George
Posford (1906-76),
whose real name was Benjamin George
Ashwell, was born in Folkestone on 23 March 1906. Educated at Downside
and Christ's College Cambridge he studied originally for the legal profession,
but by 1930 had decided to become a professional composer and studied
at the Royal College of Music. His most popular stage musicals were
Good Night Vienna, The Gay Hussar, and Magyar Melody. The revised Gay
Hussar reappeared as Balalaika in a resplendent production by Leontine
Sagan, opening at the Adelphi Theatre in December 1936 and running 570
performances. Late in rehearsals, Maschwitz and Posford wrote one of
the show's finest songs, 'At The Balalaika' (one of Posford's best known
melodies). He also composed for radio and films and published orchestral
miniatures like Transatlantic Rhapsody, Sundown Serenade, Broadcasting
House and Song of the Clyde.
