I was tidying up some of my old junk up in the attic recently and came across a load of old colour slides, so I bought a scanner and transferred them to my PC. The attached are from the Berlin trip. Bill G
Saturday, 9 June 2012
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Part of Adrian's thank you letter to Brian
…A huge thank you for joining us at the Madrigal Group reunion last fortnight. I was so delighted you could join us and hope you enjoyed the afternoon. Participants are still talking about it and they are all saying that the highlight of the afternoon was quite definitely singing again under your baton….Lots of them have written and I enclose a sheet of some of their comments, which I thought you would be interested to read. [I have omitted surnames on this version though not Brian's - Adrian]
It was very moving seeing Brian and to be conducted by him at 81, and in a fairly frail state. We all did so well with our parts and it was amazing how they have been committed to memory and resurrected after 42 years. Viv
The icing on the cake certainly proved to be the performances of our past repertoire under the skilled and talented direction of Brian Manners….It's amazing that the memory still functions after all this time! Hilary
I think Brian was absolutely thrilled and it was lovely for us to be able to give him something back for everything he did for us. Gilly
It was also marvellous to see the delight on Brian Manners' face as he realised how many of his old group still knew what they were doing. I can't claim to be among them, but loved it anyway. Val
What a success, and the singing, well perhaps, not quite as tight as Yugoslavia, but considering 40 years have passed and our voices have changed, if I say it myself, I thought it sounded pretty good. Even Brian looked amazed. Brian seemed quite overwhelmed yesterday. All these middle aged woman kissing and cuddling him, I hope it wasn't too much. There if he remembers it should give him some joy. Amanda
I greatly enjoyed the reunion and was surprised by how the music came flooding back. The only thing I couldn't remember was the Time thing - perhaps there is a message there somewhere, something to do with not being aware of the passage of time!… Regards…Malcolm
I was amazed that our brain cells had retained so much detail of the Madrigals and other arrangements that we enjoyed singing. How lovely to have the wonderful memories of our Madrigal days reinforced with such a great afternoon - and I think for Brian as well. Best Regards to all, Alastair
What a marvellous day Saturday was. I doubt if any of us will forget that chance to sing once again together and with Brian. Not enough time to talk to anyone for long enough, of course, but no excuse with emails not to keep in touch. xx Julia
I feel I have been in suspended animation ever since, with every thought reliving the day and the singing. It was pure magic to watch the hand that conducted us for so many years, to open our mouths and to sing as if we had never been away. It was a wonderful moment that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I would not have missed it for all the world.....Others have said all the superlative words that we will all echo, but just to let those who weren't there know that we missed you, and also to remember absent friends, especially Mr Wellings and Mrs Manners who, with Mr Manners, so wisely, tolerantly and kindly led us on what, in this day and age, would be an impossible trip. Also Bundle, who we never saw again, but who is not forgotten...... From the moment I walked into assembly in the old school hall in the autumn of 1963 (aged 11) and heard the 'introit' for the day sung by the likes of Ruth Smith and her peers, I could not wait for the day when I would be able to be a part of the Madrigal group. We were the lucky ones who benefitted from the reputation that Mr Manners and former Madrigal Group members created. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time: the right era to be able to travel to Berlin and Yugo, and we carried that reputation with such pride all around Europe. Heather
….a wonderful event. For me I've recaptured something that I thought I had lost years ago and would never find again!! As there are no choirs up this way with any vacancies I'm going to start one up, so anyone in the Southampton/Portsmouth area that's interested - get in touch! WANTED - One Choirmaster/mistress and lots of wobbly singers!!!Lots of love Sue
