Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

A few years ago I posted a video of the LP “Christ’s Hospital Singers” to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmaDrwn5sbY&t=19s.

I have just received a request from a musician and music researcher who discovered the video.

He is working on a project to compile and publish a complete discography of the “Miserere” by Gregorio Allegri, one of the tracks featured on the LP. (This seems rather a niche pastime, but each to their own.)

To quote from his message: “This project started a few years ago when I provided a number of different recordings to my church choir so that the singers could listen to a variety of performances. I realised I had rather a lot of different recordings – and at the same time was looking for a reason to test a database prototype I’d been designing. Then we had the first lockdown, and in need of something to keep myself sane, I decided that I would hunt down every single possible recording of the work and start this crazy project. I would also set out to obtain a copy of every single recording if possible. I’ve made some amazing discoveries – including some rare recordings from the US that were previously undiscovered.”

He is looking for any information about the CH recording. One of the aspects of the website he is building will be to try and find people involved in original recordings and document their experiences.

The LP was apparently recorded in 1978, before my time. The sleeve notes state the Miserere was performed by The A Cappella Choir and the Semi-Chorus was Andrew March, Patrick Castledine, Andrew Steane, Edmond Rose and Rhodri Britton.

Is anyone able to provide any information on the recording? If so, if you message me I will give you the contact details of the musician.

Rhodri Britton is still singing professionally, I found him on FaceBook and sent a link to this thread - let's see if he replies.

Sorry, I'm a bit late to the party!

Thanks for posting that Youtube link. It's very many years since I last listened to that LP (which I once owned a copy of in the dim and distant past). It really is quite a good recording isn't it?

I was one of the Chapel Choir leaders in 1978 when the recording was made and I'm credited on the sleeve. I remember recording it. The young Andrew March really did have a beautiful voice. It all brings back some fond memories, especially singing the 'Lamentations . .' under Tom Jeffers. We all loved singing with him.

I nearly didn't sing in the A Capella recording of the Miserere. I'd had a bit of a row with John Shippen over coming back to do a final recording after lunch on that day. I was committed to going off on a CCF trip that afternoon and I didn't want to miss it so I asked him why we couldn't just press on and do the final recording before going to lunch. He didn't like me questioning his decision and was quite derisory in his response. After everyone else had gone I tackled him on this and told him that I didn't think he should have spoken to me in the way he did in front of the choir. Needless to say he was unrepentant so I walked out and told him I had other things to do and wouldn't be back after lunch. Malcolm McKelvey had overheard our exchange and came to see me in the dining hall just after. He was extremely apologetic on John Shippen's behalf and agreed that he shouldn't have spoken to me in that way. He actually begged me to return to sing after lunch and offered to personally drive me out to join the CCF activity on the South Downs once the recording was complete. Malcolm was such a nice chap and of course I couldn't refuse his offer. I never spoke to Shippen again before I left the school at the end of that term.

I'm still singing at the age of 63 and have been all my life. Not professionally like Rhodri but I've sung in some pretty good choirs. It's amazing that the joy of singing which started at CH has continued to be a joyous passtime throughout my life. I'll be with my current choir singing the weekend services at Hereford Cathedral on 29/30 October. If there are any OBs in the area who'd like to reminisce a bit about CH do come and find me after Saturday evensong.

JamesF35 wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 8:26 am Malcolm was such a nice chap and of course I couldn't refuse his offer. I never spoke to Shippen again before I left the school at the end of that term.

I'm still singing at the age of 63 and have been all my life. Not professionally like Rhodri but I've sung in some pretty good choirs. It's amazing that the joy of singing which started at CH has continued to be a joyous passtime throughout my life. I'll be with my current choir singing the weekend services at Hereford Cathedral on 29/30 October. If there are any OBs in the area who'd like to reminisce a bit about CH do come and find me after Saturday evensong.

James - I couldn't agree more! Like you, I've sung in choirs all my life since CH. Sure, we're not like the Rhoddri Brittons and Michael Savages of this world, with terrific voices, who sing professionally, but what Malcolm, especially, and John gave us was a true love of singing. I've often thought of how the choir members of that time have gone off, pursuing their various lives, but adding so much to the choirs they've sung in across that time. What a legacy for MM!

Here's a Male Voice Choir pic from 1977 - can you see yourself there?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/81125911@ ... ed-public/

Might work - might not - let me know!

