Convocation: June 2001
Saturday June 2nd witnessed what was probably our most successful
meeting to date. Over seventy Fellows and guests gathered at our home
church of
St.
Margaret, Lothbury. Because of the indisposition of our Registrar,
Christopher Shoebridge, it was not possible to present new Fellows
with their certificates but those who were able to attend came
forward and were greeted by the Chapter. Our caterer, and the
creator of the world famous bread pudding, Kitty Palot, was made
an honorary member of the Academy.
The meeting was attended by some of those who regularly
come to Richard Townend's Thursday lunchtime recitals. We decided
that we would celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the opening
of the
George
Pike England organ in 1801. John Budgen, who was largely responsible
for the rebuilding of the organ some twenty years ago, gave a
most interesting lecture in which he described the return of the
organ to the gallery and the removal of the nineteenth century
enlargements and alterations. This was accompanied by tonal illustrations
by Richard Townend.
We then adjourned to the very pleasant garden and courtyard behind
the church for refreshments. On our return to the church we attempted
to sing an 1801 arrangement of the National Anthem in honour of
the organ and to mark the forty-ninth anniversary of the Queen's
coronation. Unfortunately the ornamentations and repeats defeated
most of us but it we made a gallant attempt. Richard Townend then
treated us to a brilliant recital of music which might have been
played at the organ's inauguration. This included works by John
Stanley, William Boyce, Maurice Greene, Thomas Attwood and Samuel
Wesley. He concluded with the Variations in D major & Grand
Fugue in D minor by Felix Mendelssohn, who reputedly played at
St. Margaret Lothbury in 1839.
Finally Robin Langley, the Librarian of the
Royal
College Of Organists, gave a short talk on the organ music
of the period. Some of our more intrepid Fellows made the ascent
to the console and even played the organ. It was a most memorable
meeting and I trust that some of our successors in the Academy
will repeat the celebrations for the three hundredth anniversary.
Graham Hawkins
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