HISTORY
The current Highworth Choral Society, founded in 1978, is not apparently the first under that title. We have been given a programme of "Highworth Choral Society's First Concert", from Friday July 25th 1941.
The concert was held in the "New School Hall" (Warneford wasn't yet built, so presumably what is now Southfields Primary School?) on behalf of the Lord Mayor of Bristol's War Services Fund for the relief of air raid victims. The Choir comprised 16 Sopranos, 8 Contraltos, 3 Tenors and 6 Basses, being almost matched by a President, 18 Vice-Presidents and 8 Patrons. The Musical Director was Mr. C.M. Campbell, B. Mus (Oxon).
The evening started, as concerts would have done in those days, with the National Anthem, and continued with:
Eleanor Warren (Cello)
Adagio and Allegro - John(?) Eccles
Serenade from "Hassan" - Frederick Delius
The Wag - Dorothy Howell
Kenneth Ellis(Bass)
Three arias from "Maid Marian" - Campbell
Choir:
Off To The Cruise - Charles Stanford
Sumer is icumen in Anon.
I Love Thee - Gustav Holst
Sleep - Richard Walthew
In a Harbour Grene - Hubert Parry
Choir:
The Emigrant - Edric Cundell
O Can Ye Sew Cushions - Granville Bantock
To Daffodils - Frederick Cowen
If Love Should Brush You - Richard Walthew
Choir:
Sing We And Chant It - Thomas Morley
Chillingham - Charles Stanford
Sighing Winds - Richard Walthew
Love and Summer - West
Choir:
As Amoret with Phyllis Sat - West
Country Courting - Arnold Williams
A Cradle Song - John Ireland
John Hielandman - John Foulds
Interval of a mere 10 minutes
Eleanor Warren (Cello)
Lullaby - Cyril Scott
Two Pieces - Herbert Hughes
Kenneth Ellis(Bass)
"Striking a Humorous Note" - (Recitation?)
Eight Musical Limericks - Redman
So, probably quite a long concert, with much material that has, inevitably maybe, fallen out of musical fashion. The cellist Eleanor Warren went on to a distinguished career as a cellist and later as a music producer for the BBC, and lived until July 2005.
A note at the bottom of the programme says: "The Society hopes to start its next season in September, when new members will be cordially welcomed".
But did it ever meet again? Or were there even earlier Choral Societies in Highworth? If you can shed any more light on our predecessors, please contact us.
Post 1978
The choir has performed in around 130 concerts since 1978. We have an ongoing project to catalogue all of these concerts, the venues and the works we have performed, so if you can fill in any gaps, please let us know.
We would also like to include concert posters and programmes in our archives so where these are available, links are provided.
Select the appropriate decade by using the links below: