MOURA LYMPANY

Music

1916 – 2005

Suggested by Brenda Walker

Moura Lympany was born Mary Johnstone in Saltash. A child prodigy, she played a Mendelssohn concerto in Harrogate with Basil Cameron conducting before her 13th birthday. He advised her to change her name. Mary became Moura and her mother’s maiden name, Limpenny became Lympany.
She won 2 scholarships to the Royal Academy of Music and was taught by Mathilde Verne, a pupil of Clara Schumann. Moura claimed elements of Schumann’s style, “to play straight, nothing chichi, no powdered rubato. And never to bang the keys like so many players do today.”

Moura’s career developed slowly. Her mother urged her to play at a Lyons Corner House to earn money, but she refused this as a distraction. She practised four hours a day, “None of this eight hours a day stuff,” she said. “If you can’t get it right in four you never will.” Her London debut was at the Wigmore Hall in 1935. In 1938 she came 2nd in a prestigious International piano competition in Brussels.

During WW2 she worked alongside other artists as an indispensable part of wartime musical life, playing National Gallery lunchtime concerts and performing concertos throughout Britain. She was the first British musician to perform in Paris after the liberation.

Despite her popularity, she was underrated by critics suspicious of her glamour, charm, fashionable dresses and social réclame, but the discerning recognised her playing, especially of Rachmaninov and Prokofiev, was exceptional. Post war she built an international career with critical acclaim. In 1979 she celebrated 50 years of performing with a Festival Hall recital with the Prince of Wales. In 1992 she received a DBE.

Even after 6 decades, Lympany asked herself before a concert: “Why are you doing this? It’s the last time. Then of course the minute it’s over and the reviews are good, I feel exhilarated and have the courage to go on to the next one.”

Ed txt and image, Saltash History & Heritage website. Wikipedia, Allen Warren