HCS Newsletter Number 95 (8th January 2008)

Six months ago I was a humble second tenor (“a contradiction in terms” I hear you cry!) whose opinions were of value only to myself, but now I am canvassed by the editor for my views as Chairman of the Trustees!
It is perhaps early days to pass judgement on our new structure – the first full test will come with The Creation - but I have to say that my first impressions are very favourable. The teams appear to be well-established and co-ordination seems to be good. There is a greater sense of involvement at all levels, which is very much what Derek and last year’s committee set out to achieve.

An important part of the role of the trustees is to stay in touch with the views of the membership on the broader issues of the way the society is run, and we are keen to make this work. The part reps are an important channel for your views, and in addition, Alan, Diana, Ted, Christine and myself would like to feel that you will bring your concerns directly to us.

As the authors of Carmina Burana might have put it, what goes around comes around. Looking back on my period as treasurer and then chairman in the 70s and 80s, my over-riding concern was about ticket sales, or rather the paucity of them. Nothing changes! The ability of HCS to maintain its high standard of performance, supported by first class orchestras and soloists depends directly upon you, our only effective sales force. We need to have the confidence to believe that our next concert will be the best one yet – and then go out and sell tickets!

Here are some figures to provide food for thought. In my first treasurer’s report, I recorded ticket sales for our two concerts in the 1975/76 season: 802 sales for Messiah in November and 683 for Verdi’s Requiem in May! Why don’t we get full houses now?
May I wish you all a happy, prosperous and peaceful New Year.

Vic Knowles

As I write, snow is forecast which will probably lead to chaos! On March 15th, we shall be listening to a Representation of Chaos, the opening movement of Haydn’s Creation and one that never ceases to amaze in its originality of structure as well as tonality. It will be a great pleasure to welcome the London Pro Arte Orchestra. I still recall the exquisite playing of their Baroque specialists last Spring and I’m quite sure we shall be delighted again. Indeed that should surely be another element that will appeal to our potential audience. Yet again we bring an excellent professional orchestra to the town. We shall also hear three young and experienced soloists : Elizabeth Weisberg, Philip Tebb and ‘our own’ Jeremy Budd. His family are local to the area and he lived here until quite recently. His career as a soloist and member of many famous consorts continues to flourish mainly in this country and around Europe. You may remember that, when we did a Bring and Sing Creation a few years ago, he arrived at the rehearsal in rugby kit to sing the solos - straight from playing for Hertford!

The Creation is a rich and colourful work as Haydn traces the transformation from chaos through the first six days of creation. Along the way, he paints many of the creatures described, from the birds to the whales to the flowers to the host of insects and the sinuously creeping worm! Having created man and woman, much of the last section is a delightful scene between Adam (bass) and Eve (soprano) particularly poignant since our soprano and bass soloists were married last year! One of the famous choruses is Achieved is the glorious work, which was on HCS’s first recording (1991)!

One reason for choosing this work is because Easter, and therefore our concert, is early. As we have less rehearsal time, it should be helpful that this is a generally more familiar and popular work. May 31 next year marks the 200th anniversary of Haydn’s death and a whole series of
performances of The Creation is being planned. So how good that we can remind our audiences of how lovely it is before that comes!

I hope you enjoy it and do tell everybody that it will be another great HCS performance; you know it will be!
Happy New Year!

An amazing event took place on 21 September. A concert took place in the chapel at Haileybury to celebrate the United Nations International Day of Peace. It began with a powerful film about children living in the aftermath of war and how the charity, Hope and Homes for Children, works to find loving families in which traumatised and orphaned children can start to rebuild their lives. Members of HCS, conducted by Derek, sang the Sanctus and Benedictus from Jenkins’ The Armed Man with a haunting cello solo by Rebecca Godlee and powerful percussion playing by Haileybury students. Pupils from Aston St Mary’s Primary School sang the official Peace Day song, No Wars Can Stop Us Singing. Simon Balle School students played their own composition on African drums while Haileybury students performed a Zulu freedom song and a setting of Psalm 117, written for the Jewish choir and sung in Hebrew.

The Rev Chris Briggs (chaplain of Haileybury) read a poem that had been written by a past pupil, who had died in World War 1, aged only 20 years. In 2006, one of Haileybury’s ex students was killed in Iraq, bringing home to the audience that distant wars can touch families in Hertfordshire.

Nigel Parkin, head of drama, read a piece recording how Russian citizens were so affected at the sight of retreating German soldiers that they offered them their own meagre rations, reinforcing the belief that the perceived enemy is usually no different from you or I.

The concert was an effective collaboration between Haileybury, HCS and Brenda Lowe. The audience was highly appreciative. A cheque for £2000, as a result of donations and ticket sales, will be given to Hope and Homes for Children.

At the adjournment of the 2007 AGM, 11 Sept 07, the following trustees were elected:
Vic Knowles ............................ Chairman
Ted Sharp............................... Hon Treasurer
Christine Muskett..................... Hon Secretary
Alan Cropp and Diana Salthouse
Alan Cropp was elected Vice Chairman on 25 Oct 07

The recent Christmas Concert was the first time we built the new staging without any onsite instructions from the suppliers. As it was 6 months since the first build, the production team had their fingers crossed and hoped they had remembered the correct build and the post concert trolley-stacking sequences. I’m pleased to report that everything went very well, with the staging build completed in about 40 minutes. One thing I learnt was that the build is easier than expected and so the number of helpers can be reduced in future. The hardest job now is moving the pews. After the concert, the striking of the staging and the trolley-stacking was also completed in about 40 mins as I had my glass of wine and mince pie(s!!) at 10.15. Back in June we had some problems getting the trolleys stacked correctly so it was great to get everything in the right order. Many thanks to all those who turned up and helped with all the production jobs. When we decided to buy the new staging the objectives were:- • to reduce the cost of van hire, scout hire and storage • to reduce the risks of damage to people or church • to reduce the time needed to build/strike the staging • to enable other organisations to use for events/concerts

I am delighted to say that we have met all of the first three and have received some interest from people who would like to hire some of the staging.
Our next objective is to see if we can find somewhere in or near the church for storage. This will eliminate the need to hire a van and give easier and faster access whenever the staging is used.

Ken Edmonds

I loved the Berlioz, loved my part (alto 1) and loved everyone else’s part. Musically uneducated, I found it easy to sing. So when I was enthusing about it months and months ago to my daughter, Madeleine, she said “I’d like to come to that, and so would Lise”. Lise is four, and they live in the Alps. Discussing it further, Maddy said she thought Colette and Marc would like to come – and they did. They live in Toulon. OK. Later, our friends, Jane and Mike (Somerset), and Veronica and Don (Wokingham), said they would come. My usual groupies, husband, Alan and arm-twisted bosom pal, Sue, didn’t have much choice and they had to come. Ten people. Whoopee! We reserved ten seats in a box at the RAH. I rested on my laurels for ages, basking in the sun of virtue.

I can’t say much about the regional rehearsals. Under threat of expulsion by the headmaster, we had to attend one or more, and I managed to get to only one at Chorleywood with a few other HCS members; the redoubtables, Hilary and Diana being two of them. It was a very good rehearsal and I remember being very impressed with how the men sang. But all along we and all the other choirs worked hard. I think you could say we were dedicated. My friend, Cliff (Tenor 1), even delayed his move to Wales so that he could sing.

Came the day of the dress rehearsal in Harlow. We altos were high up at the back of the hall (we know our place). It was hot and crowded. In my mind I could see all these black and yellow, green-eyed monster germs rising in the air, zooming up my nose, down my throat and on to my chest. And so it was.

On the Friday of the weekend-that-was I staggered to Stansted Airport with my husband, dosed with lemon and honey, echinacaea and garlic pills, etc., looking like death warmed up, red nose, streaming eyes, hacking cough, muffled to keep my germs to myself. Colette and Marc arrived looking sophisticated and suave, as indeed they are. I ducked out of the Saturday morning run to Luton Airport. I knew that Maddy’s 11.30 arrival meant she might want lunch immediately, it being 12.30 in France, and already half an hour late! And so she did. Cooking for four French-domiciled people is quite daunting so I had prepared in advance and think I excelled myself culinarily.

Sunday arrived. I swallowed the medicine chest, and caught the Welwyn Garden City choir coach to the RAH. I don’t remember much about the rehearsal – perhaps a good thing. Our quarters in the bowels of the building left a lot to be desired except maybe as a boiler room. It transpired that the seat I was eventually allocated for the performance was close to my party’s box. My granddaughter could peep at me and I could see her in her pink party frock. I could also hear her shriek when Blast started, in spite of her ear plugs and sparkly ear muffs. Because of my malady I couldn’t sing anything marked p, pp or ppp, or anything exposed, but I could listen to everyone else and the orchestra. It was wonderful. My guests thought it was thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining and they loved every moment of it. If I say I was honoured to be there it makes me tearful, so perhaps I should leave that bit out.

At lunch time on Monday, eleven of us sat down to one of my culinary masterpieces. Because of the French influence, this lasted for about four hours. This did not mean that supper was not required. Three guests went home. Six guests stayed the night.

On Tuesday we went into reverse. My husband took Colette and Marc to Stansted and I took Maddy and Lise to Luton. Jane and Mike drove off to Somerset. I collapsed into a heap in bed for the afternoon with what was left of the medicine chest, got up in the evening, did not have a gin and tonic, and went to HCS.

I can honestly say I don’t like the expression “I was gutted” but that is how I felt when I saw The Times’ unnecessarily hostile review that evening. I know how I had striven to learn the music and provide an audience, but my efforts could not begin to match those of Derek, not to mention Peter and all the behind-the-scenes movers and shakers. What terrific people they all are. I came home, threw my music folder down (I can just hear my mother saying “temper, temper”), sent a raspberry-flavoured email to The Times and sulked.

So that is why I lost my Christmas music and found it a week later behind a door.

Pat Bardett

Iris Stedford: I loved the Berlioz. What did you think Auntie Di?
Di: Go Away!
Iris: But didn’t you think it was terrific?
Di: O course I did. Absolutely blooming marvellous. Now go away; can’t you see I’m busy?
Iris: Sorry Auntie – that’s an awful lot of pins. Can I help you?
Di: Thanks – but no thanks. I want to stick every single pin into this doll myself.

Those taking part should be proud of the way in which the performance came together.

The concert opened with Blast, a specially commissioned work by the young Hertfordshire composer, Daniel Basford. Using the same instrumental forces as Berlioz, the composer made optimum use of the unique space and acoustics afforded by the RAH, with a riot of quadraphonic sound that worked its way across the timpani, through the orchestra and around the four quarters of the gallery before combining all the instruments in a triumphant climax.

The Berlioz Requiem did not sit as comfortably with these Albert Hall acoustics as I had expected. This may have been because of my position in the back row of the circle, above the main body of sound. The quiet rising scale on the strings gave a compelling opening, and after the nervousness of getting started, the choir produced an unfaltering beauty of tone. There were memorable moments of lyricism, amongst them being the soprano-led introduction of the words ‘qui salvandos salvas gratis’ in the Rex Tremendae. There was a fine balance between choir and instruments, apart from a few moments of full-force brass, when the singers could not be heard.

Berlioz’s work often had the choir intoning as the orchestra wove melodically around them. This was especially effective in the Offeritorium. His individualistic scoring peppered the piece with nuances of sound with which the orchestra dealt very well. Amongst the most telling moments were the muffled cymbals in the Sanctus and the slow chords at the beginning of the Agnus Dei, with strings echoing woodwind. The strong brass entries did not fail to deliver dramatic moments, but I was left wondering why Berlioz chose to explore the depths of trombone and tuba in moments of sadness; the effect was macabre.

Without doubt, the highlight of the piece was Justin Lavender’s wonderful tenor solo with ladies’ angelic voices in the Sanctus. This glimpse of Heaven was maintained throughout the final Agnus Dei to a peaceful and moving Amen.

Felicity Sandell

Has it changed? Is it the same?

What is certain is that we are all now far more aware of who does what when and how. A big thank you to the team leaders who have rationalised and developed many aspects of HCS into a recognised self-running group of DOERS. There is no doubt that we are using the talents of many of our members, some individuals contributing in several ways.

We are lacking just a few volunteers. Can you help?
Ask your neighbour if he/she would like to have a go.

1. For the concert content team there is need of a deputy to work with Derek - preferably someone with some musical experience (i.e. any one of you!).

2. The concert content team is also looking for one or two people to look after the notice boards. Please talk to Hilary if this appeals to you.

3. The publicity team needs a deputy to shadow and support Trish Goldsmith. This team also needs members to do research for programmes and publicity for future concerts. This would include looking for suitable photos or looking at soloists’ websites. Fancy a new project for 2008? Please speak to Trish.

