Annual Reports on the Cathedral Choir's Activities from the Lichfield Cathedral School Magazine

The annual magazine of Lichfield Cathedral School includes a short report on the Cathedral Choir's activities over the past year written by the Organist and Master of the Choristers. The following articles are the reports reproduced from 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989 editions of the magazine.

CATHEDRAL MUSIC written November 1985

Some years ago, the Headmaster of St. John's College School, Cambridge wrote an article under the heading In Quires and Spaces where they cling. That phrase eloquently describes the plight of the Cathedral Choir on its return from vacation in September, 1984. The loss of some eight experienced singers the previous July created plenty of vacuum for would-be clingers, and the expression "thrown into the deep end" became a reality. (Literally in the case of Giles Gilbert, whose voice descended octaves within minutes at the beginning of the term!)

However, great things were to be achieved during the course of the year. A good start was made at Derby Cathedral, where a fine account was given of a wide-ranging programme: the generous resonance of the building was a great asset at this stage. Steadily, confidence grew, and some difficult new music was introduced and mastered, notably the demanding Evening Hymn by Kenneth Leighton. By the time December came along, and the Advent was turning everyone's mind towards Christmas, the choir was in reasonable shape, contributing ably to a performance of the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 directed by Simon Preston. I am sure nobody will have forgotten the five hour wait between rehearsal and performance, only relieved somewhat by the vending machines at Birmingham Science Museum!

Special talents now began to emerge. Richard Towers' contribution to the choir as a leader and a soloist was quite outstanding, and his beautiful singing over the Christmas period captivated many, and was a prelude to things to come. Younger talent began to reveal itself, two choristers being selected as finalists in the National Young Cathedral Singer of the Year competition. As each of the ten finalists won a substantial sum for his Cathedral, we were more than grateful for the efforts of Jeremy Parker and Andrew Gardner, the latter eventually being awarded third prize.

It goes without saying that the tour of the South-Eastern states of America ranked as the highlight of the year. Preparations, lasting well over a year involved Lay Vicars and Choristers alike in various forms of fund-raising activity. Families and friends helped enormously in backing this our biggest venture so far and this backing and preparation paid off, for unlike some similar ventures by others we had few real anxieties whilst away. Much has been spoken and written about the tour, but I should like to record my personal appreciation of the wonderful teamwork shown throughout by all who went, socially and professionally. Throughout, the performance level was outstanding and the enthusiasm of the audiences well-deserved! Some musicians of standing went so far as to rate performances as the best they had ever heard.

Be that as it may, we all know about the days that aren't so good. The foggy November Friday with Tallis in the Boring Mood (sic) is a far cry from Space Shuttle Wilson in the fiery heat of Florida; interminable psalms; oh dear .... not more Byrd!

The American Adventure served to show that a challenge can be mastered and new heights reached, and that it is only the fact of singing every day, good music or indifferent music, whether we like it or not, that enables the expertise, experience and confidence to be gained in order to build a solid choral team capable of ambitious and exciting work. 

CATHEDRAL MUSIC written December 1986

A rousing performance of Walton's The Twelve ended a year of uncertainty and upheaval in the Cathedral Choir. Not a week seemed to pass before Easter without a major calamity — "for my bones are vexed", sung by one chorister from a wheelchair seemed to be the order of the day.

But through adversity comes strength. A small body of determined characters successfully entered the field of chamber music shortly after Christmas as, for about a fortnight, eight boys alone tackled the work with great aplomb; some lovely, if rather quiet, performances were given. Under the forthright leadership of Michael Brown, the repletion of the ranks slowly took place, bringing a new brightness to the faces and the sound.

