Robert Murchie (2 March 1884 – 26 July 1949) was a virtuoso British flautist and a prominent member of the major English orchestras between 1914 and 1938. He was successively principal flautist in the New Symphony, Beecham Symphony, Queen's Hall, New Queen's Hall, London Symphony, Royal Philharmonic Society, BBC Symphony and London Philharmonic Orchestras. He was described by Sir Henry Wood as "one of the finest of living flautists" who had "a tone, a technique and a musicianly style that cannot be surpassed."
Early Life
Murchie was born on 2 March 1884 in Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland, to Robert Arnot Murchie and Isobel Gray Rankin. His father was a painter decorator. Robert was one of six children, all of whom could play a musical instrument. His father bought him a piccolo when he was seven and a flute when he was nine. By age nine, he was performing for ships' officers in Scotland, and by sixteen he had played in the Scottish Orchestra under Richard Strauss.
Career
In 1906, Murchie was awarded a free open scholarship to study with William Lewis Barrett at the Royal College of Music in London. He joined the London Symphony Orchestra in 1914 and remained until 1920. During the First World War, he enlisted in 1916 and served in the 45th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, attaining the rank of Sergeant and becoming Brigade bandmaster in 1917.
He succeeded Albert Fransella as principal flute of the orchestra of the Royal Philharmonic Society (1925–1932) and was the first principal flute of the newly formed BBC Symphony Orchestra (1930–1938). He was also at various times principal flute of the New Queen's Hall Orchestra and the Henry Wood Symphony Orchestra. He was principal of the Proms orchestras from 1919 until 1928, and again from 1931 until his retirement after his last Prom on 22 September 1937.
Chamber Music
In 1926, Murchie founded a chamber ensemble of leading wind players known as the London Wind Quintet. He was also a member of the London Flute Quartet. He performed in the first private and public performances of William Walton's Façade, recorded Maurice Ravel's Introduction and Allegro with Ravel conducting in 1923, and gave the first public performance of Gustav Holst's Fugal Concerto for Flute, Oboe and Strings in October 1923.
Teaching and Later Years
After retiring from orchestral performance, Murchie took up professorships at Trinity College of Music and the Royal College of Music. From 1946 to 1948, he was flute professor at Kneller Hall. He also taught at Eton College, Winchester College, and St. Paul's Girls' School. His students included Gareth Morris, Richard Adeney, Edgar Hunt, and Alexander Douglas Murray.
Robert Murchie died in Paddington, London, on 26 July 1949 at the age of 65 after a short illness.
