Festival Of Remembrance

Wednesday 21st November, 2012 - 5:17pm

On Sunday 11th November, the choir took part in the Festival of Remembrance in St. Anta's Church, Carbis Bay, in the august presence of Colonel Edward Bolitho, MBE, Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall; Mrs Catherine Mead, High Sheriff of Cornwall, with Mr Mead; Mrs Elizabeth Bolitho, Deputy Lord Lieutenant; Mr Andrew George, MP, and Mrs George.  Also present on this emotionally moving occasion were Captain Wm Entwistle, OBE, MVO, RN, Commander RNAS Culdrose, and Mrs Entwistle; together with a host of military and civic dignitaries, including the Town Mayors of St. Ives and Hayle, their deputies and consorts, and representatives of the Royal British Legion.

Following the receiving of the Standards of various branches of the Royal British Legion and ex-service associations, a Roll of Honour was read out to commemorate the eight Cornish Servicemen who have died in Afghanistan since 2006.  During his address, Captain Entwistle dealt with the doubts of the many influenced by negative media reports to ask, "Is it worth our troops being there?" and introduced a long list of the potent and positive improvements in the lives of the Afghan people, particularly for young people and especially the education of girls, none of which would have been possible without our servicemen loosening the shackles of the Taliban.

Mousehole Male Voice Choir's concert programme was well chosen by Musical Director, Stephen Lawry, to capture the mood of the occasion, ranging from the solemn to the uplifting, from the power of massed male voices to the control of soft singing, all exquisitely performed, with the brilliant support of Annette Turton as accompanist. The surprise inclusion of Freddie Mercury's "Bohemian Rhapsody" brought a smile to the faces of the distinguished guests. The choir was never more impressive than in its performance of "The Lord's Prayer" and in the final moments as the Standards were paraded through their ranks as they sang "Bring Him Home" and the "Anthem" from Chess. 

Jenna and Morwenna Matthews were guest artistes and were charming and competent as ever with their pitch perfect unaccompanied duets, which included a medley of popular songs which raised our spirits during World War II and an extremely moving rendition of "O Valiant Heart" during which no other sound was heard.

The Festival then closed with the Act of Remembrance and its spine-chilling sound of a single bugle to play "The Last Post" and "Reveille" either side of a minute's silence and then the haunting tones of a piper to play a lament before the National Anthem, the Blessing and the retiring hymn, "Abide With Me".

 

"When you go home tell them of us and say for your tomorrows we gave our today"