Clavier Companion - January/February 2012 - 25

Wallace Hartley, violinist from Colne, England, age 33. He became known as the one who led the band, in the final moments, in the playing of Nearer, My God, to Thee. On the Titanic, he had been bandleader of the five-piece band. His body was recovered from the sea (No. 224) and returned to Colne, where he was given a funeral that received international press coverage.31 This voyage was planned as his last before he gave up the sea to marry. Percy Cornelius Taylor, instrument unconfirmed, London, England, age 40. He was the only musician who was married, though estranged from his wife. He was usually listed as Titanic’s second pianist, though it is now thought the ship had only one. There is little known about him; there were no obituaries printed for him or relatives who spoke of him to the press.32 This was his first voyage as a bandsman, and his body was not recovered. John Wesley (Wes) Woodward, cellist from Hill Top, England, age 32. He was a well-traveled musician and a favorite wherever he went. Prior to being selected to play on Titanic he had performed in a Jamaican hotel, in bands, orchestras, and in hotels in England, as well as on steamers. He played in the five-piece band. Perhaps it was he who smiled at Kate Buss. His body was not recovered. John F.P. (Fred) Clarke, double bassist from Manchester, England, age 28. Prior to joining Titanic’s maiden voyage (also his first voyage as a bandsman), Clarke had had extensive experience playing in symphonies and pit orchestras in Liverpool and Birkenhead. His body was recovered (No. 202) and buried in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.33 William Theodore (Theo) Brailey, pianist from Essex, England, age 24. As a teenager he joined the army to play in the band and was educated at the Royal Military School of Music in England. He was noted as an exceptionally good performer on the piano. He was engaged to wed when he joined Titanic’s five-piece band, and he was planning to end his sailing days after a few more trips. His body was not recovered. scription, as I had appreciated the music.” Later, “I saw the pianist as I was going to bed, and I promised.” (“Taking the subscription” refers to collecting tips that would be presented to the musicians on the last day of the voyage.) The à la carte Restaurant and Café Parisien were open all hours. Mahala Douglas dined in the restaurant that Sunday night, going in at about 8 o’clock, and heard the musicians playing in the corridor outside.19 Violet Jessop, a First Class stewardess, also heard the trio’s performance in passing. “On that Sunday evening, the music was at its gayest, led by young Jock the first violin; when I ran into him during the interval [smoke break], he laughingly called out to me in his rich Scotch accent, that he was about to give them a ‘real tune, a Scotch tune, to finish up with.’”20 After the trio finished their lively performance, patrons lingered in the restaurant and café. Hugh Woolner recalled sitting with a party of about six, drinking hot whisky and water. It had suddenly become very cold in the lounge [Reception Room] and restaurant and the lady of our party had gone off to her room. Then we men strolled up just above to the smoking room and had been seated only a few minutes when there came a heavy grinding sort of shock beginning far ahead of us in the bows and rapidly passing along the ship and away under our feet. Everyone sprang up and ran out through the swing doors astern. A man in front of me called out that he had seen an iceberg towering fifty feet above the deck, which was 100 feet above the sea, and passing astern.21 At 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, April 14, a sudden stillness filled every cabin of the great steamer. It was the silence of the engines, which had stopped. Violet Jessop, who had retired for the night, got dressed once again and made her way along a corridor. “As I turned, I ran
CLAVIER COMPANION

Titanic’s five-piece band:

of many beautiful women who were in full formal attire. The Countess of Rothes noted that the last piece played was from Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffman.17 At the close of the performance Helen Churchill Candee remembered, “Folk drifted off to their cabins, with happy ‘see-you-in-themornings,’ until a group formed itself alone, and the only sounds the musicians made were those of instruments being shut in their velvet beds.”18 The Quintet then performed in the Second Class entrance foyer. Kate Buss made her way to the performance after attending the hymn sing. “That night,” Buss remembered, “the pianist had asked me if I would mind taking round the subJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

Clavier Companion - January/February 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clavier Companion - January/February 2012