Bedford Recital Day Report

Fourteen friends and students of the School took part in our playing day on Saturday at St. Paul’s Church Bedford. This is the second year we have used St. Paul’s giving us an exciting and challenging instrument to play.  We also take advantage of the ongoing refreshment stall which the people of St. Paul’s provide throughout the day every Saturday, and we were a little more successful this year in enticing the customers through the doors to listen to our recitals.

The outside view of St Pauls Bedford.

Mary Cook started off with Concerto No. 5 in D minor (JSB BWV 596) at 10.30 and we then enjoyed a good varied programme of 15 minute mini recitals from Graham Bloom, Peter Davison, Roy Meek, Roger Lander and  Margaret Blight until around 12.15.p.m. The last item of the morning included Eunice Welbourn, organist at Wilden Parish church and a soprano soloist friend – Carolyn Walker who sang ‘Say, Ye who borrow’ from the Marriage of Figaro.  Carolyn did well to try and fill the large Nave from the Chancel step and gave us a pleasant variation to the morning session. 

John Robertson started the afternoon session with Buxtehude and then the Bedford Committee (Kate, Colin, Alan, Chris and Robin) each took their turns. We had an excellent finale from Ashley Marshfield, the resident organ scholar at St. Paul’s, who played the Fantasia and Fugue in D minor (BWV 542).

It would have been nice at times to have a few more people listening, but we managed to collect in excess of £100 in sponsorship and donations on the day. On behalf of the committee, many thanks to all who took part and to the Rector and organist of St. Paul’s for hosting us again this year.

Pipes in the North choir facing the console, visible through the rood screen.

The ornate rood screen (left) and elevated console in South choir (right).