Gerald Jackson (January 1900 – 1972.(Marylebone, London)) was an English

flautist The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

particularly known as one of the four members of the

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...

's so-called "Royal Family" of woodwind players. He had earlier been principal flute of the

London Philharmonic Orchestra The London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is one of five permanent symphony orchestras based in London. It was founded by the conductors Sir Thomas Beecham and Malcolm Sargent in 1932 as a rival to the existing London Symphony and BBC Sym ...

and the

BBC Symphony Orchestra The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. T ...

Life and career

Jackson was born in

Leeds Leeds () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the thi ...

, the son of George William Jackson and his wife Mary, ''née'' Pratt. Jackson senior was a professional violinist, but he did not wish his son to become a professional player, and after leaving school Jackson worked in the offices of the Leeds city treasurer. After naval service in the First World War, he studied the flute with Albert Fransella, and supported himself by playing in a cinema orchestra. In 1926 Jackson moved to London, where he played in cinemas and for the BBC Wireless Orchestra and later in theatre orchestras for productions by C B Cochran and Oswald Stoll. He began to secure ad hoc engagements with symphony orchestras, and in 1932 Sir Thomas Beecham appointed him principal flute of the new

. After a year with Beecham, Jackson was offered better terms to move to the BBC Theatre Orchestra, where he played for four years, transferring to the

in 1937. In 1947 Beecham was assembling a new orchestra, the

Royal Philharmonic The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London, that performs and produces primarily classic works. The RPO was established by Thomas Beecham in 1946. In its early days, the orchestra secured profitable ...

(RPO). Jackson was its principal flute from its inception. He was soon joined in the woodwind section by Jack Brymer (clarinet), Gwydion Brooke (bassoon) and Terence MacDonagh (oboe). ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publishe ...

'' described them as "arguably the finest ever wind section ... heybecame known as 'The Royal Family'." Jackson left the RPO in 1958 and freelanced for the rest of his career.Jackson, pp. 72–75

Notes

References

* * English classical flautists 1900 births British flautists Year of death missing {{England-musician-stub