Park Foundation Music App

Home > Artists

Charles Leggett

British cornet player (born September 20, 1874 in Brighton, Sussex – died November 29, 1934 in Wandsworth, London SW) Leggett joined the Scots Guards Regimental Band in 1891, rising to become Band-Sergeant of the Scots Guards and Principal Professor of Cornet at the Royal Military School of Music. Known as "The World's Finest Cornet Soloist," he was a great favorite of King Edward VII who especially prized Leggett's rendition of "Softly Awakes My Heart," from "Samson and Delilah." From 1927 to his death in 1934, Leggett performed on BBC radio as its principal cornet and served as deputy conductor and general supervisor of the BBC Wireless Military Band. Between 1910 and 1916, Leggett cut dozens of records for [l=Columbia] and a variety of smaller labels. He also recorded for [l=Pathé] (ca. 1916-1919) and [l=Duophone Record] (1928).