Christmas Eve Carols in the Park

I suppose 'traditions' evolve over a long period of time, but I think we may have experienced the start of one this Christmas Eve in Loughborough's Queen's Park.

Some months ago Caroline came up with the crazy idea of adding a choir to the 'traditional' Christmas Eve Carillon Recital in Queen's Park! Not particularly crazy on the face of it, but when you start to think about it, all manner of questions and doubts arise. For example, how could we possibly coordinate between carillonneur and choir? Would the choir hear the carillon while standing under the bandstand? How would the combined carillon and choir actually sound in reality? Would we get an audience? Would we even have a choir at all, given peoples own christmas plans? Finally, would the beloved Charnwood Council even allow us to perform at all given the perils of 'Health and Safety' in the modern world?

So the first task for Caroline was to tackle the latter concern and approach the relevant council officials. I think they were supportive of the idea in principle, but a 'risk assessment' would need to be carried out. Now I am familiar with such essentials in my role with Balfour Beatty. 'ZERO HARM' is my daily mantra now of course and something I apply in all areas of my life, at all times! Hey Julia, stop sniggering! One can never be TOO safe, even when engaged in the apparently safe pursuit of singing a carol in a bandstand!

God help us! But one thing I have learnt over the last two and a half years is that there is no escape from corporate 'bollards'. Ignore it at your peril. So Caroline set about listing all the possible traumas that might befall a choir in a bandstand:-

• Tripping and falling on the steps perhaps? (Ooh, nasty! Bandages, plasters, tin of germoline, team of paramedics?)
• Sore throats from singing too loud or dodgy technique? Not possible for a Caroline Sharpe Singer obviously, but maybe others?
• Paper cuts from the music sheets? No really, this WAS listed I believe!
• How about hypothermia? Possibly the most likely scenario given the time of year?

One unforeseen risk was the possiblilty of strangulation by tinsel, and this was only narrowly averted, mentioning no names, Chris Hill!

Honestly, what a nonsense, but 'rules is rules' as they say. Risk Asessment was duly submitted and the 'all clear' was granted - eventually. We were green for go! Maestro and all round hero Chris Hill bought into the mad idea and was willing to attempt to pull together the choir and carillon. But how to raise a choir and audience? The invite went out to all Caroline Sharpe Singers, Enchanted, Loughborough Male Voice Choir and just about anybody else willing to pop along and who fancied a sing-song.

But how to raise an audience? This potentially ground breaking event definitely needed an audience however it was going to turn out, so publicity was therefore required. Well, in this respect Caroline Sharpe excelled herself. Our friends at Loughborough Echo produced a good piece to support it, but it was Radio Leicester that really came up trumps. An interview with Caroline, who is getting increasingly adept at handling the media, was played throughout the morning of Christmas Eve in several news bulletins and in a longer piece mid morning. Superb!

Right then, game on! I'm not sure Caroline was entirely convinced as a rather nervous phone call to Ruth expressed doubts as to whether we would even have a choir let alone an audience. When we arrived at the bandstand we did indeed have a choir. Well, there was me, Ruth and Julia joining Anna-Ruth, so that was a start. My first job was to ascend the memorial tower's steps right to the top to open the louvre doors - a task beyond the vertigo suffering Caroline.

When I rejoined the choir at the bandstand, the gathering of singers had swelled to a creditable number and we did indeed have an audience. Hoorah! As kick-off approached, yet more people joined audience and choir alike. LMVC members were conspicuous by their absence with the exception of Sue Ellerby who for a change had left her keyboard behind in favour of having a sing along with her husband Mike. Good on yer Sue! Plenty of partners and friends came along too, much to Caroline's delight.

So time for a warm up and a test of the 'walkie-talkies' that were to enable carillonneur and conductor to hopefully coordinate proceedings:-

Beep! "Are you ready, over?" says Caroline.

Chris replied with "that's a big 'ten-four', rubber duck", or something similar and we were ready for the off!

We hesitantly started with Away in a Manger. Click below to view the video!

Okay, so it started off a bit all over the shop, but Chris quickly realised that choir members in the middle of the bandstand could hear precious little of the Carillon, so moved outside to conduct where at least he could hear. Standing on the edge meant that I could hear the carillon and see Chris, so was okay, but it was a struggle for others. We even shuffled round to a better position, mid carol!

