The Deneke Lectures, yearly talks given in memory of musicologist Philip Maurice Deneke, who died in 1924, have attracted various prominent experts to the College to talk on topics of their choice. This poster announces that on June 13th 1933, the speaker was to be Albert Einstein.

Einstein was friendly with Margaret Deneke (1882-1969, daughter of Philip Deneke), musicologist and sometime Choirmaster of LMH, who he met on his visits to Oxford. She writes of the effect the lecture had on her in her unpublished memoirs:

“The Deneke Lecture was packed and many of our friends failed to get seats. Sir Charles Sherrington took the Chair. Whilst Dr. Einstein was speaking and using his blackboard I thought I understood his arguments. When someone at the end begged me to explain points I could reproduce nothing. It had been the Professor’s magnetism that held my attention.”

[p.26, ‘ What I Remember’ Vol.2 , Ref: MPP 3 A 2/2]

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The 1933 Deneke Lecture had a particularly memorable and magnetic speaker.