Registered Charity No 1137522 BURGON NOTES - ISSUE No. 20 - SUMMER, 2012 FROM THE CHAIRMAN After National Service with the Royal Signals (during which he confessed to spending In Memoriam much of his time playing one instrument or Dr John Birch, MA, DMus, FRCM, FRCO, FBS another) he was appointed organist of St Thomas’s Dr John Birch served as Church, Regent Street, President of the Burgon moving to All Saints’, Society from the Society’s Margaret Street, in 1953. foundation in 2001 until He also served in the October 2011, completing 1950s as sub-organist for two five-year terms. He the Chapels Royal and was an ideal President: worked with the St always dignified, ready Michael’s Singers under with encouragement, sage Harold Darke. In 1958 was advice or (occasionally) a appointed to Chichester quiet warning that a course Cathedral, where he served of action might be ill- as organist and master of advised. He attended the choristers until 1980. Burgon events whenever During his time at he could and rarely missed Chichester he worked a Congregation: most of closely with Dean Walter the Fellows admitted Hussey in commissioning during his tenure as of new choral works for President will remember the Cathedral Choir, the warm smile as he including works from the welcomed us to the composers Leonard Fellowship. He attended Bernstein, William Trustees’ meetings when Walton, Lennox Berkeley, able, but never interfered William Albright, and with the administration of the Society. He was Herbert Howells. He was one of the founders of genuinely pleased to see the Society develop from the revived Southern Cathedrals Festival (with his a collection of enthusiasts towards being ‘firmly colleagues at Salisbury and Winchester established, commendably erudite and with an Cathedrals) in 1960. ever-growing world reputation’ (to use Walter Hussey wisely advised him his words). He was exacting in his to keep his teaching appointments, as standards and always pleased when the Dean was aware that Chichester they were met or surpassed. might not keep a bachelor sufficiently John was born in Staffordshire occupied. John was appointed a in 1929 to a family of paper merchants Professor at the Royal College of (not corn merchants, as The Daily Music in 1959 and continued to lecture Telegraph reported). He was educated at there until 1997. He also held the Trent College, Derbyshire and the Royal appointment of University Organist (1967 College of Music, London. He won a scholarship to 1994) and Visiting Lecturer in Music (1971 to in the oboe, but it was the organ that was to capture 1983) at the University of Sussex. his attention under the tutelage of John Dykes Between 1982 and 1997, he was Director Bower. of Music at Temple Church, in the City of London. 1 In 1984, he was appointed the role of Curator- of his former students and colleagues in the Organist at the Royal Albert Hall, a position that he congregation. The reception afterwards was filled held until his death. He was organist for the Royal with laughter as we remembered a man of many Philharmonic Orchestra and recorded widely, facets, whom we were privileged to know and call particularly in orchestral repertoire. His 1973 our friend. Decca recording of the Varhany (Postludium) Colin Fleming organ solo from Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass is still seen as the touchstone for all other performances. AND A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL … IN It was rumoured that John was not MANCHESTER appointed to St Paul’s Cathedral in succession to Dykes Bower because he lacked an Arts degree: thus he was especially pleased when he was awarded an honorary MA by Sussex and, in 1989, the Lambeth degree of Doctor of Music. Honorary MAs at Sussex wear the Doctors’ dress robes without ribbons – a robe designed by John Piper, an … and the washing dried splendidly in such good weather! artist associated closely with Chichester Cathedral. Wearing one of Piper’s creations gave John ‘added In the offing for several years, a Society pleasure’ as he remarked in an article in the Burgon visit to the University of Manchester finally Society Annual in 2002. In addition, he was a materialised last month on Saturday May 12th, Fellow of the RCM and RCO, the latter with the when a group from all parts of the UK and a choirmaster diploma. delegate from France gathered for a half-day He was responsible for designing many of session. the hoods and robes now worn by the Royal Philip Lowe (a former member of council) College of Music (assisted by Dr George Shaw) as and Dr John Horton had organised the meeting, well as a re-design of some aspects of the comprising a series of talks together with several academical dress of the Royal College of Organists. displays of Manchester academical dress. The talks The elegant President’s robe, added at this time, is focused on “1851-2003 (from the beginnings of one of John’s designs. When it came time to honour Owens College to the dissolution of Victoria John’s service to the