I enjoyed the afternoon immensely..…I thought that Brian Manners looked marvellous and I know that you made him extremely happy with all your efforts in making the afternoon such a successful occasion.I came back to sunny Botswana yesterday in thirty-six degrees and it was already twenty-nine degrees at 6.00am today!Many thanks once again for all that you have done to reunite so many old friends and stir so many memories.Much love, Sarah
XXXXXXXI've just read the last reflections on the blog, and I think what stands out for all of us is how much we have to thank Brian Manners for. He gave us the music which has stayed with us down the years, and he inspired us to sing these glorious madrigals. If you know of any way in which to pass our love and these messages on to him, please please do so. Watching the video has brought it all back and I felt quite choked. My absolute favourites are the Bluebird and Amaryllis, but even the school song is so very stirring. Watching Mr Manners playing the keyboard there, and knowing now how much it meant to him has made it all the more special. His face when he told us all to 'smile' at the beginning of each song was a treat to see. I remember him doing that ever time we rehearsed. Val
Alas there wasn't enough time to spend with all the lovely people we went to Yugoslavia with, nor enough time to talk to Brian Manners, who doesn't appear to have changed at all, although I know that he has been through hell and high water and it was looking doubtful if he would be able to attend. I hope it wasn't too much of a strain for him and that he really enjoyed the event and we didn't let him down too much with our wobbly voices!!! (and some miming!!) Sue
It was very moving seeing Brian and to be conducted by him at 81, and in a fairly frail state. We all did so well with our parts and it was amazing how they have been committed to memory and resurrected after 42 years. Viv
The icing on the cake certainly proved to be the performances of our past repertoire under the skilled and talented direction of Brian Manners….It's amazing that the memory still functions after all this time! Hilary
I think Brian was absolutely thrilled and it was lovely for us to be able to give him something back for everything he did for us. Gilly
It was also marvellous to see the delight on Brian Manners' face as he realised how many of his old group still knew what they were doing. I can't claim to be among them, but loved it anyway. Val
What a success, and the singing, well perhaps, not quite as tight as Yugoslavia, but considering 40 years have passed and our voices have changed, if I say it myself, I thought it sounded pretty good. Even Brian looked amazed. Brian seemed quite overwhelmed yesterday. All these middle aged woman kissing and cuddling him, I hope it wasn't too much. There if he remembers it should give him some joy. Amanda
I greatly enjoyed the reunion and was surprised by how the music came flooding back. The only thing I couldn't remember was the Time thing - perhaps there is a message there somewhere, something to do with not being aware of the passage of time!… Regards…Malcolm
I was amazed that our brain cells had retained so much detail of the Madrigals and other arrangements that we enjoyed singing. How lovely to have the wonderful memories of our Madrigal days reinforced with such a great afternoon - and I think for Brian as well. Best Regards to all, Alastair
What a marvellous day Saturday was. I doubt if any of us will forget that chance to sing once again together and with Brian. Not enough time to talk to anyone for long enough, of course, but no excuse with emails not to keep in touch. xx Julia
I feel I have been in suspended animation ever since, with every thought reliving the day and the singing. It was pure magic to watch the hand that conducted us for so many years, to open our mouths and to sing as if we had never been away. It was a wonderful moment that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I would not have missed it for all the world.....Others have said all the superlative words that we will all echo, but just to let those who weren't there know that we missed you, and also to remember absent friends, especially Mr Wellings and Mrs Manners who, with Mr Manners, so wisely, tolerantly and kindly led us on what, in this day and age, would be an impossible trip. Also Bundle, who we never saw again, but who is not forgotten...... From the moment I walked into assembly in the old school hall in the autumn of 1963 (aged 11) and heard the 'introit' for the day sung by the likes of Ruth Smith and her peers, I could not wait for the day when I would be able to be a part of the Madrigal group. We were the lucky ones who benefitted from the reputation that Mr Manners and former Madrigal Group members created. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time: the right era to be able to travel to Berlin and Yugo, and we carried that reputation with such pride all around Europe. Heather
