Thaxted Festival
The Thaxted Festival
A Summer Celebration of Music
Thaxted's qualities were appreciated by Gustav Holst who first came here in 1913 and moved to a cottage in Monk Street the following year where he worked on The Planets.
He started the first festival at Whitsun in 1916 and these early festivals - joyful occasions, according to his letters - continued until 1918. By then he had moved to Town Street, occupying The Steps from 1917 to 1925: the plaque near the front door is on the wall of what was his music room. Jack Putterill, one of Holst's London students, who was later ordained, served as curate in Thaxted and as vicar from 1942 to 1973 and he, also, organized music in the Church.
The modern Festival was started by the late Michael Snow in 1980 and the present pattern of four summer weekends dates from 1987 soon after the establishment, by Philip and Marijke Curtis, of the Thaxted Festival Foundation. This is a registered charity and the Festival is run entirely by volunteers.
A sense of anticipation, excitement and deep pleasure in the wide choice of music is always evident and each evening offers a life-enhancing experience. Many members of the audience return to the Festival year after year and newcomers continue to discover it.
Visit The Thaxted Festival website for more information:
