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Origins
of the Leek Choral Society
From
his appointment as Choirmaster and organist at St. Edwards's Church in
1835, Benjamin Barlow encouraged the development of music in the town.
He was the pianist when the Leek Philharmonic Society, established in
1839, gave the first of a series of subscription concerts in October
that year in the assembly room at the Swan Inn. The society still
existed in 1857.
In
1842 Barlow arranged for Joseph Mainzer, the pioneer teacher of choirs
according to the sol-fa method, to give lectures in Leek on
congregational singing. It was almost certainly Barlow who founded Leek
Church Choral Society, in existence in 1857, and he was probably
involved in the formation, in 1864, of the "Leek and District Association
for Promoting Church Music", which sought to encourage congregational
singing in Anglican churches. Leek United Choral Society, also in
existence by 1857, was probably a nonconformist group.
Leek
Amateur Musical Society, formed in 1866, gave concerts in the
Temperance Hall until 1888, when it moved to the Town Hall in Market
Street. It still existed in 1913.
In
the 1930's two societies - the Leek Choral Society and the Leek
Orchestral Society - gave joint concerts. These usually consisted of a
miscellany of individual items - solo, choral and orchestral works - but
in 1937 a concert version of Edward German's light opera "Merrie
England" was performed to mark the coronation of King George VI.
Earlier, "Tom Jones", also by Edward German, had been performed in 1933
with a rendition of "Messiah" in the same year. "Hiawatha's Wedding
Feast" was presented in 1936 - probably its first performance in the
Moorlands.
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Keith Davis
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Involved
in local music-making in the Leek area for over fifty years as a
singer, conductor and concert organizer, Keith Davis has a collection
of souvenir programmes from this period.
All
the concerts were held in Leek Town Hall with world famous baritone,
Australian Peter Dawson, singing with the choir and orchestra in 1930.
"Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, all of these concerts
were organized and conducted by the late Harry Whitter, who lived on
Clerk Bank, Leek. He was also the organist at Bethesda Methodist
Church, which stood at the corner of Queen Street and Ball Haye Street.
Also prominent at the time was Harry Hunt, both as choir member and
soloist. At this time, the Choral Society boasted some eighty members.
After the war, the Brunswick and Mount Pleasant Methodist Chapels
continued the tradition of choral singing, performing oratorios
'Messiah' and 'Elijah'
in the 1940's and 1950's with guest soloists and organ accompaniment.
The orchestra seems to have foundered during the war years. The chapel
choirs were augmented with singers from other churches. Douglas Tate
(choirmaster at Brunswick) planned and conducted each event, with
Leslie J Parker (organist at Brunswick) as the accompanist. Harry Hunt
featured frequently as bass soloist. The Chairman of Leek Urban
District Council would preside over the proceedings and there were
always hymns and prayers led by the resident Brunswick Methodist
minister.
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Brunswick
Chapel
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It
was in this period - 1944 - that a young Kathleen Ferrier came to sing
at Brunswick
Chapel and afterwards commented on its excellent
acoustics. Introducing a singer who went on to become an international
celebrity and the best-loved contralto of the era, the chairman
remarked "Here is a voice you'll hear a great deal more of in the
future..."
Such choral events
would see the chapel
packed with an audience of more
than 700 people.
When Douglas Tate retired from his position as choirmaster at Brunswick
in the late 1960s, Keith Davis was invited to take over.
"I found great pleasure in music-making, as a member of the Brunswick
choir and while participating in the oratorio concerts," he says.
Others of Keith's generation - pals at school and cast members of so
many of the town's early Gilbert and Sullivan productions - first by
Leek Grammar School and then by the Leekensians - can be spotted in our
photograph of the 1960 'Messiah' at Brunswick. They include Philip
Davis, Colin Wilson, Bill and Tommy Turner, Roger Brookes, Hilary Davis,
Edith Meakin and Ron and Mary Green.
Keith maintained the tradition, and in 1971, responding to popular
demand from choir members, Leek Choral Society was formally
re-established. Since then the singers have provided the town with
annual performances of oratorios, operas and other choral works through
to the present day. They have also become a regular contributor to Leek
Arts Festival in May.
Invited in the late 1970s to devise and present the civic carol service
each year on behalf of the Leek Council of Churches, the enjoyment
found in these events led directly to our 'Christmas Occasions'
– an
immensely popular seasonal entertainment for all the family, at Trinity
Church.
This photograph, taken by Harry Alcock at Brunswick Methodist Church
around 1960, records the night when an augmented choir of over I00
voices gave one of the best performances of 'Messiah' the town had ever
heard.
Principals were Doris Pemberton (soprano) Dora Capey (contralto), Sam
Beeston (tenor) and Dennis Piekford (bass). The choir was conducted by
Douglas Tate and Leslie J Parker was the organist.
Keith
Davis is pictured immediately to the left of the organist.
2007 was a busy and exciting time for the Choral Society. The whole
town was celebrating the anniversary of the signing of the town's
Market Charter by King John in 1207, and the Society contributed with a
festival programme of English vocal music spanning the 800 years since
the event.
Just
twelve days later the Society was honoured to be part of a charity
concert given by the celebrated Grand Opera soprano, Rebecca Evans, in
St. Edward's Church, Leek.
In a programme devoted to opera 'pops' we shared items which included
The Habanera from 'Carmen' ,the Brindisi from 'La Traviata' and Easter
Hymn from 'Cavalleria Rusticana'
Two contrasting concerts in under a fortnight, one with a world-famous
singer! Hard work - but immensely rewarding and truly memorable.
It
can thus be seen that from the mid-1800's, throughout the twentieth
century and into the twenty first, a proud tradition of choral singing
has been maintained in the North Staffordshire Moorlands, and is set to
continue into the future.
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Rebecca Evans
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Introducing our President, Rebecca Evans
The Choral Society is proud to announce that Rebecca Evans, an internationally famous soprano from S. Wales, has consented to become our President. She came to Leek to sing with us in a fund-raising concert for the refurbishment of the St. Edward's Church organ in 2007, and we have been able to keep in touch during her extremely busy schedule both at Covent Garden and commitments abroad. She responded to our invitation saying that she 'was delighted and extremely honoured' to be asked. In a warm and generous letter she adds that Joy Davies, her accompanist, now conducts the Morriston Orpheus Choir, and that she was so impressed with our rendering of Easter Hymn (from Cavalleria Rusticana) that she arranged it for male voices so that 'her boys' could add it to their repertoire!
Rebecca greatly enjoyed her visit to Leek and it is certainly our hope that she may be able to sing with us again soon.
Anyone seeing her London "Prom" performances last year on TV will realise how privileged and fortunate we are to have this connection with a current star of the Grand Opera world.
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Vicky Ainslie
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Introducing our new Musical Director, Vicky Ainslie
The Society welcomes Vicky as our new Musical Director and Conductor for our 2011 Season.
Vicky hails from Warrington, but at age eleven she secured a place at the prestigious Chetham's School of Music in Manchester. Leaving school she continued her music studies, focusing on horn and voice at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and, upon graduation, proceeded to secure her teaching qualifications.
Vicky came to Leek in 1998 with a teaching post at Leek First School in East Street. She has sung with the Phoenix Singers, and is currently musical director of the children's singing group, Young Phoenix. She is married to Richard, and has two sons, Bruce and Lawrence.
She has settled in wonderfully well with the Choral Society. She is popular, and has found many good friends.
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