4. The general team is open to ideas for fundraising from the sublime to the ridiculous. Post your ideas in the suggestion box (please include your name).

5. The production team and the front of house team have full lists in all but INTERVAL DRINKS RESPONSIBILITIES. This is not now arduous (those magical fairies produce sparkling glasses for each performance and magic them away afterwards to reappear next time). There needs to be at least four people (but only two for each concert, which means you would be on duty only twice a season). These people would collect and distribute the wine and oversee the clearing up after the concert. A request has been made to provide wine at the Christmas concert. This could be done but only if three more helpers came forward. Please ask Hilary what is needed; it would be sad to have a dry concert!

If you haven’t yet ‘belonged’ by sharing the fun, have a go - either in a team or by helping on concert day.
Those members’ names on the official contact lists are often backed by a hidden group of support workers. To the old and the new, the obvious and the hidden, Derek and I say thank you.

Hilary Laidler

I usually review Ware Choral Society's performances but I was asked to write about the Berlioz at RAH and what a wonderful evening it was. Berlioz wrote 'The text of the Requiem was a quarry I had long coveted. Now at last it was mine and I fell on it with a kind of fury. My brain felt as though it would explode with the pressure of ideas.'

Berlioz had had no formal education in orchestration and was not proficient on any musical instrument but he knew the sound and atmosphere he wanted to create and this was wonderfully illustrated in the performance. I must say a word about the conductor, Derek Harrison. Right from the start he was totally in charge of this vast gathering. The brass players up in the gallery, the orchestra and the singers were completely under his control. I was completely overwhelmed by the grandeur of it all. At the close, the Agnus dei, the singers put down their scores to sing the Amen. It made the quiet ending of this huge work truly impressive. We had been treated to a memorable evening. Saint-Saens said of Berlioz 'He sought the impossible and would have it at any cost.'

Geoffrey Norris relates the joys of communal song after the Government launched a £10 million campaign in Jan 07 to encourage school children to sing

Make 'em sing The Daily Telegraph 17 Jan 2007
Tell a child that he or she has got to sing and there will probably be nervousness or reluctance. Coax them, cajole them and the chances of success are much greater. It must be in the training of the trainers that much of the £10 million will be spent. After all, it costs nothing to sing; there is no instrument to be bought. I cannot remember a time when I did not sing, either in my infants', primary and secondary schools or later on in choral societies and churches. At no stage have I had in the forefront of my mind that singing was aiding my social skills, my self-confidence or personal responsibility, though these are qualities that today are credited to music's powers. Nor have I been too conscious of the healthy impact it has on the body to breathe in deeply, open the lungs and belt out a tune. Medics and psychologists assert that these are among the boons of singing, but the quality I most value is that it is fun and fulfilling. I am not a natural soloist; I have never had any vocal training; but I have long valued the opportunities that a succession of music masters and choral conductors have provided for me in singing the classics of the choral repertoire and being part of something that I could not produce on my own.

Consensus on the national songbook will be hard to achieve. The sort of things I was brought up on were Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Mendelssohn's Oh, for the Wings of a Dove. If these are replaced by Lennon and McCartney, Simon and Garfunkel or even Muse, the encouragement for children to give voice will not be wasted.

BC:AD by Ursula Fanthorpe
This was the moment when Before turned into After
and the futures’s uninvented timekeepers presented arms.
This was the moment when nothing happened.
Only dull peace sprawled boringly over the earth.
This was the moment when even energetic Romans could find nothing better to do than counting heads in remote provinces.
And this was the moment when a few farm workers and three members of an obscure Persian sect walked haphazard by starlight straight into the Kingdom of Heaven.



Ed: June Crew with some remote help from Victor Crew (on the ski slopes). Grateful thanks to all contributors. MORE please. Also pictures, cartoons, quotes. To junecrew@brox1.demon.co.uk or 26 St Davids Drive, Broxbourne, Herts EN10 7LS

>> HCS Newsletter Number 94 (September 2007)

>> HCS Newsletter Number 93 (April 2007)

>> HCS Newsletter Number 92 (December 2006)

>> HCS Newsletter Number 91 (September 2006)

>> HCS Newsletter Number 90 (April 2006)

>> HCS Newsletter Number 89 (January 2006)