The Proms organ. This coincided with the adoption of this lower pitch by other leading orchestras and concert series. Although the concerts gained a popular following and reputation, Newman went bankrupt in 1902, and the banker Edgar Speyer took over the expense of funding them. Wood received a knighthood in 1911. In 1914 anti-German feeling led Speyer to surrender his role, and music publishers Chappell & Co. took control of the concerts. Although Newman remained involved in artistic planning, it was Wood's name which became most closely associated with the Proms. As conductor from the first concert (which opened with Wagner's "Rienzi"
Matthew Curtis (composer) other countries. In 2001 he came to the notice of the composer and record producer Philip Lane, resulting in a significant discography and over 8 hours of music recorded His music has been played in concert by the BBC Concert Orchestra and I Musici de Montréal. and by several non-professional and youth orchestras, most notably the National Children’s Orchestras of Great Britain, for which he has composed a number of pieces. Curtis was commissioned to compose for the English Music Festival in 2008, and his "Festival Overture" opened the final concert of the event. Curtis is probably best known for