50 years his junior. She said, “I fell in love with his musicianship the first time I met him”. Jennifer was also a gifted organist who among her many honours was awarded the OBE. She cared for George during a serious illness but in 1972 the marriage was annulled.
He was made a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1967 and 1971 saw another tour of Australia and, a few years later, a coast-to-coast recital tour of the USA and Canada.
In 1979, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a one-hour documentary on his life and his sixty years at the organ was celebrated in Temple Church.
George was Knighted for services to music in February 1982, shortly after he had retired from Temple Church.
Sir George Thomas Thalben-Ball died on the 18th of January 1987 and was buried at Highgate Cemetery alongside Grace, his first wife, in accordance with his instructions.
The family grave of Sir George Thomas Thalben-Ball in Highgate Cemetery
On Tuesday the 18th June 1996, BBC Radio 2 broadcast a one-hour programme to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of George Thalben Ball’s birth: it mainly comprised recordings of his organ music.
Princess Diana died in 1997 and one of the pieces of music played before the ceremony was Elegy for Organ by Sir George Thalben Ball.
End notes:
A fuller history of this remarkable Cornish musician can be found in the book George Thalben Ball by Jonathan Rennart, published by David and Charles 1979.
Information for this article has been provided by Jenny Tuff, George’s 3rd Cousin – twice removed – to whom we are greatly appreciative.
Some of Sir George Thomas Thalben-Ball’s compositions:
References:
George Thalben Ball by Jonathan Rennart, published by David and Charles 1979.
Newspaper reports as stated.