Music from Christ's Hospital 1985

[adlop]

I remember a record coming out around that time. My parents bought a copy so I think it was probably just sold to parents and at concerts to raise money, fairly sure I remember it being sold to Verrio visitors and on parents days, old blues days etc.

[PM]

Yes, a set of records was made showing off the talents of all the orchestras, bands and choirs of CH at that time. It was also, as you'll remember, the last year of "boys only" Horsham CH, and also the last year of the Director of Music, Malcolm MacKelvey. I can't remember much marketing for the records - probably sold to Old Blues through the usual networks. but they were fun to make!
PM

[Great Plum]

I believe that the choir that was directed by JDS had a certain Adrian Bawtree in it, who is now the organist at the school...

[cstegerlewis]

Ali Zaldua was an excellent string player, and popped up in sevral official and unofficial bands

[DavebytheSea]

All fascinating stuff! I only wish it were possible to archive some of this material and place it on CD. Richard Ruck was keen on this, but it never got off the ground. Maybe I will mention it to our Chairman (a certain AB) at our CHOBA Board meeting tomorrow.

[Richard Ruck]

Still willing to help, if there's anything I can do....

[Jude]

1985 - the year of total amalgamation - are there female voices in this recording? I am still looking for recordings from Hertford days - Noyes Fludde being the main one - if for the family embarrassment only! Intresting that it was done in 1985 - perhaps it wsa all male and recorded before all the girls joined, and was the "final" male only recording? more details please!

[cstegerlewis]

Don't believe so - IIRC the recordings were done Michaelmas 84 and then spring 85, the merger was in September 85.

[Jude]

Don't believe so - IIRC the recordings were done Michaelmas 84 and then spring 85, the merger was in September 85.

Strange as there were alot of girls there by then - Hertford had started "emmigrating girls" to Horsham in 1984, the Lower Vth who started their O levels moved to Horsham - it must have been a "last all male performance"..... I think having a mixed choir is so much better - I got fed up of singing tenor at Hertford! :mutley:

[Vonny]

Strange as there were alot of girls there by then - Hertford had started "emmigrating girls" to Horsham in 1984, the Lower Vth who started their O levels moved to Horsham -

I don't remember that happening The only girl I knew who was at Horsham before we all moved there in 1985 was Tanya Sillett. And she hadn't been at Hertford at all. I started my O levels at Hertford and so my year did half at Hertford and half at Horsham - I definitely don't remember anyone from my year moving to Horsham in 1984.

[cstegerlewis]

Vonny's right - apart from a few Non Foundationers (Tanya S, Sidonia Porteous, poss Sarah Jeffers?) the girls moved en masse during the summer that I went from LE to UF (1985) - there were a few familiarisation visits before then but that was all.

[Vonny]

Oh yes - I had forgotten about Sidonia - she was maybe in Col which is why I didn't know her at all. Sarah Jeffers was in BaB but I don't think she was at CH before we moved in 1985 - I could be wrong though.
My year (and I assume the other affected years) had a weekend visit to Horsham some time before we moved - I remember staying in the Sicker and having lessons while we were there. Hmm - I don't actually remember much about the visit other than that!

[mvgrogan]

The year above me did half their A level courses at Hertford and half at Horsham - I think they have several visits to ensure their courses weren't "upset" - I'll ask Fiona next time she's on skype!

We were lucky - I finished my O levels at Hertford and started the A levels at Horsham - great timing!!

[Jude]

The year above me did half their A level courses at Hertford and half at Horsham - I think they have several visits to ensure their courses weren't "upset" - I'll ask Fiona next time she's on skype!

We were lucky - I finished my O levels at Hertford and started the A levels at Horsham - great timing!!

maybe that is where I have got confused - with the reduction of girls at Hertford, closing of 8's and weird things going on - when I went in 1984 to a CHOGA day in the September (heavily pregnant) There were very few girls left, Miss Morrison was Head Mistress, and it seemed almost to be the last CHOGA meet up ever - we have of course had the April one last year - which was great - I think we CHOGA's should try to meet at Hertford once every few years - it's hard for those of us who never went to Horsham to see it as "home" - and ditto for those who only went to Horsham.

Have headache - nah JR nothing to do with drink - sadly - (that might help with the pain!) more to do with the fact that it's wet, windy and pretty chilly, and I have for some reason a headache and feel shattered and need to go back to bed - even though I have only been up for 2 hours!

sorry - wandered off topic - back to music from CH - I have 3 CD's from Horsham one of which is all Christmasy...
Are they still doing recordings? As I haven't seen anything for sale - does recording and making CD's / DVD's (now a Founders Day Service would go down well as a DVD, as would a good recording of the school choir in Chapel (or Big Hall - I don;t know which has the best acoustics) For certain parts of the year- - - - would the cost of making them be more than the revenue brought back from them?

[jhopgood]

Not exactly on topic, but close.
On a recent trip to the UK I sat next to a lady who works 4 months of the year as a 24/7 carer for the elderly. She makes enough money to survive the rest of the year as a pensioner as South Africa.
One of her recent jobs was caring for someone in Blue Coat Ponds, which is located between the station and CH. She used to wheel her charge up to CH every Tuesday for the lunchtime concert.
Before I explained about CH, she thought that CH was a musical foundation and that everyone who went there did so on a musical scholarship.
Gives an idea of the standard of music at CH as seen from the outside.