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pieces), Eddie
Macauley and Ronnie Taylor. Silvester's drummer for over four decades was Ben Edwards, crucial for supplying the strict tempo. Sometimes there might be four saxophones altogether, two alto and two tenor, including in latter years Tony Mozr, Percy Waterhouse and Phil Kirby in addition to Pogson, all doubling on clarinet as required. On some recordings, the Ballroom Orchestra was augmented with 15 strings and woodwind, when it became 'The Silver Strings'. During the war, when Oscar Grasso was in the forces, the classical violinist
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served with them in France from 1 October 1916 to June 1917, before transferring to the First
British Ambulance Unit For Italy. On 4 September 1917 at Sella di Dol near San Gabriele, while acting as a stretcher bearer to evacuate wounded Italian servicemen during a heavy bombardment by the Austrians and Germans, he was injured in the leg by a shell burst, but refused medical treatment until the other wounded had been attended to. For his gallantry on this occasion he was awarded the Italian
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337:'s bands), a lead solo violin (for many years usually Oscar Grasso), and two pianos, one taking turn in solos and the other maintaining an improvised tinkling continuo in the background throughout every piece, which Silvester called his "lemonade". This piano sound is said to have been created for him by the pianist and later bandleader, and BBC radio star, Felix King.
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for services to dancing and his BBC Radio Golden
Microphone Award, the complete archive of programme sheets for his orchestra's BBC broadcasts, platinum and silver discs for his orchestra's record sales and the orchestra's entire archive of original hand-scored strict tempo sheet music - was sold at
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These were first-class players, some of whom (like Liter, Grasso and Pogson) were already noted in jazz or danceband circles before they joined
Silvester's band. Unlike most British dance bands of the era, there were no vocals. Silvester usually did not play (he was a violinist), but stood in front
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The lack of what he felt were adequate records for dancing led
Silvester in 1935 to form his own five-piece band, later enlarged and named Victor Silvester and his Ballroom Orchestra, whose first record, "You're Dancing on My Heart" (by Al Bryan and George M. Meyer), sold 17,000 copies and was to
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However, the release of his service records in 2000 revealed that he had been discharged from the Argyll and
Sutherland Highlanders as underage on 12 September 1916, after just a week of service. However, he immediately joined the First Aid Services (i.e. the Red Cross and St John Ambulance), and
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for the melody and Felix King for the "lemonade". Later pianists included, at different times, Monia Liter (from 1940 to 1944), Charlie Pude, Jack
Phillips, Billy Munn, Victor Parker (also accordion), Ernest "Slim" Wilson (who was also Silvester's main arranger, and with whom he co-wrote several
328:
The
Silvester band always had a distinctive sound, achieved by an unusual line-up including, as well as the usual rhythm section, alto saxophone (initially Charlie Spinelli and later, for 26 years, Edward Owen "Poggy" Pogson, who had previously played in
291:
He went on to open a dancing academy in London, which eventually developed into a chain of 23 dance studios. By the early 1930s, his teaching had become famous and he had taught some of the top celebrities of the day, among whom was
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and Wally Fryer were all top-flight dancers who set up in competition to
Silvester. There were other bands led by musicians who were capable of recording in strict time. The best for ballroom competitions was probably
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in 1961. He died while on holiday in the south of France at the age of 78. The orchestra remained in existence under his son's direction until the 1990s. Victor, his wife and son are memorialised at
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in a decree by the
Italian Minister of War dated 30 November 1917. In a letter to Silvester's parents dated 20 September 1917, his Commandant in the First British Ambulance Unit, the noted historian
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By 1958, when he published his autobiography, he was the most successful dance band leader in British musical history, and a major star on British radio and television. His BBC Television show
380:. These later attempts to stay "with it" involved the introduction of an electric guitar, but it is mostly the more melodic recordings of the 1940s and 1950s that are now reissued on CD.
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Silvester's record sales were so high that competition was inevitable. Other dancers were attracted to the idea, and set up their own strict-tempo bands. Henry Jacques, Maxwell Stewart,
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for ballroom dances, a concept termed "strict tempo". In British eyes he became indelibly associated with the catch-phrase "slow, slow, quick-quick-slow" – a rhythm that occurs in the
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The Victor Silvester Archive - which includes his OBE and First World War medals and related original documents and correspondence, his many other accolades such as his four
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at the BBC Television Theatre. The "red book" and the Eamonn Andrews script book he was presented with were restored by bookbinder Christopher Shaw, in an episode of
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Victor Silvester - 'Dancing Is My Life' (1958) plus original war service documents and G.M. Trevelyan correspondence in the Victor Silvester Archive.
