The Three Choirs Festival: Gloucester 2007
This was probably – we're not quite sure – our 16th Festival since 1991. We stayed from Tuesday to Saturday at Linton Farm, just off the A40 near Highnam, about 5 miles northwest of the city. There were remarkably few signs of the floods that deprived the city of running water until the very start of the festival. There were, however, notices warning us not to drink tap water and rely on bottled supplies that were in free abundance at the Festival Club. We saw the now famous bowsers being collected from the streets and there were still plenty of sandbags around house doorways. The superintendent of the Gloucester Chorus (whom we knew from Hereford last year) told us about the determination of everyone when things were at their worst that the Festival would go ahead. Special arrangements were made for rehearsals; for example, portaloos were brought in for the exclusive use of the Hereford and Worcester contingents, while the Cathedral staff used the water from the cloister fountains. In the event only one concert had to be rearranged – from Tewksbury Abbey to Cheltenham Town Hall. It was an enjoyable festival, with plenty of warm sunshine – usual for 3Q but unusual in 2007. We exchanged brief conversations with people met in previous years, made new acquaintances and saw many of the 3Q characters – like the Scotsman who wears alternatively a kilt or grey morning dress and is always in a hurry, and the elderly and helpful steward who competes for the most colourful waistcoat to accompany black morning dress.
Our Day-by-Day Diary
Tuesday Evening Concert: Elgar's Dream of Gerontius. This setting of John Henry Newman's poem seemed just a little muddied to us, but then we did have the cheapest and unreserved seats just inside the Pilgrims Door. Others we spoke to later, however, also expressed some disappointment.
Wednesday Used Festival Society privilege to listen to morning rehearsal for evening concert – Hayden Theresienmesse, Walton Sonata for Strings and Hayden Trumpet Concerto.
It was interesting to hear conductor Geraint Bowen (with microphone) reminding chorus where to take breath and get timing right ("it won't happen by accident") and one side of his several conversations with the Philharmonia leader James Clark. With the youthful soloists he seemed quite happy (as it seemed to us he truly should be). When it came to the Trumpet Concerto, due deference was paid to soloist Crispian Steele-Perkins who seemed such an engaging personality that we quickly booked for his next day lecture.
Gloucester's eateries make much less effort than those in Hereford to cater for 3Q visitors wanting a meal before a 7.45 pm concert. Most are closed by late afternoon. There was one Bar and Grill that did put on a special menu. And did stay open late. We dined there at 8pm. Never before were we served pasta accompanied by salad, chips and garlic bread; we just about managed to rise from the table.
Our booking was for the late evening concert by Black Voices, a female quintet, singing Spiritual Journey written and arranged by Ken Burton and marking the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade. African origins, pain and loss, plotting escape and liberation were effectively and movingly heard.
Thursday In the morning we drove out to Painswick. Most of the commercial premises are Estate Agents or curio shops, but we did find a Londis from which we bought a picnic to eat in the churchyard. Then we ascended Cud Hill to relax in the sunshine and survey the panorama over Gloucester to the Malvern Hills and beyond.
Crispian Steele-Perkins didn't disappoint. He explained – and played - the evolution of the trumpet from an ox horn to the modern trumpet and cornet (on which he played the intro to the Antiques Roadshow). We bought an autographed copy of his CD The English Trumpet (Purcell, Jeremiah Clark and Handel).
The evening concert by the Ex Cathedra Choir, Soloists and Baroque Ensemble was Monteverdi Vespers. This 1613 collection blends "traditional" and "modern" sacred chants and secular motets. It was wonderful!
Friday There's always plenty to see in a 3Q city. I visited the Canal Museum archives on Wednesday while Mary viewed the Museum itself. A marquee on the Cathedral lawn hosted an exhibition of work by The Guild of Gloucestershire Craftsmen. We bought a small wall hanging to take to Ann-Karin and Hans.
The Three Cathedral Choirs Concert was in the afternoon – Cantatas by Kuhnau (arr. Bach) and Bach, and Vivaldi's Magnificat and Gloria. Crispian Steele-Perkins (again!) accompanied the guest soprano soloists.
The evening concert comprised one of Elgar's less known works – The Spirit of England (1917) – and Holst's best known – The Planets. Both performances were memorable. Elgar's patriotism didn't descend into jingoism – he had too many German friends for that. His sympathetic setting of Lawrence Binyon's poems The Fourth of August (the day war broke out), To Women (suffering at home) and For the Fallen (4th Stanza "They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old …") emphasises the pity of war. Holst's suite was magnificently performed. The final movement – Neptune, the mystic - ended with the wordless choir of women's voices out of sight and fading as they moved away and the TV screen being gradually blackened-out.
Saturday In the morning, an organ recital by John Scott. A varied programme: 17th C Buxtenhude; 18th C Bach; and 20th C Langlais, Joubert, Durufle and Hugh Wood (who was in the audience). The organ growled in some pieces and danced in others
John Scott was the guest speaker at the Festival Society Lunch and spoke very well about music making today. Dame Janet Baker as eloquently as ever gave the vote of thanks – including those who had made the Festival possible in spite of the floods.
Evensong was preceded by an organ recital by Christopher Allsop from Worcester and was conducted by Adrian Lucas. The congregation sang – not very appropriately? – "Lead kindly light, amid the encircling gloom". The blessing was given by the Bishop.
The final concert was Mahler's Symphony Number 8 – a choral work in two parts. This was the only concert for which we had "seeing" seats (i.e. not dependent on the TV screen) – in fact in the seventh row. Thus Part I "Veni, creator spiritus" sung fff by seven soloists (often together with the chorus) was deafening. Part II "Closing scene from Faust, Act II" in German - more varied in volume and in content - was more enjoyable. A massive work. An unforgettable experience. But better from further back than Row 7.