Society, and after discrete Manchester University)” ; “2004 – present day, the enquiries as to what he might wish to receive, the new University of Manchester”, and “Officers’ Society presented him with the hood for the RCO robes – Ancient and Modern”. diploma of Choral Director (ChD, which has Philip emphasised replaced the ChM), which he had designed. the pivotal nature of the John’s interests went beyond his foundation of Manchester, comprehensive knowledge of the musical the first ‘Civic University’, repertoire: his patronage of art was another aspect and how its differences with of his life that received close attention. Here, too, more ancient residential Walter Hussey’s influence was critical and led to an foundations impinged on the important collection including works by Edward minor – but not insignificant Bawden, Jacob Epstein, Duncan Grant, Ivon – matter of academical Hitchens, John Minton, John and Paul Nash, John costume (including a Piper and Ceri Richards and others, which now proposal that there be none). hangs in the Pallant House Gallery in Chichester From thereon there was a (which also has Hussey’s own collection). This swift “canter” through 150 interest helps to explain the fact that he was a years of evolution and Philip Lowe Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers development of the original and Painters of Glass, rather than the more obvious scheme of dress, and possible influences. For Worshipful Company of Musicians. example, the results of having an essentially John suffered a stroke on 16th April 2012 Ecclesiastical outfitter, Thomas Brown & Son, and died on 28th April, not having regained giving rise to the infamous Doctor’s gown. consciousness. His requiem was celebrated in his The talks were illustrated with displays of beloved All Saints’ Margaret Street and saw many some fascinating photographs marking significant 2 milestones and We at Manchester were delighted to influential figures. welcome the society to see what has now been Above our heads, agreed is a significant collection of academical the gallery of the costume, deserving of retention and conservation. Council Chamber Thanks to all concerned. was hung with Philip Lowe hoods of the various faculty colours of the Victoria Manchester University, whilst earlier officers’ robes and a fine London DSc outfit were on view at ground level. Following lunch, Philip dealt with matters from the mid-twentieth century onwards, including the parallel history of UMIST which acquired its own distinctive scheme of dress. The day closed with a fleeting glance at the background to the completely new system of costume brought about by the chartering of the new university in 2004, together with an overview of a wide range of officers’ robes. A second (different) afternoon display included the robe used by Earl Crawford and Lord Woolton in the 1930s- 40s generously loaned by Platt Hall Museum of Costume, and a brief visit next door to The Whitworth Hall (below) where graduations take place. The “mystery item” - an aged undergraduate gown with bell sleeves and facings edged with pinkish/red ribbon and red corded yoke - Dr Nick Groves has suggested recently is that of Headingly Hall, Leeds University. Picture credits: Page 1: Marston Robing (2008) Page 2: Colin Fleming Page 3: Charles Rupert Tsua Page 4: Colin Fleming 3 FROM THE ARCHIVIST One of the more satisfying aspects of being the Three items of historical interest dominate Society’s Chairman is participating in the Spring recent acquisition, mainly because they can be Conference, the annual gathering when Society attributed to specific people. members have the opportunity to present topics to Through Fr Matthew Duckett, a Foundation their peers in an informal and collaborative Fellow of the Society, we obtained the robes of a atmosphere. Leeds Doctor of Medicine This year’s conference on 21st April proved (right), named to Professor that, as our membership expands, interesting facets of Stanley J. Hartfall, the history and practice of academical dress are sometime Professor of uncovered and new linkages are made. Through Medicine at Leeds, who serendipity (no amount of planning would have had a varied career that achieved the same result), the presentations built on touched several aspects of each other. An initial exploration of the épitoge in internal medicine. The Commonwealth academical dress provided some robes are in remarkably connexions in Professor Graham Zellick’s well- good condition, with the illustrated ‘A Life in Academical Dress’, which exception of the grosgrain included the very handsome épitoge attached to the ribbon bindings on the robe of the Master of the Worshipful Company of sleeves, which has worn Drapers. Alex Kerr’s look at the development of through in many places: a gowns provided the foundation for both Neil warning to other Dickson’s examination of pre-1868 gowns at Glasgow institutions that might and Len Newton’s account of designing the consider similar academical dress for Kenyatta University.