Notwithstanding the difficulties, two very good BBC broadcasts were made, and an exciting concert of Christmas music was sung in Burton-on-Trent with Orchestra da Camera. Rather more swinging was the concert of Music Straight and Crooked in Denstone College Chapel. David Rees-Williams joined the Choristers on that occasion; Harry Stoneham and Dave Brubeck on the College's ageing Rushworth and Dreaper organ ensured that the poor thing was severely strained, and I hear is going to be rebuilt! DR-W paid a second visit during the year. This time nearly four hundred singers from the Diocese came too and, under the baton of the Director of the Royal School of Church Music, Dr Lionel Dakers, the Wilson Norwich Service was  performed. With two synthesizers at our disposal, the possibilities were enormous; it is understood that Dr Dakers was convinced that the Lichfield RSCM Festival was the Festival to end all festivals!

Some old transatlantic acquaintances were rekindled and new friendships made in the middle of the summer when the Orlando Deanery Boychoir visited Lichfield, their first stop on a fortnight's tour of England. Billeted in homes in the vicinity, they joined with the home team in four services, evidently gaining much from their experience of joining an English Cathedral Choir in an English Cathedral. Coming from such a comparatively young homeland, Americans are full of wonder at anything old; it was a treat to watch their faces at encountering so many new 'old' things! However, things were restored to a very healthy normality on Cannock Chase when nearly everyone was killed off in one of Mr. Rowsell's Them v. Us games.

Two Cathedral musicians left us this year for pastures new! In January, the Reverend Christopher Cornwell was installed Vicar of Ellesmere after some five years as Subchanter at the Cathedral. His experience as a Chorister of Kings College, Cambridge, gave him a great understanding of the commitments and achievements of present-day choristers and his support of them was as sincere as his leading of the daily services. In his quieter moments he enjoyed teaching our noisier brethren to bang loud percussion instruments!

That rousing performance of Walton's The Twelve signalled the end of an eleven-year reign at the mighty Hill organ for Peter King. Having been a chorister of Lichfield himself, he could always be relied upon for a good yarn "In my day...". We all enjoyed his ebullient playing and his lively sense of humour; we were well used to the commotion as his mud-bespattered car turned the corner by the Archdeacon's residence at 4.45, hot-foot from Birmingham! Now seated at an even bigger Hill organ console in Bath Abbey, I understand that he has been asked very politely if he would play a little more quietly!

To conclude, I would like to express my appreciation of the hard work that the Choristers faced, tackled and conquered during the course of the year. It wasn't an easy time, but the current strength is owed to their perseverance and determination to succeed. In his short story Gardeners, Geoffrey Norman wrote 

"they reached the Magnificat, and for better or for worse, young George, in only his third year, was to sing the solo. Hopefully, he would hit the top C. The Organist gave the beat and from aloft the magnificent organ played the introduction. Suddenly, surprisingly, from nowhere, with clarity and fullness, George sang the solo. As he was singing the sun entered the richer colours of the stained glass. A warmth of a very deep kind fill the Organist and as they continued, he knew that he would have another golden year given a little nurturing here and a little encouragement there."

We are indeed fortunate to be blessed with so many Georges. 

CATHEDRAL MUSIC 1987 magazine

The Choristers' year began with a bang! The end of September witnessed a concert with the London Festival Orchestra, a live broadcast of Evensong, and a wedding. However, the pressure was not as great as it might have been; only one chorister had left in July, 1986 - Michael Brown started a new career at Wrekin College. The concert with the LEO included music by Purcell and Mozart. It was all excitingly sung (the Creed from the Missa Brevis was taken at a breath-taking pace), and the orchestra wishes to come to play for the Choir again, which will happen when a suitable date can be found.

Another orchestral concert involving the Choir took place in Sutton in December. The hall of Bishop Vesey's School was a very warm venue for the Christmas programme with Orchestra da Camera. The effect of trumpets, timpani and trebles in the confined swelter of the Vesey Centre for the Arts was quite overwhelming; what a good thing that Zadok the Priest is short lived. A rather more spacious hall in West Bromwich was the scene of the Choristers' other 'outside' Christmas concert in 1986, where a performance of Britten's A Ceremony of Carols was given with piano accompaniment!

