Basil Lam Explained

Basil Lam (1914 - 4 March 1984) was an English early music scholar and harpsichordist. A producer for the Third Programme of the BBC since its inception in September 1946, Lam eventually became head of the classical musical division of the BBC in the 1960s. He was best known for his contributions as a commentator on early and baroque music on BBC Radio 3, particularly the series "Plainsong and the rise of European music" (1978–1979). He also played in several musical ensembles. Lam published many articles and books, specializing on Bach, Handel and Beethoven, and edited various musical scores, including editions of Handel's Messiah and the lute music of Dowland.

Selected publications

• Beethoven String Quartets, BBC Music Guides, Vols 32–33, 1975.
• The collected lute music of John Dowland with Lute tablature and keyboard notation (with Diana Poulton), 1974, 1978 and 1981, Faber.
• Handel: A symposium (1954) Oxford University Press, chapters on church and orchestral music.
• Of German music: A symposium (1976), O. Wolff, chapter on the Classical Symphony.
• Authenticity and the St John Passion, Early Music, Vol. 5, 1977, pp. 45–49

References

• Obituary, (1984), The Musical Times, vol. 125, page 278.

External links

• Basil Lam archive, Royal College of Music
• March That Goes Out With a Lam, Los Angeles Times
• Review of Lam's performing edition of Handel's Messiah, Gramophone
• Quadrille with a Raven, memoirs by Humphrey Searle