On Wednesday 17th October we were delighted to welcome BBC South Today to the Cathedral to capture the reunion between two former members of the Chichester Cathedral Choir - David Gibson, former Head Chorister, and Noel Osborne, former Lay Vicar. In 1965, both had the honour of performing the (almost) world premiere of the Chichester Psalms, at Chichester Cathedral, in the presence of its creator, the world renowned composer, Leonard Bernstein.
This year, to celebrate Leonard Bernstein's centenary, the Chichester Psalms will once again be performed in the Cathedral on Saturday 24th November. This performance promises to be a major highlight of the year's celebrations.
The story began in 1963 when Walter Hussey, Dean of Chichester Cathedral, wrote to Leonard Bernstein asking if he would compose a piece of choral music for the Southern Cathedrals Festival in 1965. Bernstein accepted and the result was his choral masterpiece the Chichester Psalms.
Talking to David Allard from BBC South Today, Noel Osborne recalled how not only did the music arrive from America less than one month before the performance but they then discovered it was to be sung in Hebrew! This was a new challenge for the choir and a Hebrew scholar was quickly drafted in from Chichester Theological College to teach them how to sing Hebrew phonetically.
As Head Chorister in 1965, David Gibson had the honour of being chosen as the soloist for the performance. When asked if he was nervous he said, 'When you are that young, you just take it in your stride.' He remembered seeing Bernstein at the performance and described him as 'Wearing a gaberdine mac with the collar turned up, he looked very stylish, very romantic.'
David and Noel were delighted to meet two of the Cathedral's current choristers, William, and Head Chorister Jago. They compared the life of a chorister then and now and David entertained them with a photo of him in his 1960's chorister robes.
Head Chorister Jago will sing the solo in this November's performance of the Chichester Psalms. When asked how he felt about being chosen he said 'It is a great honour and I am so grateful to get the solo - it's amazing!' Just as in 1965, he will be performing in the Chichester Cathedral Choir, alongside the choirs of Salisbury and Winchester Cathedrals and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by the world acclaimed conductor Marin Alsop.
The full interview can be seen on Wednesday 21st November, at 6.30pm, on BBC South Today.
On Friday 23rd November there will be a Chichester Psalms Gala Evening at the Assembly Room, Chichester, which will include a performance of the play Walter & Lenny and an interview with Leonard Bernstein's son Alexander.