Great Grimlino
Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2023 12:09 pm
Am I Libera? Have I ever been Libera? Probably the answer to both questions should be No. However, I was there at the beginning and have returned in my twilight years to sing with the church choir where it all began.
I joined St Philip’s Choir at the age of 7 in 1961. When I was 10 a boy called Robert Prizeman, then aged 12, joined the choir as a treble and as assistant organist. When his voice broke he left St P’s and by the time my own voice broke I was joint head boy and I too left the choir.
A very few short years later Robert was appointed to become choirmaster and organist and the vicar asked me if I would re-join the choir to help Robert out. Over the years I sang Alto, Tenor and Bass with the Choir and sang many of the Tenor and Bass solos. When Robert needed voices for his recording sessions the men of the choir helped out, as we did when the boys put on their regular shows both in the parish and alongside their summer camps. Whenever we sang “Captain Noah†I sang the part of God. The men were the backing for Sal Solo’s “San Damianoâ€, which I can still sing from memory, although only the boys ever appeared in public. On the very first album “Sing for Ever†I sang the solo verse in “The Lord’s my Shepherdâ€.
Outside St P’s, among many musical memories, I spent some 15 years with the Bach Choir, 10 years with St Olaves Hart Street, a lunchtime choir in the City of London, and even sang for synagogue choirs.
Eventually back problems led to me calling a halt to regular singing until a much-needed back operation sorted me out. When I felt fit enough, I joined a Civil Service lunchtime choir and started to look around for regular church singing. Church music has always been my first love but it wasn’t until Robert Prizeman’s memorial services that I plucked up courage to ask Sam Coates if there was any possibility of re-joining the St P’s Choir.
So here I am, back where I started some 60 years ago. I hope that explains enough about how the “Great Grimlino†comes to be back singing regularly with the boys of Libera.
I joined St Philip’s Choir at the age of 7 in 1961. When I was 10 a boy called Robert Prizeman, then aged 12, joined the choir as a treble and as assistant organist. When his voice broke he left St P’s and by the time my own voice broke I was joint head boy and I too left the choir.
A very few short years later Robert was appointed to become choirmaster and organist and the vicar asked me if I would re-join the choir to help Robert out. Over the years I sang Alto, Tenor and Bass with the Choir and sang many of the Tenor and Bass solos. When Robert needed voices for his recording sessions the men of the choir helped out, as we did when the boys put on their regular shows both in the parish and alongside their summer camps. Whenever we sang “Captain Noah†I sang the part of God. The men were the backing for Sal Solo’s “San Damianoâ€, which I can still sing from memory, although only the boys ever appeared in public. On the very first album “Sing for Ever†I sang the solo verse in “The Lord’s my Shepherdâ€.
Outside St P’s, among many musical memories, I spent some 15 years with the Bach Choir, 10 years with St Olaves Hart Street, a lunchtime choir in the City of London, and even sang for synagogue choirs.
Eventually back problems led to me calling a halt to regular singing until a much-needed back operation sorted me out. When I felt fit enough, I joined a Civil Service lunchtime choir and started to look around for regular church singing. Church music has always been my first love but it wasn’t until Robert Prizeman’s memorial services that I plucked up courage to ask Sam Coates if there was any possibility of re-joining the St P’s Choir.
So here I am, back where I started some 60 years ago. I hope that explains enough about how the “Great Grimlino†comes to be back singing regularly with the boys of Libera.
Welcome and well done for being brave and asking to sing with them again. I am glad you can enjoy singing where you belong.
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