….a wonderful event. For me I've recaptured something that I thought I had lost years ago and would never find again!! As there are no choirs up this way with any vacancies I'm going to start one up, so anyone in the Southampton/Portsmouth area that's interested - get in touch! WANTED - One Choirmaster/mistress and lots of wobbly singers!!!Lots of love Sue
I enjoyed the afternoon immensely..…I thought that Brian Manners looked marvellous and I know that you made him extremely happy with all your efforts in making the afternoon such a successful occasion.I came back to sunny Botswana yesterday in thirty-six degrees and it was already twenty-nine degrees at 6.00am today!Many thanks once again for all that you have done to reunite so many old friends and stir so many memories.Much love, Sarah
XXXXXXXI've just read the last reflections on the blog, and I think what stands out for all of us is how much we have to thank Brian Manners for. He gave us the music which has stayed with us down the years, and he inspired us to sing these glorious madrigals. If you know of any way in which to pass our love and these messages on to him, please please do so. Watching the video has brought it all back and I felt quite choked. My absolute favourites are the Bluebird and Amaryllis, but even the school song is so very stirring. Watching Mr Manners playing the keyboard there, and knowing now how much it meant to him has made it all the more special. His face when he told us all to 'smile' at the beginning of each song was a treat to see. I remember him doing that ever time we rehearsed. Val
Alas there wasn't enough time to spend with all the lovely people we went to Yugoslavia with, nor enough time to talk to Brian Manners, who doesn't appear to have changed at all, although I know that he has been through hell and high water and it was looking doubtful if he would be able to attend. I hope it wasn't too much of a strain for him and that he really enjoyed the event and we didn't let him down too much with our wobbly voices!!! (and some miming!!) Sue
Monday, 7 November 2011
Reunion choir positions
Hope this list is useful in absentees' identification:
Left to right
Back Adrian, Malcolm, Steve, Dave R, Nick, John, Chris
Middle John L, Bill, Dave F, Dave S, William, Alistair, Viv, Hilary, Titch, Belinda, Sarah W
Front Julia, Jane, Anne, Sarah V, Heather, Judith, Sue, Val, Gilly, Debbie, Trish, Sandra
Present but not singing: Alison
Adrian
Left to right
Back Adrian, Malcolm, Steve, Dave R, Nick, John, Chris
Middle John L, Bill, Dave F, Dave S, William, Alistair, Viv, Hilary, Titch, Belinda, Sarah W
Front Julia, Jane, Anne, Sarah V, Heather, Judith, Sue, Val, Gilly, Debbie, Trish, Sandra
Present but not singing: Alison
Adrian
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Caroline....since Woodroffe
As soon as we were back from Berlin, I went out to Hong Kong to join my family as my father had just been posted to the RN base there and took a gap year. I returned to the UK and started teacher training at Bishop Otter College in Chichester. My first teaching job was near Haslemere, where I spent three years at Shottermill Junior School. After that, I went to teach at The British School of Brussels where I stayed for 32 years. I met and then married Kevin, my flat mate. I was very comfortable at BSB - at different times as class teacher from Year 3 through to Year 7 and was in over all charge of Music in the Primary year groups, so ended up organising the Junior Choirs and Recorder Groups. I carried on singing in choirs and theatre groups and then took up Clarinet and Classical Guitar - but all that went by the board when we adopted our daughter Katie from India. Over the years, I became more and more interested in computers and eventually swapped my Music responsibility hat for IT. Kevin died in 2004 and I was asked to become IT Support teacher for the Primary Section instead of a class teaching role, which I did for a couple of years then changed to part time Secondary IT in Key Stage 3 rather than go back into the primary classroom. All this in the same school, I was very lucky. Katie by this time had graduated in Music from the University of Chichester and I decided to take early retirement and came back to the UK three years ago and we are now living near Arundel. These days I can be found sitting at my computer, researching my own family history and helping out with the Family Tree Forum ... so, if anyone else is interested in genealogy, we may have met online unknowingly!!
Caroline
Caroline
Tuesday, 1 November 2011
More post-reunion musings
Richard is Head of Media Production at the University of Portsmouth so his job is normally producing and directing such events, he's not normally ever seen behind the camera - so we were indeed very honoured!! He thoroughly enjoyed doing it and was looking forward to the opportunity to see some of the people that I have been banging on about!! Anyway of the 47 viewings I think I've seen it about 6 times since we put it up on You Tube yesterday. It is indeed so moving and I think captures the sentiment of the afternoon (and the last 40 years) very well. Alas there wasn't enough time to spend with all the lovely people we went to Yugoslavia with, nor enough time to talk to Brian Manners, who doesn't appear to have changed at all, although I know that he has been through hell and high water and it was looking doubtful if he would be able to attend. I hope it wasn't too much of a strain for him and that he really enjoyed the event and we didn't let him down too much with our wobbly voices!!! (and some miming!!)
It would be lovely if we could do all this again but with more time and perhaps a meal thrown in as well, perhaps we should investigate some sort of overnight or weekend event - maybe next year - somewhere in the Lyme area, so we can throw in a few visits to old haunts etc too? Do you have any suggestions of such a place which could encompass a main room for singing and eating with accommodation not too far away? I don't mind coordinating or helping to organise such an event!!
Do keep in touch.
All the best
Sue
I've just read the last reflections on the blog, and I think what stands out for all of us is how much we have to thank Brian Manners for. He gave us the music which has stayed with us down the years, and he inspired us to sing these glorious madrigals. If you know of any way in which to pass our love and these messages on to him, please please do so. Watching the video has brought it all back and I felt quite choked. My absolute favourites are the Bluebird and Amaryllis, but even the school song is so very stirring. Watching Mr Manners playing the keyboard there, and knowing now how much it meant to him has made it all the more special. His face when he told us all to 'smile' at the beginning of each song was a treat to see. I remember him doing that ever time we rehearsed.
On a technical note, I managed to download the video onto my hard disk using a Firefox plug-in specially for downloading youtube videos from the Firefox browser. Sue mentioned another one, so I'm sure there are plenty of options for different browsers. However, what happens then is that it is reduced to a manageable size (990mb) and that will most definitely fit onto a DVD, so if anyone wants a DVD, they can do it this way. I expect the quality is not quite as good as the original, so Sue's offer might appeal to some of you more, but I have found that it's fine on my laptop which has a 13 inch screen.
More later, and let's keep the blog going. I love it that we are all in touch this way and by email!
Love and hugs
Val
[Adrian apologised for leaving Sarah and Val to find their way to Harcombe after the reunion.]…Val and I did not really get lost. Your house was just not where we thought it was!!! We went to look for Rhode Hill etc and it was all fine and jolly.
I have seen the You Tube video and think that it is fantastic. Richard has put a great deal of hard work into it and it is a marvellous memory for us all. I will be sure to keep in touch.Much love, Sarah W in sunny Botswana XXXXX
Sarah's photographs follow:
It would be lovely if we could do all this again but with more time and perhaps a meal thrown in as well, perhaps we should investigate some sort of overnight or weekend event - maybe next year - somewhere in the Lyme area, so we can throw in a few visits to old haunts etc too? Do you have any suggestions of such a place which could encompass a main room for singing and eating with accommodation not too far away? I don't mind coordinating or helping to organise such an event!!
Do keep in touch.
All the best
Sue
I've just read the last reflections on the blog, and I think what stands out for all of us is how much we have to thank Brian Manners for. He gave us the music which has stayed with us down the years, and he inspired us to sing these glorious madrigals. If you know of any way in which to pass our love and these messages on to him, please please do so. Watching the video has brought it all back and I felt quite choked. My absolute favourites are the Bluebird and Amaryllis, but even the school song is so very stirring. Watching Mr Manners playing the keyboard there, and knowing now how much it meant to him has made it all the more special. His face when he told us all to 'smile' at the beginning of each song was a treat to see. I remember him doing that ever time we rehearsed.
On a technical note, I managed to download the video onto my hard disk using a Firefox plug-in specially for downloading youtube videos from the Firefox browser. Sue mentioned another one, so I'm sure there are plenty of options for different browsers. However, what happens then is that it is reduced to a manageable size (990mb) and that will most definitely fit onto a DVD, so if anyone wants a DVD, they can do it this way. I expect the quality is not quite as good as the original, so Sue's offer might appeal to some of you more, but I have found that it's fine on my laptop which has a 13 inch screen.
More later, and let's keep the blog going. I love it that we are all in touch this way and by email!
Love and hugs
Val
[Adrian apologised for leaving Sarah and Val to find their way to Harcombe after the reunion.]…Val and I did not really get lost. Your house was just not where we thought it was!!! We went to look for Rhode Hill etc and it was all fine and jolly.
I have seen the You Tube video and think that it is fantastic. Richard has put a great deal of hard work into it and it is a marvellous memory for us all. I will be sure to keep in touch.Much love, Sarah W in sunny Botswana XXXXX
Sarah's photographs follow:
Messages from friends who missed the big day
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the DVD. I spent a lot of the time peering at name labels!! Caroline
Hi all, I am sorry I could not join you all but thank you for the video, I watched and listened to it with great pleasure. Unfortunately I only recognised John D - perhaps because Iv seen him on the telly! I thought the video very well put together and it reminded me of Lyme, the school, all of you & Mr Manners of course, with great affection. The european trip was a milestone in my life I will never forget and it was great to see some photos from it. Thank you all for making it happen, but I could not be with you as I am now caring for my younger sisters children (7 & 16) as well as my mother, so have very little spare time for anything else! It looked like you all enjoyed it.Kind Regards, Philippa
It was great to hear the songs again, but I barely recognized anyone. Could you send a list of who was present to see if I can guess at any of the shapes and faces?
thanks to Richard for the video. Mike P
I will try to put together a seating plan of our 'choir' for Caroline, Phil and Mike. ...Adrian
Hi all, I am sorry I could not join you all but thank you for the video, I watched and listened to it with great pleasure. Unfortunately I only recognised John D - perhaps because Iv seen him on the telly! I thought the video very well put together and it reminded me of Lyme, the school, all of you & Mr Manners of course, with great affection. The european trip was a milestone in my life I will never forget and it was great to see some photos from it. Thank you all for making it happen, but I could not be with you as I am now caring for my younger sisters children (7 & 16) as well as my mother, so have very little spare time for anything else! It looked like you all enjoyed it.Kind Regards, Philippa
It was great to hear the songs again, but I barely recognized anyone. Could you send a list of who was present to see if I can guess at any of the shapes and faces?
thanks to Richard for the video. Mike P
I will try to put together a seating plan of our 'choir' for Caroline, Phil and Mike. ...Adrian
Sunday, 30 October 2011
We're a reflective lot...
I am DELIGHTED to have seen, chatted and sung with so many old friends again and so pleased that I can keep in touch with you all over the E mail. I enjoyed the afternoon immensely..…I thought that Brian Manners looked marvellous and I know that you made him extremely happy with all your efforts in making the afternoon such a successful occasion.
I came back to sunny Botswana yesterday in thirty-six degrees and it was already twenty-nine degrees at 6.00am today!
Many thanks once again for all that you have done to reunite so many old friends and stir so many memories.
Much love, Sarah XXXXXXX
At last! The moment we have all been waiting for!!! Richard has now finished the edit and we have posted the video of our Madrigal Group Reunion on You Tube at the following URL:
http://youtu.be/72r0B5Bh0Io
If you want to download it to your hard drive you can download a free piece of software called Freecorder which will enable this but it is too large a file to get onto one DVD without some sophisticated jiggery pokery! If anyone would like this made up as a DVD Richard is happy to do this but would be grateful of a donation of £7 (cheque made payable to R Hackett) towards the materials, postage and packing.
….a wonderful event. For me I've recaptured something that I thought I had lost years ago and would never find again!! As there are no choirs up this way with any vacancies I'm going to start one up, so anyone in the Southampton/Portsmouth area that's interested - get in touch! WANTED - One Choirmaster/mistress and lots of wobbly singers!!!
