Photos by Phil Cody, Mike Knepper and Lyn. To enlarge left click on images
On a cool but sunny October 5th Autumnal afternoon the choir made its way over the Severn Bridge and along the M4, past majestic Windsor Castle before turning off to drive through the maze of suburban streets that make up the London Borough of Harrow. The Choir was delighted to accept the invitation of former Caldicot lad, Lyndon North, the Vicar of St. Andrews Church to support his appeal for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Led by our Musical team of Siân Hatton and Shirley Ann James and accompanied by John Nicholson and Stephen Berry, the programme opened to a full church of about 200 with its now traditional Llanfair , a rousing Welsh Hymn guaranteed to gain the immediate interest of any audience. Following on with the contrasting spiritual ‘De Animals a’ comin’ the Everley Brothers hit ‘ Let it be me’, ‘American Trilogy’ made famous by Elvis Presley. The enthralled audience was then treated to a mesmerising performance by Musical Director Siân Hatton of ‘Oh My Beloved Father (O Mio Babbino Caro)’ from the opera ‘Gianni Schicchi’ by Puccini and ‘Summer Time’ from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. The programme continued with ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?’ from the Lion King with Siân singing the solo and conducted by Shirley Ann James who also conducted the next number, romantic Welsh ballad ‘Lleucu Llwyd’. The first half performance continued with the melancholic plea ‘Bring Him Home’ from the musical Les Misérables, sung by the choir for the first time in about fifteen years and finalised with all time foot-tapping favourite, ‘Alexander’s Ragtime Band’.
Opening the second half with the classic Welsh hymn, ‘Rachie’ and ‘May You Always Have a Song’, the choir followed with the now familiar Munster Rugby team anthem, ‘Fields of Athenry’ to be contrasted with the Stephen Berry quietly accompanied ‘Lord’s Prayer’. With the audience now sitting firmly upright in anticipation, Siân once again delighted them with a solo rendition of ‘The Singer’ first sung by her as a test piece when only 15 years old and familiar ‘I Could Have Danced all Night’ from the musical My Fair Lady, joined in quietly by a number of the audience.
The final quarter was the concert icing on the cake with the classic opening of Bizet’s ‘Pearl Fishers Duet’; probably the most famous tenor – bass duet of all time. In contrast, the audience were thrilled to listen to ‘Myfanwy’ which tells of a lover’s plea for his girl friend not to leave him. Melodic hymn ‘He’ followed by the hugely contrasting, ‘Somebody to Love’ written and sung originally by Freddie Mercury, but on this occasion by Siân taking Freddie’s part in her own unique style. To cries of ‘More, more!’ the choir responded with an encore of the glorious Easter hymn, ‘When I Survey the Wond’rous Cross’ to the tune of Morte Criste.
For the choir, it was a pleasure and delight to sing to such an enthusiastic, welcoming, full house audience in a splendid setting with superb acoustics. We are assured by Rev. Lyndon North that we will be invited back at the earliest opportunity.
Following the concert, the choir ascended into the bus to wend its way around the maze of streets and roundabouts that make up West London until the destination of the RAFA club was eventually found. However, reminiscent of the 1957 Slim Dusty song, ‘There’s nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear, As to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer!‘, (click on the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E0aZ387M) the lads had to settle for lager or Guinness with which to wash down bowls of beef and potato curry. Chairman Leon was heard to say ‘I quite like Foster’s now! – No accounting for taste then. There was no dampening of the ‘Afterglow’ though and a small clientèle was treated to a late evening informal concert of our best known Afterglow songs including Happy Birthday to Mervyn (how old?).
11-30 or so and happily entrenched into our seats, the ‘on the bus afterglow’ from the boys of the back row continued to beyond the Severn Bridge until we arrived wearily home.
If you click on the website link to the church http://www.standrewsroxbourne.org.uk/and look on the right side bar you’ll see a link to Caldicot Male Voice Choir. Click on this and you will hear extracts from the concert. Well worth listening to!!!
I have also made a recording of the whole concert which I’ll put on a CD soon if you’d like one. Lyn