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DELVING INTO THE PAST
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My earliest recollections of hearing the "Festival Choir” as it was then called, was in December
1952. They were singing Handel's "Messiah"
"Messiah” at the Technical College, Stoke Park,
accompanied by the Guildford Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra, leader Tate Gilder, under the
baton of Crossley Clitheroe - programmeprice
programme price 6d! How | enjoyed this experience and thought
how
lovely it would be to belong to such a chor.
chair.
howlovely
During the next few years | went regularly to their performances; sometimes to the combined
performances
of the orchestra and the Bice Bellairs Ballet in the Tech; on other occasions to
performancesof
the OdeonTheatre at the top of the High Street for a programme
programme
by the Municipal Orchestra
by
and Crossley Clitheroe with famous soloists. This always seemed quite a rush for a 2.30 start
after
Sunday lunch!
lunch!
after morning
morning Church
Church and
and a
a substantial
substantial Sunday
In 1958, whilst carrying out my duties in our family business, |I happened to come
come
into
into
conversation with Mr
Clitheroe,
who
lived
in
our
village.
Kindly
man
as
he
was,
he
asked the
Mr Clitheroe, wholived
question "Do you sing- why do'nt you come
come
along to my Choir?. Before long | found myself
along
'going
‘going along’ on a Monday evening, 7.15pm, to the Methodist Church hall at the junction of
North Street and Woodbridge Road.Sitting
Road. Sitting reticently in the back row with the ‘mighty’
sopranos,
joy that they were rehearsing the "Messiah"
"Messiah” for the coming December.|
December|
sopranos, || found to my
my joy
might
to sing ‘alto’
'alto’,because
might add
add that
that || was
was soon
soon moved
movedto
,Jbecause of my voice,you understand! So
So||
formed
lasting relationship
formed my
my lasting
relationship with the Festival Choir.
This was followed in 1959 with Verdi's "Requiem",
"Requiem”, Delius’
Delius' "Seadrift”
"Seadrift" and "Serenade to Music’Music"Vaughan Williams,and in 1960/61 Brahm's " Requiem"
Requiem"” and Elgar's "Dream of Gerontius”. We
must not forget the annual Carol Concert in the Methodist Church. Someof
Some of the more
established members
will call to mind such singing companions as Ken and Barbara Lank,
memberswill
Joan and Jack Benson, Cynthia Pepler and Con Azzopardi, to name but a few.Naturally there
were many more folks and
lots of beautiful music to sing, too numerousto
numerous to list here.
andlots
During this time, the smaller, more 'select'
'select’ Philharmonic Choir was also in existence and
and||
remember
singing on one occasion with them in muchfear
much fear and trepidation!
remembersinging
The following year of 1962 brought about changes with the arrival of Vernon (Tod) Handiey
Handley who
was
appointed
Musical
Director
after
the
sad
death
of
Crossiey
Clitheroe.
was appointed Musical Director after the sad death of Crossley Clitheroe.
The
the Guildford
Guildford Philharmonic
Philharmonic Choir
Choir which
which gradually
gradually incorporated
incorporated
The Festival
Festival Choir
Choir was
was renamed
renamed the
the small choir and the orchestra became Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, with leader
William
became
the
William Armon
Armon succeeding
succeeding Tate
Tate Gilder. The new Civic Hall was completed and became
the
venue
for our concerts. We ,as a choir ventured into lesser known works under Tod Handley's
venuefor
baton and some recordings were subsequently made. | always found the rehearsals great fun,
although it was hard work and | looked uponthe
upon the altos in the front row as ‘cream
'cream of the bunch’.
bunch'.
Have
Have times
times changed?!
changed?!
A
choir appeared
A new
newchoir
appeared on
on the
the scene,consisting of a young group of singers calling themselves
"Proteus”,
“Proteus”, which
which || thought
thought at
at the time to
to be most clever, as of course the numbers were
were always
changing
left for
changing when
when some
someleft
for University or Careers.
Careers. | guess that it was an exciting time under
under
the
the new
new young
young conductor!
conductor!
|| feel
feel || must
must mention
mention two
two of
of my
my piano
piano teachers
teachers who
who were
were very
very much
much
part of the music scene
at this time , namely, Kathleen Dunn-Davies and June Downham (nee
sceneatthis
Gulland)
Gulland) and
and not
not forgetting
forgetting past
past accompanists, Mary Rivers, LindenKnight and Christopher
Mabley
Mabley
Of
with the introduction of a choir committee, a stricter
Of course
course there
there have
have been
been changes
changeswith
programme
of auditioning,
'twin' town
programme of
auditioning, higher membership rates and biannual visits to our ‘twin’
,[Freiburg
visits.
,Freiburg and those reciprocated
reciprocatedvisits.
We
say Hats
Masters,Simon Halsey
Halsey and
and Neville
Neville Creed
Creed and
and coats
coats off
off to
the
Wesay
Hats off
off to
to past
past Chorus
Chorus Masters,Simon
to the
future
Jeremy Filsall accompanying!
future under
under Jeremy
Jeremy Backhouse'
Backhouse’ excellent guidance
guidance with JeremyFilsall
March
1996
Mocch 19
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