Emotional send-off for retiring Musical Director

Gwyn Arch MBE, retiring Musical Director

South Chiltern Choral Society’s Summer Concert was Musical Director Gwyn Arch’s final performance after almost 50 years in charge. They were joined for the event by his Reading Male Voice Choir.

SCCS opened with Gershwin’s Swanee, Someone to Watch over Me, Love is Here to Stay and Cole Porter’s Anything Goes. The difficult harmonies were well pitched and the choir caught the essence of the infectious jazz style. In Anything Goes they were incisive and rhythmically alert. Then followed a surprise, witty rendition of Thank you for the Music, directed by accompanist Ian Westley ΜΆ a perfect way for the choir to show their appreciation to Gwyn Arch.

Reading Male Voice Choir then sang 12 songs, all from memory, including some from Arch’s own 135 arrangements for male voice choir. The introductions by a choir member, a stand-up to match any at the Apollo, were hilarious! Chorus of Hebrew Slaves (Verdi) oscillated between sotto voce and fortissimo extremes. Ave Maria (Arcadelt) was nicely balanced and Danny Boy, arr. Arch, was a super arrangement. African Trilogy sounded wonderfully ethnic and the final I’m Goin’ up a Yonder, with its interesting dynamics, was delivered with passion. The choir’s range of sound could be as subtle or powerful as the music demanded.

SCCS returned with accompanist Ian Westley, this time as raconteur and baritone soloist, for Captain Noah and His Floating Zoo (Flanders/Horovitz). Here the choir were well on top of their score and sang expressively and confidently. Ian Westley also acquitted himself impressively in his first singing role with the choir. Of the nine different songs, It looks like rain, Endless Sea, Rain Overhead and Two by Two worked particularly well. These were followed by Gwyn Arch’s parting choice of Randall Thompson’s setting of Robert Frost’s Choose Something like a Star. In the heightened emotional atmosphere SCCs gave it everything they had, providing a fitting postscript to Gwyn Arch’s 49 years.

Asked what gave him the most joy in his time with SCCS, Gwyn Arch singles out the Verdi Requiem (2008) and Haydn’s Creation (2013), both performed jointly with the Ensemble Vocal de Meylan from Grenoble. Whilst having loved every minute of his time with SCCS, he says “I cannot add much to my 50-year career. I no longer have the energy… I’m not the musician I once was. The choir deserves someone new, vigorous and energetic.” He will, however, continue with Reading Male Voice Choir.

Public recognition came in 2006 with the award of an MBE for services to music. “If you have been able to devote most of your life to music you are particularly fortunate, because you receive so much gratitude from the people you conduct… you are lucky to be the one in between.”

He is still busy doing arrangements, especially of Gershwin. Arranging is his greatest passion and he will simply never stop.

The SCCS’s next concert, under new conductor Paul Burke, is Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols at Chiltern Edge School on 20 and 21 December.

Last modified on Thursday, 10 July 2014 11:42