By now the audience had swelled to amazing numbers and seemed really 'into' the whole occasion. On we pressed with Once in Royal David's City, followed by Ding Dong Merrily on High (which can both be found now on Youtube - channel 'Enchantize' See the link in the right-hand column of this blog).

Then we sang Silent Night followed by Good King Wenceslas. This one was interesting as men sang some verses and the ladies others. We did drift out of synch with Caroline a couple of times, and had an aditional contribution from Charlie King the cameraman. Take a look:-

I don't know who the bearded gentleman was front right, but whoever you were Sir, may I formally invite you to join the Loughborough Male Voice Choir! We certainly need to boost our numbers and you were in fine voice.

There followed renditions of Coventry Carol, O Little Town of Bethlehem, White Christmas and Hark the Herald Angels Sing and you can view the latter here:-

Chris Hill was doing a great job in between carols chatting to the crowd and getting them involved with the singing. He did rather struggle to control his tinsel though which did make a break for freedom on several occasions.

To round off this memorable event we finished off with Christmas Song (chestnuts roasting on an open fire and all that) and finally O Come All Ye Faithful.

Chris Hill thanked the appreciative audience who slowly drifted away leaving us to reflect on a wonderfully successful event. Yes, there were a few times when choir struggled to keep in time with the carillon, but we gradually got a feel for it. The overwhelming feeling of many of those participating was that this should definitely be repeated. The lessons learnt from this first try will I'm sure stand us all in good stead for future such events.

I couldn't help but wonder just how big this could become with full support and backing from the council and local media. A big, rehearsed choir with a large crowd of Loughborough residents, could make this something very special every Christmas Eve for the town of Loughborough!

See you all next year. Same time, same place?

In the meantime,

Have a Very Happy New Year!

Cheers for now,

Alyn

P.S. I've had a bit of trouble uploading one or two videos, so may attempt a few more in a day or two, so stay tuned.

The Council and its Carillon

It would seem that the impression I have gained of  Charnwood Council being slightly less than committed to the well being of Loughborough's Carillon might not be entirely accurate. One or two details have come to light which suggest that maintenence of the Carillon is indeed being carried out to some degree on an annual basis, so I am happy to set the record straight.

I understand that about two years ago, several of the bells were found to be loose and Taylors were engaged to carry out the necessary repairs. Since then, Taylors have undertaken yearly maintenance and this is to continue. Additionally, should any issues arise such as the transmissions or batons breaking, then Taylors would be engaged to carry out any repairs.

So all this is good news and to give credit where it is due, the council is at the very least committed to ensure that this magnificent instrument is playable for the forseeable future.

Having said all that though, it is obvious to anyone who has attended one of Caroline's recitals, that the clavier would benefit from some renovation to make it less noisy to play. I understand that Taylors have expressed the desire to undertake a complete renovation of the entire Carillon including replacing the clavier and even recasting some of the bells. The cost of a renovation on that scale would I am sure be financially prohibitive in the current economic climate, but some renovation of the noisy clattering clavier shouldn't be beyond the scope of future budgets surely? Anyway, I'll leave it to the relevant Coucillors to argue over that one.

What shouldn't cost much and is certainly long overdue is the recognition of Caroline's commitment by formally bestowing upon her the official title of 'Borough Carillonneur'. It appears that many people think that Caroline already is the Borough Carillonneur. But, this has never actually happened in any official way. Thinking about the way Councils and other employers work these days, in order for this to happen, it might mean that the position would have to be formally advertised to allow any member of 'Joe Public' to apply for the position, incurring a certain expense. Well yes maybe, but just how many applications are there likely to be received for the position of 'Borough Carillonneur', bearing in mind such creatures are on the 'Red List' of endangered species??? Not many methinks!

So come on Charnwood Council! Do the right thing and make it official. You know I'm right!

Cheers for now,

Alyn

Now we're getting somewhere!

After last weeks revelation that maybe, just maybe, there is indeed a 'voice' deep within me somewhere, desperate to be liberated from its stress-inhibited strait-jacket, it was with some trepidation that I approached my next lesson. Would the 'voice' still be there or would it once again retreat into its shell like a tortoise, never to be seen again?

