Web Page  No 2272

17^th  June 2016

Top Picture: John Stephens with David (John) Wyatt at orchestra rehearsal with Ray Dopson in the background

Second Picture: Messiah programme signed by John Stephens

 Third Picture: The School Choral Society

Forth Picture: David Hillman one of our soloists.

What were you doing at 7.30 on Saturday 25^th March 1961?

What were you doing at 7.30 on Saturday 25^th March 1961? If you were like me you were singing or playing in the schools production of The Messiah!

What an event that was, we were rehearsed so often that I think that I could still sing the bass part if required.

Under the leadership of John Stephens we practiced and rehearsed to get this right. About the Society, in the programme for the evening John Stevens wrote: -

“the aim of the School Choral Society was to sing for joy of making music together. Handel’s Messiah may have seemed at first an unusual choice for a school but the enthusiasm of the members of the Society is an indication that they can appreciate a great work of art when the opportunity arises.

We accept the limitations of our young inexperienced voices, most of them far from full maturity; and are pleased to have the assistance of mature voices for this occasion. With a work of the length and difficulty of the Messiah it is necessary for us to make a selection, to preserve the continuity, however, a narrator will read the parts that are not sung. This performance marks the climax of our project; we will enjoy singing and listening to our soloists and we thank you for joining us in our music making”.

Many parents and friends were involved, both my father and my godmother sung with us and many of the pupils helped form the orchestra, whose leader was John Watkins, unfortunately I have no list of them; the only two I can remember are David (John) Wyatt on the violin as was the English teacher Ray Dopson.

The soloists were, at that time, professional or semi-professional and were Lois Sutton (Soprano), Pamela Walker (Contralto), David Hillman (Tenor), Richard Wood (Bass). (In fact many years later Peter Westcott met David Hillman in the staff cafeteria of Saddlers  Wells and he actually remembered the performance with some affection. David Hillman died in 2009 aged 74. The pianist was Ena Magee, the trumpet soloist Roy Morgan and the narrator was our own Colin Bell

 I do remember that a reel to reel recording was made of the entire concert which was done in three parts with 53 sections and conducted by John Stephens, I wonder what happened to that recording?

Below are the names of the members of the Choral Society, I have highlighted those that are either with us in the Manor  Court Group or those that I have knowledge of a total of 44 out of 120. I wonder where the rest are?

SCHOOL CHORAL SOCIETY

Sopranos

Mary Abbott  Kattisha Forbes  Ann Piper  Rosemary Bailey  Gillian Gale  Hazel Pratt  Sharon Ball Janice Garland  Barbara Quinnell  Jill Budd  Jean Griffiths  Susan Richards  Heather Butt  Christine Guymer  Margaret Roberts  Linda Capp  Christine Hall  Jaqueline Stone  Deborah Coates  Madeline Hallman  Susan Sutton  Rosamund Coates  Valerie Hampton  June Thorn  Lynda Collins  Oriana Henwood  Anne Turtle  Susan Collins  Susan Jones  Jill Wakdy  Kathryn Cooke  Michele Laviers Jennifer Went  Ann Davies  Anthony Lyne  Catherine Whiteman  Gillian Davis  Linda McIntyre  Susan Whitwell  Joyce Dodd  Marilyn Mercer  Lyn Willows  Graham Elderfield  Janet Munford  Sheila Wilton

Contraltos

Maureen Albertolli  Angela Ellis Pat Keers  Janice Austin  Roberta English  Carole Langford  Christine Bailey  Anne Fido Diane Ledger  Jean Bennett  Hazel Flowers  Sandra Mack  Christine Biddlecombe  Pauline Flowers  Carole Osborne  Geraldine Buckeridge  Marilyn Flux  Susan Perry  Christine Budd  Geraldine Foley  Berenice Pert  Christine Butterfield  Carole Gill  Norma Plumb  Lesley Chapman Yvonne Glasby  Kay Ponsford  Ann Denly  Janet Huggins  Diane Thomas  Claudia Dunthorn  Carol Janczur  Irene Thorrowgood  Laraine Durow  Lorna Judson  Ann Williams

Tenors

Keith Andrews  Christopher Farmer  Leslie Smith  David Bartlett  John Halford  Christopher Talbot Howard Bradshaw  Frank Howells  Keith Taylor  Peter Bridger  Richard James  Stuart Turtle  Nigel Bridges John Pearce  Philip Ward  David Cookson  John Quarterly  Philip Wheaton  Anthony Duncan Carl Randall  Michael Willenbnich  Frederick Dyson  Alan Sawyer  John Wilson  Philip Woods

Basses

Colin Blake  Stephen Carter  Robert Cooke  Alan Cox  Adrian Gee  Melvyn Griffiths Barry Jackman Peter Keat  Peter Mereckel  John Mortimer  Peter Odell  Brian Palmer  Peter Westcott  David Wyatt

Keep in touch

Peter

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News and Views:

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