Duruflé Requiem,
Remembrance Sunday, 11 November, 2007
A reflection from Selene Webb (reprinted in the Spring 2008 Newsletter)
Occasionally in the past a visiting choir has performed
a choral requiem in Trinity Chapel to mark Remembrance Day, but in 2007 for
the first time this became an official Choir/TCCA event.
The timing of this was felicitous since unusually the 11th day of the
11th month fell on a Sunday. Stephen
Layton offered to direct the current Choir and TCCA volunteers in a
liturgical performance of the Duruflé Requiem.
An email was sent to all TCCA members in mid-September, followed up
by a letter in case the email had failed to reach any members, inviting
people to come and sing (or just to listen).
We had a wonderful response from about 100 members.
Many wrote to say that they were busy, but would have loved to join
in – and we will try to give more notice of future events.
The range of ‘excuses’ was most impressive, including an array of
worldwide concert engagements.
The response from those who could actually be here was
remarkable: 39 TCCA members came, with parts almost perfectly balanced, so
that together with the current Choir we had 21 sopranos, 14 altos, 13 tenors
and 20 basses. After a very
noisy and excited reunion in the Chapel at 4.15 we had a short but intensive
rehearsal with Stephen – and then suddenly it was time for the service!
The Chapel was packed, the congregation including a number of
non-singing TCCA members and other alumni, notably some of the war veterans
who had been here for the Mattins and Act of Remembrance earlier in the day.
An organ had been hired especially for the event, since
the Metzler was not felt appropriate for Duruflé.
The Senior Organ Scholar, Michael Waldron, had practised the
fiendishly difficult part for many hours, day and night, and his performance
was dazzling. The singers
included Catherine King (1982) and Michael Bundy (1975), who sang the solos
with astounding beauty and intensity. Rickman
Godlee (1972) poured heart and soul into the cello solo.
The choir sound was rich and loud, and no one listening would have
guessed that we’d only had an hour and a half’s rehearsal.
The fact that the Duruflé was performed as part of a Requiem service made the occasion particularly moving. On the cover of the order of service were printed the names of Trinity men who gave their lives in the two World Wars – and which are engraved on the two memorials in the Chapel – almost 1000 of them. In the moments of silence in the service I could see the veterans’ rows of medals gleaming in the candlelight, and felt privileged to share this moment with men who had fought for our country and had lost so many friends and colleagues: a poignant reminder of how war affects us all.
Selene Webb is Chapel Secretary and TCCA Association & Membership Secretary