ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF GMCS
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This is the
story of an adult education class that has become a foremost presenter of wide-ranging
choral music in the Chiltern Hills of Buckinghamshire. The Choir’s
beginning in 1948 was a course of lectures on music appreciation given under
the auspices of the Workers Educational Association (WEA), held in the Great Missenden Village
Hall. The lecturer, Herta Grove, says
in her recorded accounts that this was not to involve listening to gramophone
records but that the class was going to have to make its own music by unaccompanied
part-singing. She recognised the
problems in this in that ‘most could not read a note of music’. However, she managed to convey sufficient
enthusiasm to her class that at the end of the course they kept going as a
choir with Herta Grove continuing as Music Director and rehearsing in the
Meeting Hall of the Gerhardi electroplating works, situated within a stone’s
throw of the Choral Society’s present place of rehearsal. By the following year the choir was able to
perform a concert of three of the Bach motets, one of which (BWV 226) being
set for double choir and another, ‘Jesu, Priceless Treasure’ (BWV 227),
starting out to become the most performed work of the Choir. Until she retired as Director in 1954 Herta
Grove also explored the a capella repertoire from Tye to Britten,
including an introduction to English text versions of Brahms’ Op.22
Marienlieder, which the Choir was to perform again in recent years in the
original rustic German. In 1954 Neil
Saunders, Mus.D. and medical practitioner, accepted Herta Grove’s challenge
to take over as Music Director, which he did for thirty three years! This was a period of great exploration into
the unknown, new and old and long-since forgotten works. Notable triumphs were the restoration of
the Vivaldi ‘Gloria’ to the British musical scene in 1964 and the first
British performance of the Buxtehude
cantata sequence ‘Membra Jesu Nostri’ in 1965. Though not yet a household name, Guillaume
Bouzignac (1587), introduced in 1966, is now to be found in record
catalogues. A remarkable feature of the Neil Saunders years was the close and
continuing association with many singers and instrumental soloists of
international repute. The work of
Neil Saunders was largely continued by Gordon Fairbairn, innovation appearing
gradually with the introduction of standard choral society repertoire with
three parts of the Bach Christmas
Oratorio and then a complete performance of
Handel’s Jephtha in cooperation with the Blackheath Ascension Choir. This move
towards mainstream choral society work was accelerated by David Meacock, who
introduced parts of Handel’s Messiah, Masses and Stabat Maters by Haydn and
Schubert, the Bach St. John Passion and other works from Croft and
Albinoni to Saint-Saëns and Finzi, all
concerts requiring full orchestration. John Cotterill,
the Society’s present Music Director, has introduced a strategy of occasional
concerts requiring few soloists and smaller orchestras, to enable the
presentation on other occasions of standard and contemporary works requiring
greater resources than had been possible hitherto. This wide-ranging repertoire is much
appreciated by Choir and audiences alike. John has also built connections with the
Josephine Baker Trust (of which he is a Trustee), and the Countess of Munster
Musical Trust, both of which give financial support to young professional
soloists. As a result many such
soloists have been employed by the Society for concerts in recent years, to
much acclaim. GMCS has always
prided itself on being a friendly, welcoming and sociable Society, whilst
maintaining high standards and commitment.
There have been many changes in membership over the years, but some of
the founding members remain as Friends of the Society. Their support, and that of a loyal
audience, is much appreciated. The Diamond
Jubilee season, in 2008/ 09, marks another milestone in the choir’s history;
it will include some works from the choir’s early years, and will commemorate
the bi-centenary of Handel’s death. There are many
new challenges for the Society, but undoubtedly Great Missenden Choral
Society will be celebrating its 75th Jubilee season in 2024. Milestones in the History 1959
First public performance by John
Shirley-Quirk 1961 Choir
performed in the first Little Missenden festival 1963 First
performance of “Festival Jubilate” - Richard Drakeford 1963 Choir
took part in WEA 50th anniversary concert in the Royal Festival
Hall 1964 First
performance in England of Vivaldi’s “Gloria” 1965 First
performance in England of Buxtehude’s “Membra Jesu Nostri” 1969 First
performance of “Jubilate Deo” – Neil Saunders 1970 First
performance of “Missa Brevis” – Geoffrey Burgon 1972 First
performance of “Worlde Blisse” - Geoffrey Burgon 1974 First
performance in England of Delalande’s “Cantemus Domino” 1974 First
performance of “Benedic Anima Mea” - Neil Saunders 1976 First
performance of 1979 First
performance of “Cantata di Requiem” - Neil Saunders 1980 First
performance of 1991 First
performance of 1995 First
performance of “Easter Cantata” – David Meacock 1995 Performance
of “The Sprig of Thyme” – John Rutter, 1998/9 Choir’s
Golden Jubilee season, 2000
GMCS
formed part of The New Century Chorus, for a centenary performance of Elgar’s
“The Dream of Gerontius”, at the Royal Albert Hall. 2004,2005, GMCS
formed part of the chorus for the Royal British Legion’s 2008/09 Choir’s
Diamond Jubilee season, to include works from the choir’s early years
and also to commemorate the bicentenary of Haydn’s death. Back to Home page |
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