Paul Strang, who has died of cancer aged 91, worked as a solicitor in London for more than 50 years, but he was also the facilitator and guiding light of countless worthy musical causes. With him as chair, The Songmakers’ Almanac, my ensemble, presented 20 seasons of song recitals at Wigmore Hall in London from the 1970s onwards; he guided the creation of a viable rehearsal space for orchestras at Henry Wood Hall; and Trinity College of Music relocated to Greenwich in 2002 as Trinity Laban Conservatoire. He also chaired of the Tillett Trust, which supports talented young musicians, and wore scores of other musical hats over the years.
Paul was born in London, the son of the soprano Dora Labbette, a divorcee, and the conductor Sir Thomas Beecham, who was then still married to his first wife, Utica. When the second world war broke out Beecham left for new horizons in the US. Following the couple’s acrimonious break-up, the six-year-old Paul acquired the surname of Dora’s former husband.