Lots of love Sue
I feel I have been in suspended animation ever since, with every thought reliving the day and the singing. It was pure magic to watch the hand that conducted us for so many years, to open our mouths and to sing as if we had never been away. It was a wonderful moment that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I would not have missed it for all the world.....
Others have said all the superlative words that we will all echo, but just to let those who weren't there know that we missed you, and also to remember absent friends, especially Mr Wellings and Mrs Manners who, with Mr Manners, so wisely, tolerantly and kindly led us on what, in this day and age, would be an impossible trip. Also Bundle, who we never saw again, but who is not forgotten......
Meanwhile, I have typed up the 'official' version of the Diary which Mr Manners handed to me to write, with everyone's help, as we left Lyme Regis for Yugoslavia on that day over 40 years ago. It tells of the journey and the adventures we had - not as colourfully as Julia's, but they are both typed as they were written all those years ago. I apologise for some blandness and of course any spelling errors. They will complement each other and bring back many almost forgotten memories.
If anyone would like a copy, I would be happy to email it through.
From the moment I walked into assembly in the old school hall in the autumn of 1963 (aged 11) and heard the 'introit' for the day sung by the likes of Ruth Smith and her peers, I could not wait for the day when I would be able to be a part of the Madrigal group. We were the lucky ones who benefitted from the reputation that Mr Manners and former Madrigal Group members created. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time: the right era to be able to travel to Berlin and Yugo, and we carried that reputation with such pride all around Europe.
I do hope we all get together again in the not too distant future.
Heather
I came back to sunny Botswana yesterday in thirty-six degrees and it was already twenty-nine degrees at 6.00am today!
Many thanks once again for all that you have done to reunite so many old friends and stir so many memories.
Much love, Sarah XXXXXXX
At last! The moment we have all been waiting for!!! Richard has now finished the edit and we have posted the video of our Madrigal Group Reunion on You Tube at the following URL:
http://youtu.be/72r0B5Bh0Io
If you want to download it to your hard drive you can download a free piece of software called Freecorder which will enable this but it is too large a file to get onto one DVD without some sophisticated jiggery pokery! If anyone would like this made up as a DVD Richard is happy to do this but would be grateful of a donation of £7 (cheque made payable to R Hackett) towards the materials, postage and packing.
….a wonderful event. For me I've recaptured something that I thought I had lost years ago and would never find again!! As there are no choirs up this way with any vacancies I'm going to start one up, so anyone in the Southampton/Portsmouth area that's interested - get in touch! WANTED - One Choirmaster/mistress and lots of wobbly singers!!!
Lots of love Sue
I feel I have been in suspended animation ever since, with every thought reliving the day and the singing. It was pure magic to watch the hand that conducted us for so many years, to open our mouths and to sing as if we had never been away. It was a wonderful moment that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I would not have missed it for all the world.....
Others have said all the superlative words that we will all echo, but just to let those who weren't there know that we missed you, and also to remember absent friends, especially Mr Wellings and Mrs Manners who, with Mr Manners, so wisely, tolerantly and kindly led us on what, in this day and age, would be an impossible trip. Also Bundle, who we never saw again, but who is not forgotten......
Meanwhile, I have typed up the 'official' version of the Diary which Mr Manners handed to me to write, with everyone's help, as we left Lyme Regis for Yugoslavia on that day over 40 years ago. It tells of the journey and the adventures we had - not as colourfully as Julia's, but they are both typed as they were written all those years ago. I apologise for some blandness and of course any spelling errors. They will complement each other and bring back many almost forgotten memories.
If anyone would like a copy, I would be happy to email it through.
From the moment I walked into assembly in the old school hall in the autumn of 1963 (aged 11) and heard the 'introit' for the day sung by the likes of Ruth Smith and her peers, I could not wait for the day when I would be able to be a part of the Madrigal group. We were the lucky ones who benefitted from the reputation that Mr Manners and former Madrigal Group members created. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time: the right era to be able to travel to Berlin and Yugo, and we carried that reputation with such pride all around Europe.
I do hope we all get together again in the not too distant future.
Heather
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