Forgotten after its debut, the dance is getting an outing at MediaCityUK - and on the internet, with a recording posted worldwide
Books, paintings and other products of hard work by creative people often seem to have an unduly short life; a novel remaindered after selling fewer than 1000 copies or the tragedy that Vincent Van Gogh never lived to know of even of a fraction of his fame.
The Salford Polka in honour of Queen Victoria is another example. Poor Heinrich Blumer slaved away to get the appropriate mixture of ceremonial pomp and levity but his dance was played just the one time, when the Queen visited the city, then a town, in 1851. After that, it was forgotten.
Until now. We have to hope that there may be some mechanism through which the departed like Van Gogh, or Blumer, can peep down and see their talents recognised at last. History has left no record of the reception of the polka when it was played at Worsley New Hall, a Victorian mansion in Salford built for the Earl of Ellesmere.
The Queen, who was an accomplished pianist and frequent duettist with her husband Prince Albert, stayed at the hall in the year of Albert's triumph of persistence, the Great Exhibition in the Crystal Palace at Hyde Park. The Queen visited industrial areas as part of the process of honouring Britain's skill in all fields which formed the main theme of the exhibition.
Blumer was on promising ground as Victoria was partial to music dedicated to her by Germans; Albert conducted his courtship partly by sending her songs and dances which he had composed. But perhaps there were simply too many for the Salford polka to make the big time. Its score disappeared into the borough archives.
And now it has re-emerged and will be played again at last. Musicians at Salford university have recorded the work and it will be broadcast repeatedly as part of an exhibition in the university's Egg Space at MediaCity UK. The free, week-long event features finds from an archaeological dig on the site of the hall, which was demolished after the Second World War when requisition by the Home Guard and later United States troops led to damage which the Ellesmeres decided was not worth repairing.
The music, found and recorded by Dr Robin Dewhirst, will be played alongside recorded memories of those who lived and worked at the hall, including Ruth Campbell whose father William Barber Upjohn was head gardener from the late 1860s until 1914.
You can hear those here.The exhibition has been organised by the university's Centre for Applied Archaeology and library, led by Dr Alexandra Mitchell who says:
We've uncovered many great memories and The memories of people who worked and lived in the area are very special and, by recording them, we've preserved a piece of history for future generations.
"
You can hear the polka here.The exhibition is free and runs from Tuesday 11 September to Wednesday 19 September at the Egg Space, University of Salford, at MediaCityUK. The exhibition's sponsors Peel Group, who own the site of the hall, will also be seeking opinions on a range of architects' proposals for new building there.
Salford
University of Salford
Dance
Dance music
MediaCityUK
Martin Wainwright
guardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds