Boosey & Hawkes History
Hawkes & Sons were already making fine orchestral drums at the turn of the 20th century and launched the Ajax brand in 1927. In 1930 they merged with Boosey & Co and used the pyramid badge from 1935 and launched their own Imperial-style lugs shortly before the war. After the war the lugs were redesigned again with a very sophisticated spring-loaded self-aligning action and fitted to their De Luxe drums with brass oval badges.
In 1957, in response to the Group Explosion, they launched Edgware and Stratford brands offering one standard configuration in many finishes with fewer lugs. There began in 1961 a partnership with Rogers, where Ajax shells were fitted with first imported, then domestic Rogers lugs and Swiv-o-Matic hardware. The fittings are incompatible but identical in appearance. Boosey & Hawkes continued with their four lines until 1967 when their only offering was the radical Nu Sound kit. It actually used the cheaper, 7 ply shell but retained the Ajax name.
In 1970 B&H stopped manufacturing drums, retired the Ajax brand and began distributing Beverley drums, made in the Premier factory.
In 1957, in response to the Group Explosion, they launched Edgware and Stratford brands offering one standard configuration in many finishes with fewer lugs. There began in 1961 a partnership with Rogers, where Ajax shells were fitted with first imported, then domestic Rogers lugs and Swiv-o-Matic hardware. The fittings are incompatible but identical in appearance. Boosey & Hawkes continued with their four lines until 1967 when their only offering was the radical Nu Sound kit. It actually used the cheaper, 7 ply shell but retained the Ajax name.
In 1970 B&H stopped manufacturing drums, retired the Ajax brand and began distributing Beverley drums, made in the Premier factory.
Notable Dates
Boosey & Hawkes originated from the 1930 merger between two great family businesses, Boosey & Company founded in the 1760s, and Hawkes & Son founded in 1865. Both were involved in music publishing and the manufacture of musical instruments. From 1930 the merged company continued this twin business activity for many decades until 2003 when the instrument division was sold, leaving Boosey & Hawkes focusing solely on music publishing.
For a lively and detailed history of the company we recommend you read Boosey & Hawkes: The publishing story by Helen Wallace.
Boosey & Company's history goes back over 200 years to the 1760s when John Boosey founded a music lending library in London. By pioneering inexpensive editions of the classics, the company expanded rapidly, acquiring the rights to works by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi.
In the 1850s the company branched out into making brass and wind instruments. 1867 saw the launch of the renowned Boosey Ballad Concerts, including such favourites as The Lost Chord by Sir Arthur Sullivan, Danny Boy and Abide with Me. This success continued with the publication of works by Elgar and Vaughan Williams. In 1892 Boosey & Company established an office in New York, a business still flourishing today as Boosey & Hawkes Inc.
Hawkes & Son was founded in 1865 by William Henry Hawkes. The company followed a rival course to Boosey & Company, concentrating on band and orchestral music publishing, but also diversifying into the manufacture of instruments, fittings and reeds. Over the next 60 years, the company continued to develop its publishing activities.
For a lively and detailed history of the company we recommend you read Boosey & Hawkes: The publishing story by Helen Wallace.
Boosey & Company's history goes back over 200 years to the 1760s when John Boosey founded a music lending library in London. By pioneering inexpensive editions of the classics, the company expanded rapidly, acquiring the rights to works by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi.
In the 1850s the company branched out into making brass and wind instruments. 1867 saw the launch of the renowned Boosey Ballad Concerts, including such favourites as The Lost Chord by Sir Arthur Sullivan, Danny Boy and Abide with Me. This success continued with the publication of works by Elgar and Vaughan Williams. In 1892 Boosey & Company established an office in New York, a business still flourishing today as Boosey & Hawkes Inc.
Hawkes & Son was founded in 1865 by William Henry Hawkes. The company followed a rival course to Boosey & Company, concentrating on band and orchestral music publishing, but also diversifying into the manufacture of instruments, fittings and reeds. Over the next 60 years, the company continued to develop its publishing activities.
- 1760's John Boosey founded Boosey and Co, a music lending library in London. By pioneering inexpensive editions of the classics, the company expanded rapidly, acquiring the rights to works by Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti and Verdi.
- 1850's The company branched out into making brass and wind instruments.
- 1965 Hawkes and Son was founded by William Henry Hawkes. The company followed a rival course to Boosey and Co, concentrating on band and orchestral music publishing, but also diversifying into the manufacture of instruments, fittings and reeds. Over the next 60 years, the company continued to develop its publishing activities.
- 1867 saw the launch of the renowned Boosey Ballad Concerts, including such favourites as The Lost Chord by Sir Arthur Sullivan, Danny Boy and Abide with Me. This success continued with the publication of works by Elgar and Vaughan Williams.
- 1892 Boosey and Co established an office in New York, a business still flourishing today as Boosey and Hawkes Inc.
- 1930 Following the merger of the two businesses, the new company rapidly became a significant force on the international publishing scene. By this time Ralph Hawkes had acquired the agencies of Belaieff, Édition Russe de Musique, Gutheil and Universal Edition. Through these connections, prior to the Second World War, he became the publisher of Bartók, Kodály and Delius, as well as signing the then unknown Benjamin Britten in 1935.
- As its publishing portfolio grew, Boosey and Hawkes added to its London and New York offices further international offices including an Australian company in 1934 (closed in 2004) and another in Germany in 1949. In addition to the three current affiliates in London, New York and Berlin there are now Boosey and Hawkes agencies in 20 other countries.
- Hawkes moved to the USA during the Second World War, adding Stravinsky, Copland and Martinu to the list.
- 1943 Through his contacts, the London company signed a contract with Richard Strauss for all his operatic works (outside Germany and Italy) and subsequently for all his late works.
- 1947 Hawkes' final coup was to buy Serge Koussevitzky's Édition Russe and Gutheil catalogues, thus securing many of the most important copyrights of the century, including Stravinsky's ballets The Rite of Spring and Petrushka, Prokofieff's Classical Symphony, Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto and Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition.
- 1947 Listed Exhibitor - British Industries Fair. International publishers of Music. Manufacturers of Musical Instruments of Band and Orchestra. Magnetic Wire Recording Devices. Disc Recording Service. Educational Instruments, Literature. Musical Toys. Distributors. Hammond Electronic Organ. Novachord. Solobox. (Olympia, Ground Floor, Stand No. D.1649a)