Britain's Got Talent and Boarstall!

A weekend of contrasts! 

I was fortunate to be asked, along with a great friend, to the Britain's Got Talent final in Wembley. I didn't know what to expect and am delighted to say that all my previous unfavourable suppositions have been utterly dashed.

Richard Holloway, our host, was fascinating to talk to and he really has done the most amazing job with BGT. Despite its fame and controversy, BGT is a traditional, kind hearted and fun talent show. Simon Cowell could not have been more encouraging or pleasant to people and during the breaks he and the other judges chatted, laughed and encouraged the performers and charmed the entire audience.  David Walliams was equally amiable and Aleysha Dixon was delightful and Amanda Holden was refreshingly self deprecating. The quality of performances in the final was extremely high, the weakest in fact was one of the grown-ups who was a comedienne. Attraction, who won, gave an extremely moving performance, my favourite part being Churchill's famous words 'Keep Calm' being acted out in human form.

Boarstall Tower is an enchanted place nestled away in the midst of the verdant Oxfordshire countryside. It really is a felicitous picture; foursquare, embattled, moateD, Mediaeval, at the end of a short straight drive next to an ancient parish church. A large flat lawn to the rear of the building is the only clue to the real past of this little building. Boarstall Tower, as it is now, was the gatehouse to a huge rambling mansion, which is vanished.

Boarstall is home to Mr and Mrs Robert Dixon and they have filled it with fascinating things and have given life to this historic building. The Dixons have started recital series in the banqueting hall on the top floor, so it was to hear soprano Luci Briginshaw that I journeyed to sunny Boarstall. Her programme of art songs and other masterpieces was sublime and filled the ancient space.

Luci Briginshaw

The secret Mediaeval mini-castle is the perfect setting for chamber music. To get to the banqueting room one clime a twisting spiral staircase high up in the gatehouse. From this high vantage point one can imagine the sprawling mansion that once lay below this precious little building.

On shutting the front door under the high Gothic arch and walking over the moat I was out of this little dream land. I look forward to going back again!




For information on Boarstall please see:-
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/boarstall-tower/

BERNSTEIN IN PARIS

7th July 2013

I was delighted and exited to be asked to be soloist alongside a choir made up of three hundred Americans from all over the States in Bernstein's Chichester Psalms in Paris. Bernstein states that the soloist must either be a treble (preferable) or a countertenor...as a barrel scrape! Anyhow, it was exhilarating to work with the inimitable Andre Thomas and this great choir which just three days before had been a disparate group of small choirs unknown to each other.

                         The American Church

We began our rehearsals in the American Church on the Quay d'Orsay, which was pleasant as the building is light, un-intimidating and airy. I had my usual worry about what people would think of a countertenor - many never having heard one before - but they were kind and I think they just assumed I had some sort of specialist anatomical oddity! One ten year old said could I sing higher than he could...probably!

        John,Virginie, Oliver Gerrish, Andre, Kaitlin and Philip at The Madeleine


The Bernstein has all the energy of Westside Story and the unmistakable fun and whirlwind melodies of Jewish music.

                    The mighty Madeleine Church

                     The interior of The Madeleine looking towards the High Altar

One of the subterranean passages beneath The Madeleine

Oliver gerrish being conducted by Andre Thomas

                 An audience assembling...

                  Cavaille-Coll masterpiece at The Madeleine

              Philip, Virginie, John, Oliver Gerrish, Andre Thomas and Kaitlin

The three hundred and thirty-strong choir

Kitchen Rococo in a restaurant we ate at before the concert

The Marche aux Puces

A very nice present for each of us singers

The quartet in the Bernstein were Kaitlin, a lovely US soprano, French mezzo-soprano Virginie fouque,American-in-Paris tenor John Bernard and Brit baritone Philip Glenister. Kaitlin and Philip sang the solos in Faure's Requeim, which proceeded the Bernstein.

The setting for the concert was The Madeleine, surely one of the most sublimely grand edifices in Europe. Axcording to my French Grandmother an ancestor of mine was the first organist there from 1847 for yen years. He was Louis Lefebure-Wely. He, amongst other things, was a great friend of legendary organ builder Cavaille-Coll and he taught Widor. We used the organ behind the gargantuan Angelic reredos, which was not quite like the great West End organ, but we did get to hear that rumble before our rehearsal. The Hunchback of Notre Dame always comes to mind in these dim and dusky vast French churches!

Between the rehearsals I dashed up to do some (unsuccessful) bargain-hunting at the Marche aux Puces at St-Ouen de Clignancourt, which was an experience nonetheless despite being rather overpriced and extremely hot and crowded.

The concert was a great success and Andre Thomas conducted with such aplomb and somehow had enough energy to keep everyone on their toes and smiling for hours...no mean feat when there were nearly 400 involved.



We had about a thousand in the audience, which was marvellous, and it was the most enormous thrill and honour to sing in that great cavernous building with a giant choir from half way across the World.