All this while, however, Annet Concerts Enterprises Inc. was busily engaged in conscription and training of troops for the Three Spires Orchestra, which made its debut in Sutton in February. A noisily percussive rendering of Dallas concluded a programme which had veered from Mozart through Strauss to Rutter with varying degrees of certainty, but with great verve. A capacity gathering contributed to the 'cause', which was the impending transferal of the Choir to Rome. Five busy days there formed a highlight of the academic year. Four sun-scorched hours in St Peter's Square singing to His Holiness the Pope began a run of seven services and concerts in the Eternal City. The visit was centred around the centenary of the Anglican church of All Saints, which owed its completion to funds from the Lichfield Diocese. A stained glass window in the porch depicts St Chad holding Lichfield Cathedral; underneath stands the present day incumbent, a former sub-chanter of Lichfield, the Reverend Bevan Wardrobe.

A special service was held to commemorate the dedication of the church. Later in the week the Choir sang a concert there, as well as appearances at Santa Maria Maggiore, the American Episcopal Church, and at the residence of the Ambassador to the Holy See. Believe it or not, there was still time for a tour of the city encompassing the Forum, the Colosseum, San Sebastian's Catacombs and St. Peter's Basilica. The final excitement was leaving six adult members of the party behind at Rome airport. It is understood they were well catered for!

At the end of the year the Choir said its goodbyes to the 'Boy Pope' Jeremy and six others. The highest top C in the business, our William, took the top of the range to Oundle, whilst Andrew went to Eton. Duncan, Damian and Joshua all left for pastures new leaving behind a very young team. The young team is undaunted, however, and at the time of writing is performing as beautifully as ever, continuing the daily tradition of which we are all rightly proud. This year will have its highlights, backed by the constant quality of the daily round, our Opus Dei. 

CATHEDRAL MUSIC 1989 magazine

Early Morning Practice with Assistant Organist, Mark Shepherd,
in the Song School in the North West Tower of the Cathedral

Much travelling was undertaken by the Cathedral Choir during the year. Christmas was as busy as ever, ranging from the now-traditional appearance amongst the surveillance monitors at the Wolverhampton Mander Centre to a long programme of seasonal music in the chapel of Keele University. Keele produced a capacity audience (they were most appreciative of A Ceremony of Carols with Susan Drake playing the harp) which stood the choir in good stead for the excitements of 1988.

The second Lichfield tour of the USA. followed the distribution of the Royal Maundy money. Traditional anthems were sung, including a vigorous Zadok the Priest, by the combined choirs of Lichfield and Her Majesty's Chapel Royal. A proud musical moment was Lichfield's as Ben Blant opened the anthem Wash me thoroughly with his customary exquisite control, a highlight of a chorister career of determination, expertise and devotion. In every sense, the occasion was a brilliant one, the memory of the colour and pageantry of which will doubtless remain with the choristers always. However, Easter itself was not the time for dwelling on events past, as the choir soared heavenwards, in a rather more literal sense than is sometimes described, in a jumbo jet on Easter Monday.

This time the itinerary headed towards the sun, and, a minor skirmish with somebody's passport concluded, without hitch. The choir's programmes were well received from Bangor in Maine to Tampa in Florida, many hamburgers and much coke were consumed and new friends made. The welcome in places the choir was visiting for the second time was always warm and excited, particularly in Washington and Tampa; the strength of feeling in Tampa was so clear as the choir of St John's combined in a concert with our choir. The blend of the two was as though they had sung together for years. The "cook-out" afterwards provided a gastronomic climax to a wonderful tour. By now seasoned travellers, the choristers appeared in various far-flung locations in England during the summer term. Ellesmere, Penrith and Tring were the towns, overnight stays in two of them adding to the attraction. With so many outside engagements it is worth remembering that all these are achieved in addition to the heavy programme of services sung by the choir every day in the Cathedral. The maintenance of the services is the reason for the choir's existence, and the extra events serve to cement the choir's work at home.

