Frederick Riddle

Frederick Craig Riddle OBE (20 April 1912 – 5 February 1995) was a British violist.

He was considered to be in the line from Lionel Tertis and William Primrose, through to the violists of today such as Lawrence Power.

Frederick Riddle was born in Liverpool in 1912.

He studied at the Royal College of Music (RCM) in London from 1928 to 1933.

He had a solo career while playing with the London Symphony Orchestra from 1933 to 1938.

He made the first recording of William Walton's Viola Concerto, on 6 December 1937, with the composer conducting.

He was recommended for this recording by Lionel Tertis.

He made some revisions to the concerto, with Walton's approval.

Although Walton conducted the work many times with leading soloists such as Tertis and William Primrose, the interpretation he liked above all others was Riddle's. He also performed the work in concert under Beecham.

Riddle was married twice, and had three daughters.

In 1938, was appointed principal viola with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

In 1946, he married soprano singer Helen Clare.

He was a professor of the RCM from 1948 onwards.

In 1953, he succeeded Harry Danks as principal violist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Riddle was distinguished as a chamber music player and a concerto soloist.

He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1980.

His first wife was soprano, conductor, and voice teacher Audrey Langford.

He died in Newport on the Isle of Wight in 1995, aged 82.

He was survived by Clare, his second wife, who died in 2018, at the age of 101.

Works that Frederick Riddle premiered included:

He appeared in such works as: