Thalben-Ball

Philharmonia Chorus newsletter 1982 mentions cathedrals where we had sung

A highlight of 1982 was Julius Caesar at the Coliseum with Janet Baker superb and Valerie Masterson. Waiting for |Denis at the Whitehall was excellent. Of course these were the Thatcher years. When I arrived in 1973 we had the 3 day week under Ted Heath and we once were sent to the basement at Putney to move stock with candles! Health and Safety would have done their nut and the union were unimpressed to say the least. The point was that the library closed but we had to stay at work! Once the council started cutting jobs I was convinced never to vote for the Tories. I did go on strike at Balham joined by Jane Allen who later became management! I record attending the last night of the Proms for the first time - Dad organised that several times and Liz had of course been a lot and helped with the prommers' flowers. On one occasion I was singing lustily behind the chorus and a BBC chorus soprano said how well I sang and I should join. I replied "I am in the Philharmonia chorus". We were very faithful to the choir for so long! Of course we had the best of everything - superb conductors, soloists, free trips, a concert nearly every month, recordings (not much fun). The down side was rehearsal twice a week and the runup to the concert which could be exhausting and meant juggling hours at work. Saw Penelope Keith in "Moving" at the Queen's. We used to get free tickets brought to the library. We went to see Laurence in Gypsy Baron at Stanley Halls -  the band were terrible, In January I was auditioned for a tenor post at the Temple by Thalben-Ball. I missed him so went to his flat. The actual audition was at St Michael's. There was no vacancy! I remember him playing at the Albert Hall and saying Bach was like good British beef. Years later he also played at St Jude's Thornton Heath on the organ he had opened 50 years before. That organ went to Carlo Curley as the church went happy clappy.

Dec 19th 1982 St Margaret's seven lessons and carols with Revd Dr Eric Young and All Saints concert band directed by Peter Browning. John Welsman is also listed as an organist. Maybe this was so that I could sing the solo in Darke "In the bleak midwinter". On a later occasion David Smith went at his own tempo in Three kings by Cornelius and I avoided disaster as the choir had learnt it at my speed. 

Paul Jennings in 1982 brochure for the chorus anniversary

Rockmount school at St Margaret's 15/12/82 this was the night Liz went into hospital