Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852 - 1924)

It wasn't the best of Saturdays. I was still suffering from a stomach bug, we ended up missing both the Pub Quiz and also Question Time as we had an early night. We took the car into town to get a few bits and pieces and left it in the staff car park returning later encumbered by comic boxes and also the reborrowed Lived in London book only to find that the electronic gate was locked. Next to the staff car park was the blue plaque for Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, who was Professor of Music from 1887 to 1924 and was renowned for his choral works. Must admit I'd never heard of the guy which I suspect could also be said for most others. We stumped up for a taxi and then strolled back in the missle to find that we'd gone to the wrong college so ended up missing the start of the Fairhaven Singers performance of St. John's Passion which we both enjoyed in the lovely surrounds of St. John's. That's St. John's NOT Jesus college chapel. Fortunately we managed to sneak in (not to our previously set seats provided by the lovely Cullen which were right down the front though). I was going to say that Ive never been all that interested in choral music but thinking about it I do - just not classical choral music. From the harmony singing of the Beach Boys through the Motown Era to strange Bulgarian choral singing which I have to admit I'm rather partial to. Actually I'd love to maybe catch a performance on our visit. I did go and see a choir at the Cambridge Corn Exchange a few years back. Their version of Somewhere over the rainbow is certainly something that I'll never forget.