Oh ye of little faith! After the usual mix of warm-up routines, off we went with another shot at Where e're You Walk, in the now revised higher key. As the high bit at "and all, things flourish", approached I started to think about it  (always a mistake) and it wasn't quite there, at least initially. Mid-note, things opened out a touch and the volume emerged. That was all the reassurance I needed - that last week wasn't a freak occurrance. It really is there and available on demand. Hoorah! During the week, I had practiced a bit, most often in the car on the way to work, but it's not easy to sing well sitting down I find. Goodness knows how opera singers manage it while acting and sitting down on stage.

So, Where e're You Walk is coming along nicely. The second half 'twiddly bits' need a bit of work, but we're getting there. Time then to have another go at Caro Mio Ben by Giuseppe Giordani. The last time I attempted this one a few months ago, I remember it being all rather feeble and inept. This time, however it was a slightly different story. With my new found, fledgling voice starting to emerge, it felt a whole lot better, "now that you've got a 'proper' voice", as Caroline put it.

Meanwhile, Ruth and sis-in-law Julia, had returned from a touch of shopping and were sneakily listening to my latest efforts, which brought a warm round of applause from the church. Disappointingly, I heard no calls for MORE! Oh well, there were just the two of them and it is early days I guess?

Before I go, regular readers of this blog may recall my recent 'rant' on the subject of Loughborough Carillon and its Carillonneur, Caroline Sharpe. Click here to read it if you missed it. Well, it seems this humble blog was discovered by a chap called Mel Gould from the Carillon Museum and he has forwarded a copy of that posting to various individuals including a number of people on Charnwood Council! On hearing of this development, I hastily re-read the article to remind myself exactly what I had said and I must say, I stand by every word. It will be interesting to see what develops. Perhaps a follow-up email by myself to a few of the recipients? I'll let you know what transpires.

Until next time.

Cheers,

Alyn

Loughborough Carillon - Time to get vocal!

Okay, this humble blog is all about my singing exploits primarily, but please excuse me if I drift a little 'off topic' just this once. I wish to address something that has irritated me a bit for quite a while and as it is musical in nature and we are in the midst of the LMVC summer recess, I will get it over with now.

I would like to take this opportunity to get something off my chest regarding Loughborough's Carillon and indeed, it's Carilloneur. Now, call me a sentimental old fool if you like, but I really do believe that it is during austere times such as this, that it is all the more essential to preserve the very things that define a town's character and set it apart from the mere 'ordinary'. Here in the town of Loughborough, we are extremely fortunate to be blessed with something very special and quite unique. We have a Carillon!

By using the word 'unique', I am not saying that it is the only Carillon in the country. There are in fact 14 Carillons in the UK and Ireland with another Carillon-type instrument played via a keyboard as opposed to a clavier, at Spalding in Lincolnshire.  For those that wish to, there is an account of a tour of many of them made by myself, Ruth and Loughborough's Carillonneur, Caroline Sharpe in 2008. Click here for movie files and more!

By unique, I mean its setting. The Loughborough Carillon is the only one set in a purpose built memorial tower, to commemorate the lives of those lost in the Great War. If you pay a visit to the memorial tower in Queen's Park on a Thursday or Sunday to listen to a recital, browse through the museum's exhibits and read the displays of information, you will I'm sure get a pretty good idea of its importance to the town and country.

So you would think that Charnwood Borough Council would hold his magnificent musical instrument in high esteem. Well, maybe I'm missing something, but I get the distinct impression that our beloved councillors are not particularly interested in the Carillon and there is plenty of recent evidence to support that conclusion.

For example: A musical instrument of such size and complexity obviously needs regular maintenance to keep it in shape for its regular recitals. In fact the Carillon has not been 'serviced' (if that's the right word) for a very long time. Caroline informs me that it is dire need of some overdue maintenance just to keep it usable.

Loughborough's previous Carilonneurs were Eric Jordan (1922 - 75), then  Dr. Peter Stratfold (1975 to 1980) and then a gentleman called Peter Shepherd who was Borough Carilloneur until he retired in 2006. Note the title there - 'Borough Carillonneur'. Since the inaugural recital in 1923, Loughborough's Carillonneur has had the title 'Borough Carillonneur' or 'Carillonneur Emeritus' bestowed upon them. Since Peter Shepherd retired in 2006, Caroline Sharpe has taken over the role of Carillonneur but is yet to be awarded any official title. Why? Can anyone on Charnwood Council explain the reasons behind this omission?

