A student choir from Highgate Boys School in London performed a recording of War Requiem by Britten at the Kingsway Hall in Holborn in 1963, which was re-released by Decca Records last year prompting the company to place an advert in London newspaper the Ham & High to track down the surviving choir members and bring them together 60 years on from the session. Around 17 members of the choir were reunited on Thursday at the Dolby Theatre in Soho, London, 61 years on where they re-listened to Britten’s recording of the album. Laurence Bard, 74, one of the choristers from more than 60 years ago, was part of the reunion and told the PA news agency it was “delightful” to reunite with the choir members.
“It was a very nice thing for Decca to organise. It was delightful. It was a very nice environment and nice to reconnect with people and with the music,” Mr Bard, who lives in Hampstead, London, said.
The former chorister said some of the day was spent listening to a “delightful extract from Britten”. “Actually, it was a recording given to Britten on his 50th birthday by Decca of him actually instructing the orchestra,” he added. “It was a recording of the process of recording and the extract they played for us really was Britten telling the choir what to do and what not to do, which was quite amusing.
Sort of a bit dictatorial, but then that’s his privilege. “I can’t remember it being difficult and yet when I hear the recording of the recording I think, ‘.