JDS I have caught up with (mainly Scout-related, of course!) - in 2014 there was a gathering at Cartmel Racecourse, near his Cumbrian home, to celebrate his 70th birthday. It was great to meet up with folks I'd not seen in nigh-on 40 years as well as meeting some much newer Old Blues.

I really envy you singing in Hereford Cathedral - it is the most beautiful of cathedrals (Mappa Mundi there, if memory serves me right) and a wonderful setting for choral music. Thanks for posting on here - great to hear from you!

Be great if you could put the names to the Choir in your photo please.
I sang in Chapel Choir 1970 to about 74 and I recognise most of the faces but left in 75.
I have done the world a favour and not carried on singing!

I think I recognise Julian Berkeley, Clive Whitehead, Quintin Brown and Bill Biddell. Not sure about the spelling of some of them.

SandysJ wrote: Tue May 16, 2023 9:30 am Be great if you could put the names to the Choir in your photo please.
I sang in Chapel Choir 1970 to about 74 and I recognise most of the faces but left in 75.
I have done the world a favour and not carried on singing!

Haha, love that John!

As it happens I (thankfully) jotted some names down at the time cos there's no way I could remember them now!

Back L to R: Andrew Lane, Peter Larkins, Martin Turnbull, Jim Bishop, Mark Whitehead, Mark Hammond, Charlie Savage, Bill Bidell.

Front(ish) L to R: Simon Gillespie, Quentin Brown, Rhoddri Britton, Julian Berkeley (me!), Richard Robinson, Tim Stansfield, George ?, Mark Hill, Hywel Jones, Steve Clevedon.

See if that brings back any memories.

dsm wrote: Wed May 17, 2023 3:35 pm I think I recognise Julian Berkeley, Clive Whitehead, Quintin Brown and Bill Biddell. Not sure about the spelling of some of them.

Daniel, you would have done better than me (tho I can just about recognise myself!).

Check out my reply to John Sandys, and all will be revealed.

Let us know your memories/involvement in the various choirs.

While we're at it, do folks remember/have copies of these other two records from that period?

I especially remember singing on the 1971 one - Britten's "Missa Brevis" was challenging!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/81125911@ ... ateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/81125911@ ... ateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/81125911@ ... ateposted/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/81125911@ ... ateposted/

My brother is Andrew March.

Just today I gave my turntable to someone to repair it because I wanted to listen to my copy of the LP of The Christ's Hospital Singers and to hear my brother's absolutely incredible treble voice again. He is now 59.

On this 1978 recording he sang a duet with Patrick Castledine; Sound the Trumpet by Henry Purcell, the solo part of Mendelssohn's Hear my Prayer and O for the wings of a dove and the 1st Treble part in Allegri's Miserere, the other members of The A Cappella Choir being: Patrick Castledine and Andrew Steane (2nd Treble), Edmond Rose (Alto) and Rhodri Britton (Bass).

The previous year Andrew had won the Rediffusion Choirboy of the Year competition (now The BBC Young Chorister of the Year competition). The adjudicators were Sir Ernest Lough, the first famous choirboy, Sir David Willcocks, then Director of the Royal School (or was it College?) of Church Music who had been knighted earlier that year and one other, whose name I have forgotten.

The final was held in St. Georges Hanover Square, London, with the field of 6000 boys having been whittled down in a long series of heats to just 12. After the boys had sung the three adjudicators each gave a short speech about the performances and I remember just one of them; Sir Ernest Lough said that he had waited all his life to find a boy with a voice finer than his has been and that he had found him that evening. (He wasn't being conceited; his was considered to be the finest ever recorded treble voice at that time). The reverse order announcement of the winners had us on the edges of our seats and when my brother did not come third or second I recall turning to my parents and saying, "He's done it!". And, of course, he had. It was absolutely thrilling! Andrew was on the front page of pretty much every newspaper for a couple of days after that and he sung on the local news with our mother accompanying him on the piano.

Sadly, in those days, achievements like this did not automatically lead to interest from recording companies, so The Christ's Hospital Singers recording is now a very precious possession and, as far as I know, the only recording of Andrew's most remarkable treble voice. I have it beside me as I type.

Andrew now has a very fine tenor voice and my sister and I continue to sing with him on occasion, as we have done since we were 7, 5 and 2, Andrew being the youngest.