Perhaps they should take a little time and effort to consider what Caroline does each year for Loughborough and it's Carillon. Such as:- 

• preparing twice weekly recitals throughout the spring to autumn
• maintaining the Loughborough Carillon webite that she herself created
• publicising recitals on the website and through the local media
• organising 'Loughborough Carillon Week' each July

And for all this she  is recognised with the embarrassingly inadequate reference of 'Resident Carillonneur'. This dear friends, is a shameful outrage when one considers the effort and commitment Caroline has shown over the last 5 years. Has anyone on Charnwood Council ever considered what state the Carillon would be in if it wasn't for Caroline's efforts on our town's behalf? Well dear Councillors, if you want to see what a neglected Carillon looks like take a look at this  - click here

That's what is left of Parkgate Carillon on the Wirral. Not a pretty sight or sound is it? That is what we would be faced with if Caroline were to throw the towel in and call it a day!

As if all that isn't bad enough, there is also the fiasco of the rearranged 'Picnic in the Park' to explain! This picnic event was originally scheduled for the Bank Holiday Monday, 3oth May, but was postponed due to heavy rain. So someone in their infinite wisdom decided to reschedule for Saturday July 23rd - the penultimate day of Loughborough Carillon Week, an event that has taken place on the same week, each year since the Carillon came into existence. John Ridgeway was scheduled to make the trip from the York Minster Carillon to give a recital. Even allowing for this administrative blunder, one would have thought that at worst, a break of at least one hour could have been arranged to allow him to give his recital as planned, but this was not deemed possible. I think a shortened half hour recital was mooted but discarded. It is something of an insult to expect the Carillonneur from York to make the trip for a mere 30 minutes. The decision to preserve the picnic activity at the expense of the Carillon recital is an utter disgrace and someone in Charnwood council ought to hang their head in shame!

Loughborough Carillon Week is an important week in the town's calendar. It is the one week of the year when the focus specifically is on the Carillon, its tower and the efforts to fund and build it back in the early 1920's, to commemorate the lives lost in the Great War. I think it is about time we had some answers to some fundamental questions regarding the future of Loughborough Carillon.

Watch this space.....

Cheers, Alyn.

The Loughborough Male Voice Choir Carillon Bell

On Sunday May 1st, Ruth and I went over to the war memorial in Queens Park to listen to Caroline give one of her regular Carillon recitals. For the uninitiated, there's a website all about this rare and extraordinary musical instrument to be found here.

While we watched the master at work, Ruth noticed a photograph within one of the information boards opposite the clavier. It appeared to show a bell with an inscription implying that it was a gift from the Loughborough Male Voice Choir. With my curiosity aroused, I had to go and have a look for it!

Risking punctured eardrums, I climbed the steps to where the bells are hung and after a few minutes I located the bell in question and took a couple of photos:-

The inscription reads " THE GIFT OF THE LOUGHBOROUGH MALE VOICE CHOIR".

Intriguing! The first recital of the Loughborough Carillon was on 22nd July 1923, but the Loughborough Male Voice Choir didn't come into existence until 1967. So, perhaps new bells were added or maybe some re-cast at some stage after 1967?

Actually, it seems the answer to this apparent puzzle is a little simpler than that. A quick chat with Chris Hill before last Thrusday's rehearsal shed some light on it. It would seem that while the current incarnation of the Loughborough Male Voice Choir didn't come into being until 1967, there was a male voice choir present in Loughborough in the early 1920's and it was this group that funded this particular bell right at the beginning of the life of Loughborough War Memorial tower and its Carillon. The bell seen in the photographs above is the original bell as installed back in the 1920s.

As Chris says, I think our current choir can justifiably lay claim to this bell! After all, we are Loughborough's Official Male Voice Choir and the bell has our name well and truly on it! I now feel the urge to delve a little into the history of Male Voice Choirs in Loughborough. It would be nice to find out something about the funding of this Carillon bell by the 'original' LMVC, when the choir formed and why it disappeared. If anyone has any information or memories of earlier choirs in Loughborough, do drop me a line.

Ooh, I feel a book coming on!!!

Cheers,

Alyn.