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noted, "Turn on a radio in Famagusta, Cape Town or Peking and one would be likely to hear his music issuing from the speakers".
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during the first half of the 20th century, and his records sold 75 million copies from the 1930s through to the 1980s.
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His interests had meanwhile turned to dancing. He was one of the first post-war English dancers to feature the full
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become his signature tune. He insisted his recordings conform precisely to the beats per minute recommended by the
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According to the 1977 edition, there were 58 editions previously, with a total of nearly 600,000 copies sold.
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and in latter years, especially from 1971 when the orchestra continued under his son, Victor Silvester Jr,
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George Macintyre, "Doomed Youth: how the tragedy of 250,000 boy soldiers in the trenches was covered up",
397:, who had an even longer musical career than Silvester. Other bands that catered to ballroom dancing were
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288:, which became a best-seller and has remained in print through many editions, the last issued in 2005.
564:(brief notes only). Recent edition: London: Ebury, 2005 edition, revised and augmented by Bryn Allen:
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978:"Internet Archive Search: Victor Silvester - archive.org (multimedia content in the public domain)"
500:, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1927 - many editions (about 60 in his lifetime). First edition included
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556:. By 1977, the book included the full set of ten dances used in international competitions, plus
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in April/May 1917, and said he was a member of five execution squads, where deserters were shot.
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137:(25 February 1900 – 14 August 1978) was an English dancer, writer, musician and
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Victor Silvester conducting his Ballroom Orchestra in 1938. Oscar Grasso is at left on violin.
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in the waltz – and Barbara Miles. He was a founding member of the Ballroom Committee of the
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in 1922 with Phyllis Clarke as his partner. He married Dorothy Newton a few days later.
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for a year. He decided to resume a military career when he was offered a place at the
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He competed again in 1924, coming second to Maxwell Stewart – the inventor of the
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and Jack Harris, whose band played in clubs and restaurants through the 1930s,
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auction in London in March 2000, and is now held in a private collection in
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took his place, using the name 'Alfred Campbell' for contractual reasons.
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He notes in his autobiography that his first two pianists in 1935 were
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296:. Silvester had his own BBC television show through the 1950s, called
241:, but he quickly decided it was not for him. He also studied music at
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lasted 17 years. He also presented a weekly request programme on the
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of his orchestra in white tie and tails, conducting with a flourish.
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Scott, Derek B. 2004. Silvester, Victor Marlborough (1900–1978), in
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Dancing for the Millions: A concise guide to modern ballroom dancing
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He continued to make music for half a century, mostly covering the
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579:. London: Herbert Jenkins, 1932; 2nd ed 1933 and other editions.
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938:"Mr Victor Silvester: doyen of ballroom dancing" (obituary),
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Victor Silvester (with foreword by Philip J. S. Richardson),
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993:"British Pathé Search: Victor Silvester - britishpathe.com"
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914:"WW2 People's War - Victor Silvester's 'BBC Dancing Club'"
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Dancing Is My Life: The Autobiography of Victor Silvester
680:, and the probable reason for his first name. (autobiog.)
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Dancing Is My Life: The Autobiography of Victor Silvester
261:. This innovation was a factor in his winning the first
245:, having already had private piano lessons as a child.
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era. He was a significant figure in the development of
409:. For the post-war period of Latin dances to (mostly)
548:). Editions in the mid-1950s would have included the
607:. London: Herbert Jenkins, 1950, and later editions.
593:. Herbert Jenkins, London. 1949 and later editions.
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
536:and after, there was some space given to such as
467:Victor Silvester was appointed an Officer of the
1041:People educated at St John's School, Leatherhead
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441:) which ran from 1948 to 1975. His obituary in
660:Also published were sheet music arrangements.
954:24 December 2022 to 6 January 2023, page 240.
755:Silvester, Victor Marlborough (1900-1978) in
647:Modern Ballroom Dancing: History and Practice
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1106:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
1146:Musicians from the London Borough of Brent
1136:Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders soldiers
715:The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music
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276:which codified the theory and practice of
198:Silvester claimed that he enlisted in the
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
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577:Theory and Technique of Ballroom Dancing
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122:
1111:People educated at The John Lyon School
907:"Victor Silvester's BBC Dancing Club",
744:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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360:and show tunes, sometimes (but rarely)
302:Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
274:Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing
167:Silvester was born the second son of a
16:English dancer and musician (1900–1978)
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1131:British Army personnel of World War I
891:"Legends of Light Music: Monia Liter"
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638:Walter Whitman and Victor Silvester,
300:, and was later the President of the
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805:, Newcastle upon Tyne, 14 June 2004
47:adding citations to reliable sources
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1141:20th-century English male musicians
1046:Alumni of Worcester College, Oxford
1036:People educated at Ardingly College
656:. London: Barrie and Jenkins, 1980.
