Connections – let’s see what they are and where they lead!
Leith Hill Timeline Choir soprano Hilary Hinks shares a word on our up-coming concert, 'Southern County Songs', inspired by two very special Rusper residents: Lucy Broadwood and John Maiden...
Timeline Choir are performing at Rusper Church, on Saturday 24th November, and the concert will include folk songs collected by Lucy Broadwood. She was the daughter of a famous family of piano manufacturers, and one of history’s greatest champions of English traditional music. The Broadwood family lived locally at Lyne House, which lies on the Newdigate/Capel Parish boundary. It is said that they were “christened at Newdigate Church, married at Capel Church and were buried at Rusper Church”.
So Lucy Broadwood is buried at Rusper Church, in the original old part of the churchyard, along with 14 more of her family who are buried in the vault under the nave.
John Maiden, the father of Ros Maiden, one of our sopranos, lived in Rusper for 22 years. Sadly he passed away earlier this year. He was well known in the village, and as was said of Lucy Broadwood, was known ”to be a brilliant talker and full of wit and humour”. He is also buried at Rusper Church, and we will be thinking of him as we sing in November, he always enjoyed our concerts.
He married local Rusper girl Audrey Warwick, in May 1949, so she became a Maiden, and she, along with her parents, is also buried in Rusper Churchyard.
Audrey Warwick was a singer and a few months after she married John, she won a talent competition in Horsham. Quoting from the West Sussex County Times of Friday November 18th, 1949, “Nineteen year old Mrs A Maiden, of Norwood Hill, near Horley, won first prize in the Capitol talent competition held to celebrate the 26th anniversary of the opening of the cinema. Shine Through My Dreams was Mrs Maiden’s choice and judging from the applause when the results were announced, the judge’s decision was a popular one”. Ros is now carrying on the family tradition of singing and Audrey would be proud of her!
Death and the Lady (also a Maiden!) is a song that has its origins back in the 14th century, and was one of Henry Burstow’s ballads, which he performed in Horsham. Lucy Broadwood said that he “despised it for being nearly all on one note”!! Lucy on the other hand described the pure English folk-tune as being “ exceedingly simple, usually only eight bars long, yet it has perhaps the most beautiful, original and varied cadences to be found in music”. We will be performing a version of this song in our concert in November! [1]
And the link to Stef Conner, our Musical Director. She came to Rusper to sing to John on his 90th birthday, accompanying herself on her keyboard, and for anyone who knew John, yes, a glass of champagne was imbibed! She, like Lucy Broadwood is a hugely gifted pianist and singer, and lover of English folk songs. She too is a local girl, having spent most of her childhood years in Capel.
And finally, she has also performed a version of Death and the Lady, which you can see here – http://www.stefconner.com/videos/death-and-the-lady-by-martin-sheuregger/.
We are looking forward to seeing you at Rusper Church in November and making more connections.
[1] Lyrics © Messrs Boosey and Co