SSLSO members Malcolm Aldridge, Sarah Best, Norman and Marilyn Harper, Nicky Jones, Peter Smith, and Gary Wannon, were welcomed most warmly to St Paul’s Knightsbridge, by verger Adam and the Revd Rosie Richardson, Associate Vicar, with tea, coffee, biscuits and interesting conversation. Rosie is a professionally trained pianist, who remains involved with activities at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. The church’s colourful interior and windows were resplendent in the bright sunshine, while the large Victorian organ, substantially by Gray & Davison and Willis, satisfied visitors’ instincts for musical and engineering quality. 

There is a memorial plaque to Richard Latham, former Director of Music at St Paul’s Church and one of Norman’s early organ teachers. The plaque is only just visible behind a large video screen!

We are grateful to the Director of Music, Dr Joseph Fort for permission to play the organ, though he was unable to join us. So Norman demonstrated the organ with Francis Jackson’s Fanfare and Howells’s D flat Rhapsody, showing the full range of sound on this four-manual romantic instrument. Following on, we heard Fanfare by Kenneth Leighton, Elegy by Walton, Prelude and Toccata on Victimæ Paschali Laudes by Bédard, Prelude on an Old Irish tune by C.V.Stanford, Nimrod by Elgar, Fancy by Peter Hurford, Præludium in C minor from 12 Characterstücke Op 156 by Rheinberger, Toccata in C by Sweelinck, Voluntary in A minor by William Boyce and two short improvisations. 

A short ride on the Piccadilly Line brought the party to Covent Garden, where lunch and conversation in the grounds of the church were appreciated, amid roses in full bloom, visions of juggling in the main square, and the sounds of music coming from the church interior performed by a group visiting from Singapore.

The Director of Music and Organist of St Paul’s Church, Simon Gutteridge, demonstrated the organ for us with music by Delius and a series of short, attractive characterful pieces to display the colours of the lovely Bevington organ. Chairman Irene Wolstenholme, Treasurer Peter Ramell, Tim Stroud and Martin Callingham arrived to enjoy the afternoon session.

Repertoire on the lovely tracker action organ included: Komm, heiliger Geist BWV 651 by Bach, (on the Eve of Pentecost), Nun bitten wir den heiligen Geist and Fuga alla giga by Buxtehude, Prelude in F BWV 556(i) by Bach, Liebster Jesu BWV 731 by Bach, the slow movement of the Concerto in A minor by Vivaldi, transcribed by Bach, O Lord whose mercies numberless from Saul by Handel, Meditation on O Fili et Filiæ by Bédard, Prelude on Vom Himmel Hoch by Pachelbel, Communion by Guilmant and Voluntary in A minor by Boyce. Leading into music by Christopher Tye from the Mulliner Book, was a further improvisation, complementing the Verse for Double Organ by Christopher Gibbons played earlier in the afternoon. 

One connection from decades ago was made when Norman met a former student who conducts the choir at Covent Garden. Nick Gallagher is to retire in the near future. His career began when singing in Noye’s Fludde at Bolton School in the late 1970’s when Norman was DOM. Apart from outdoor attractions, there many tributes in the church of famous actors of old, as well as younger famous names, remind us of all who have the skills to amuse and entertain. 

 
Sincere thanks are offered to Norman for organising the day, to those who reliably helped with booking arrangements: Tom Bialecki in Knightsbridge; Simon Gutteridge and the Revd Simon Grigg, Rector of St Paul’s Covent Garden for permission for our visit, to Esther for communications, as well as to the kind lady who took the group photo.

Marilyn Harper