649:. London: Barrie and Jenkins, 1977.
263:World Ballroom Dancing Championship
13:
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195:, from all of which he absconded.
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897:from the original on 14 May 2016.
775:"Victor Silvester > Biography"
456:in 1957 when he was surprised by
239:Royal Military College, Sandhurst
208:Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
1101:English television personalities
942:, London, 15 August 1978, p. 14.
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642:. London: Herbert Jenkins, 1967.
621:. London: Herbert Jenkins, 1954.
614:. London: Herbert Jenkins, 1951.
586:. London: Herbert Jenkins, 1936.
202:on 4 September 1916, during the
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220:Bronze Medal of Military Valour
34:needs additional citations for
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814:. 14 June 2004. Archived from
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206:, serving as a private in the
185:St. John's School, Leatherhead
179:, England. He was educated at
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893:. The Robert Farnon Society.
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654:Old Time and Sequence Dancing
600:. London: Odhams Press, 1949.
424:
152:
1126:20th-century British dancers
1066:20th-century English writers
792:(includes some inaccuracies)
640:The Complete Old Time Dancer
229:After the war he studied at
132:Victor Marlborough Silvester
7:
1096:English radio personalities
838:"Children of the Great War"
469:Order of the British Empire
464:broadcast 5 January 2023.
421:was in a class of his own.
10:
1162:
746:, Oxford University Press.
635:. London: Heinemann, 1958.
624:Victor Silvester, c.1955.
473:Golders Green Crematorium
1081:British ballroom dancers
626:Victor Silvester's Album
619:Modern Dancers' Handbook
1116:20th-century violinists
1061:British male violinists
875:Victor Silvester 1958.
584:The Art of the Ballroom
498:Modern Ballroom Dancing
358:popular music standards
286:Modern Ballroom Dancing
243:Trinity College, London
1091:Dance band bandleaders
450:He was the subject of
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128:
916:. BBC. Archived from
812:Study.abingdon.org.uk
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126:
1071:English male dancers
889:Ades, David (2003).
879:. Heinemann, London.
612:More Old Time Dances
435:BBC Overseas Service
43:improve this article
1076:People from Wembley
1051:English bandleaders
771:: Victor Silvester
720:Guinness Publishing
282:International Style
280:– now known as the
270:double reverse spin
1056:English violinists
718:(First ed.).
678:relief of Mafeking
652:Victor Silvester,
645:Victor Silvester,
631:Victor Silvester,
617:Victor Silvester,
610:Victor Silvester,
596:Victor Silvester,
589:Victor Silvester,
575:Victor Silvester,
516:, plus mention of
496:Victor Silvester,
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143:British dance band
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58:"Victor Silvester"
603:Victor Silvester
453:This Is Your Life
390:Josephine Bradley
231:Worcester College
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676:The date of the
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605:Sequence Dancing
591:Old Time Dancing
534:Second World War
485:Northern England
480:Carl Alan Awards
298:BBC Dancing Club
189:John Lyon School
181:Ardingly College
162:Ardingly College
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996:. Retrieved
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41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1031:1978 deaths
1026:1900 births
952:Radio Times
842:Greatwar.nl
803:The Journal
757:Who Was Who
562:disco dance
554:cha-cha-cha
419:Edmundo Ros
399:Oscar Rabin
384:Competition
342:Gerry Moore
335:Jack Hylton
1020:Categories
847:11 October
664:References
530:paso doble
475:, London.
425:Later life
331:Jack Payne
153:Early life
139:bandleader
69:newspapers
940:The Times
532:. In the
510:quickstep
444:The Times
417:rhythms,
415:Brazilian
403:Phil Tate
366:trad jazz
323:quickstep
177:Middlesex
141:from the
983:30 April
895:Archived
808:"Update"
780:AllMusic
769:Allmusic
522:one-step
395:Joe Loss
506:foxtrot
437:(later
333:'s and
319:foxtrot
173:Wembley
83:scholar
924:14 May
822:14 May
786:14 May
726:
568:
405:, and
235:Oxford
193:Harrow
85:
78:
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998:3 May
542:rumba
538:samba
518:blues
514:tango
502:waltz
411:Cuban
374:disco
362:swing
259:waltz
169:vicar
90:JSTOR
76:books
1000:2012
985:2012
926:2010
849:2021
824:2010
788:2010
724:ISBN
566:ISBN
560:and
552:and
550:jive
528:and
512:and
413:and
376:and
321:and
315:ISTD
187:and
62:news
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378:pop
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135:OBE
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