Thank you, Malcolm McKelvey

Share your memories and stories from your days at school, and find out the truth behind the rumours....Remember the teachers and pupils, tell us who you remember and why...

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
huntertitus
Button Grecian
Posts: 3379
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 8:55 pm
Real Name: Robin
Location: Battersea, London.
Contact:

Thank you, Malcolm McKelvey

Post by huntertitus »

I have just returned from a quite extraordinary organ concert in Westminster Cathedral. My love of organ music was set off, like a firework, when as a little boy of eleven years, at the end of my first service in the CH chapel, Mr McKelvey blasted out Widor's Toccata which I'd never heard. At the end I was the only one in the chapel apart from him and I asked him about this wonderful music, got talking to him, and on his advice started piano lessons, joined the Chapel Choir and Choral Society, and the rest, as they say, is history. A love and understanding of keyboard and choral music has been one of the mainstays of my life. I have often thought of this inspiring man and wish I'd had the chance to thank him personally, but never met him again after I left the school. Perhaps he can read this message in heaven, and if so, I would be glad.
User avatar
englishangel
Forum Moderator
Posts: 6956
Joined: Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:22 pm
Real Name: Mary Faulkner (Vincett)
Location: Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Re: Thank you, Malcolm McKelvey

Post by englishangel »

Widor's Toccata was a big favourite of our organ mistress at Hertford (Miss Taverner) and was usually played at the leaving service, as we all loved it too.
"If a man speaks, and there isn't a woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"
User avatar
NEILL THE NOTORIOUS
Button Grecian
Posts: 2612
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 10:01 pm
Real Name: NEILL PURDIE EVANS

Re: Thank you, Malcolm McKelvey

Post by NEILL THE NOTORIOUS »

Our Organist/Choir Master peers over the top of the Organ when he is about to play Lang's "Tuba Tune" as a Voluntary -- especially for Myself !

Why ? --- Dr C S Lang --- director of Music CH in the 30s and 40s --- it is a great tune, but one would never imagine Dr Lang, having that sense of humour !!!
User avatar
Great Plum
Button Grecian
Posts: 5282
Joined: Wed Dec 15, 2004 10:59 am
Real Name: Matt Holdsworth
Location: Reigate

Re: Thank you, Malcolm McKelvey

Post by Great Plum »

Our church organist likes playing Lang's tuba tune from time to time and then always come up to me and says "The composer of that piece of music taught at your old school I believe..." Hmmm, I did know that Martin...

Still, we did Eastern Monarchs at our 9 Lessons last year!
Maine B - 1992-95 Maine A 1995-99
Post Reply