Speech Room - Saturday 7 October 2006

The following is an edited version of an anonymous review that appeared in The Harrovian newsletter.

"Surely one of the advantages of being at a school founded by a farmer rather than a monarch or a prelate is that we can more easily imagine what he might have thought and felt. Aside from any natural English embarrassment at the fuss made over his commemoration, John Lyon would have been delighted at the huge crowd gathered for the concert in his memory, and dazed at the quality and range of music-making on display.

The concert opened with a piece that might have served as a big closing item in years gone by – the Joint Orchestra played the Overture to the Marriage of Figaro, the first of several homages to Mozart in what is still his centenary year. This was conducted with a clear, sharp beat, more Adrian Boult than Leonard Bernstein in style. The players responded magnificently, creating a very slick but rich sound.

We are glad to report that there was some English music to be heard, and at least something that Yeoman Lyon, his spectral horse waiting patiently in Grove Hill, would have understood, even if it was dangerously modern in his time. The John Lyon Male Voice Choir, directed by Joseph Nolan, sang If ye Love Me by Thomas Tallis as the first of three magisterial performances. They penetrated straight to the heart of the intricate polyphony and then went on to give the same treatment to the mellifluous Somewhere over the Rainbow and the swinging The Rhythm of Life, both beautifully accompanied by JLS Deputy Headmaster Stuart Miles on piano. The promising young singers Nick Kerley and Luke Rao held the top line, while the wonderful tenors were Nick’s brother James, and Nasri El-Sayegh.

Having (almost) run out of superlatives to describe the playing of the Harrow School String Orchestra, we can only turn to our Founder’s other (approximate) contemporary, the Bard of Avon. These boys really are the choice and master spirits of this age. They played the three movements of Mozart’s Divertimento in D Major with such maturity that even the most critical audience would have melted into respect and delight. The allegro was phrased impeccably, the spacious, gracious andante provided a happy contrast and the presto gave full measure of humour and excitement. What is impressive is the musicianly way these boys perform, even more than the simple bashing out of the right notes.

From big band to Shostakovich

To provide a lively contrast, the Joint Big Band performed next, firstly conducted by JLS Music Technology teacher Sean McWilliam in his own piece, LA 1973. The smooth sax sound, underpinned by the exciting rhythm section and accented with muted and unmuted trumpets and trombones, was perfect for this music. It may have been inspired by the theme music for any one of a number of TV cop shows, but the piece sounded like a theme for the glorious ‘70s themselves. The second piece by this combo was Groovin’ Hard by Don Menza. The conductor, JLS music teacher Oliver Druker, coaxed a hard-driving, thrilling sound from the Band, with mellow contrasts from the fifteen or so saxes. This segment was very well received in the Room, with long and enthusiastic applause.

The following item might well have perplexed our ethereal founder quite a bit. The Harrow School Piano Quintet played the scherzo from Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet in G minor. The rhythms are intricate and complex and if in one or two places they were not 100% together, it is hardly surprising – this was a serious three-and-a-half minute workout. We would seek to assure them, though, that the piece worked fantastically well. It was as angular and spiky as Shostakovich would have wanted and mixed the sense of fun which is essential to the concept of a ‘scherzo’ movement with the faint but very real feeling of menace that is often a part of the Russian master’s imaginative world. Our thanks to Shostakovich, the other birthday boy of the year, and to the players. We look forward to hearing them do battle with the rest of this monumental work.

As far as we can remember, the Joint Chamber Choir is a novelty at the Commem. Mozart’s Sparrow Mass was, however, conducted as if it were a completely natural and normal component of the evening. Accompanied by an orchestra of eight violins, two cellos, two double basses, two trumpets, timps and organ, the Joint Choir gave a very confident performance of this pretty music. Nothing sounded tentative, the whole having a heartfelt, full-blooded rendition. Nothing sagged, but was coaxed along at speed, though with space to turn a gorgeous phrase, for instance in the sanctus, where the head-long flight was reined in at the start and in the benedictus where the vocal flourishes worked extremely well. The final Agnus Dei achieved power and even nobility, as the phrases were drawn out with loving respect by the singers.

Unstoppable force

To conclude this genuinely exciting evening, the Joint Orchestra re-assembled to raise the roof with the opening and closing movements from Shostakovich’s Jazz Suite No 2, the March and Finale. This time under the baton of Stuart Miles (maybe more Bernstein than Boult in style) this jolly, bright popular music whizzed along like the unstoppable force of teenage life itself. The brass and percussion led the attack in the March, while the woodwind triumphed in the Finale, but the whole effect was cheerful and merry – which is just what the whole event should be.

If a phantom farmer on his wraithlike hunter, whistling a tune by Shostakovich on his cheery way home to Preston, was seen by any late Saturday night drinkers as they stumbled along the rutted roads of rural Middlesex after turning out time at the pub, they need not have been any more frightened than Colonel Fazackerley Butterworth-Toast in Charles Causley’s poem. The founder would have been in as benign and happy a mood as the rest of us.

A retiring collection was taken for The Bujagali Trust, which supports educational projects in Uganda. Over £550 was raised."

At the traditional service of Commemoration of John Lyon, JLS Headmaster Kevin Riley read the act of commemoration. The wreath-laying at the tomb was conducted by the Head Boys of the two schools, Sameer Jethwa, of JLS, and Ross Swanson, of Harrow. The Rev Tim Gosden, Vicar of St Mary’s, led the service.

Music was provided by Stuart Miles at the organ and the Harrow School Chamber Choir and Orchestra, who reprised their performance of the Sparrow Mass by Mozart from the concert of the night before in a liturgical setting.

The Rev Andrew Cain, Vicar of St Mary with All Saints, Kilburn and St James, Hampstead, who is also a consultant to John Lyon’s Charity, preached the sermon. He spoke to the Gospel from the last section of the twenty-fifth chapter of St Matthew, suggesting that if we could put into practice the injunction to look after the less fortunate members of the community, it might form part of the much-needed new social contract for the nation.