 

During the year, Richard Simpkin and Thomas Barnard, both former choristers, returned as Organ and Choral Scholars respectively. We all enjoyed their company, and it was a delight to witness choristers of past years furthering their abilities in the world of Cathedral music. They are not alone: Cambridge is enjoying Mark Hindley and Patrick Craig as Organ Scholars currently, David Craig was a Choral Scholar, and Sebastian Prentis is also in residence. Alastair Hodgson is reading Music at Reading University and Daniel Norman is a Choral Scholar at Wells Cathedral prior to taking up his Choral Scholarship at New College, Oxford. Christopher Betts gained the coveted diploma of Associate of the Royal College of Organists in January. How wonderful therefore, to sit in our own Cathedral at the end of the Summer term to listen to an accomplished solo Organ Recital by a thirteen year-old chorister, Damian Howard. What an end to a career, and what a beginning! 

Lichfield Cathedral Choir's Papal Audience (1987)

reproduced from 'Choir Schools Today', the magazine of the Choir Schools' Association, Issue 2 1998, following the Cathedral Choir's tour to Rome during Easter Week in April 1987:

Lichfield's Papal Audience

On a blistering hot April morning we set off in our cassocks for the Vatican, clutching folders in sweaty palms. Arriving at St Peter's Square via a maze of dusty Roman streets we pushed through a crowd of waiting people to our places by the Basilica steps, where a temporary stage had been erected.

After a long, hot, ninety minutes' wait, in which time the number of spectators increased considerably, a loud cheer went up as the 'Pope-mobile' approached. We stood on our chairs hoping to catch a glimpse of the Pope as the car twisted its way through the crowd of onlookers.

Taking the stage, the Pope greeted the visitors in Italian, German, English, French and Spanish A short lesson followed before each individual group was welcomed in its respective tongue. 

Soon it was our turn to sing and we performed Stanford's Coelos ascendit hodie to which the Pope signalled his gratitude. Shortly afterwards he came over to nmeet us. As the uniformed guards directed him towards our party the press photographers closed in. His Holiness greeted us warmly and chatted freely to several choristers. One of our number, namely Jeremy Parker, the Head Chorister, received more than his fair share of attention. That evening, when he was spotted at our convent lodgings wearing a white night-shirt, he earned the nickname 'Boy Pope'!

The following morning, St George's Day, the choir was invited to sing at the Pilgrim's Mass in St Peter's. We performed Byrd's Mass for Four Voices before 800 people. In th evening, we took part in a Festal Evensong to celebrate the centenary of All Saints', the Anglican Church in Rome. This church is linked with Lichfield Cathedral

The remainder of the tour was spent giving concerts, attending a reception at the home of the British Ambassador, eating pizza and sight-seeing. We just about managed to dash to the Trevi Fountain to make a wish. 

Six exhausting days later we returned home, sunburnt and tired. It will be a long time before we forget the shake of that Papal hand. 

This report was written by three 13 year-old choristers:

Andrew Gardner, Joshua Hunt and William Towers. 

The Pope meets choristers from Lichfield Cathedral

Lichfield's link with Rome 

All Saints' Church, Rome, was rebuilt in the nineteenth century and completed in 1887, but not without considerable difficulty in finding sufficient funds. The Lichfield diocese gave substantial sums towards its completion and a window in the porch shows St Chad holding the three-spired Lichfield Cathedral in his arms. 

While on holiday in Rome, a Lichfield choirman's wife spotted the window and plans were made to help them celebrate their centenary. Another coincidence is that the Chaplain of All Saints' is the Reverend Bevan Wardrobe, until two years ago Headmaster of the York Minster School, and before that the Priest Vicar at Lichfield. 

Plans are now underway for next year's tour to America. In 1985 the choir went up the eastern seaboard, while this time they will be travelling down it. They hope to be performing in Litchfield, Connecticut this time.