THE REQUIEM MASS – PREMIERE 12th July 2025 Gallery
Click on an image to see the full photo (which is worth doing. There are some great photographs, mostly by courtesy of, and copyright by, Seán Kelly, to whom I am very grateful.)
The Poster & ProgramHoly Sepulcher Church – City of LondonKnown as ‘the Musicians’ Church’ and also the last stop for felons on their way to Tyburn to be executedFiona and I in an unsatisfactory pub, but the only one open nearbyOur Conductor; David Temple MBE. He also conducted the recording of the Requiem Mass CD in 2016.Judge had to do a bit of an interview.With me is Ricardo Odriozola the second of two Godfathers of this piece without whom it could not have existed. He enabled the piece to be revised and improved in 2009.I couldn’t wear my special composer’s outfit as it was the hottest day of the year so far.On the left is Michael Brand the first and original Godfather of the piece, who transcribed it from my ‘dictation’ in 1975.Dafydd Lewis on Bass. He recruited most of the rock musicians for the original 2016 album.Daf, a great guy and a fine musician.Drummer Chris Maitland. Quite a skill to be able to rock out on drums to an unamplified choirLead Guitar James Pursey.Jon Bishop, Guitar.Alastair Brookshaw, the baritone soloist was able to hit the perfect middle-ground between Classical singing and Rock singing. Great work!Matt Turner, Timpani…And percussion. Note that he has the tubular bells for the notes he needs and not for the notes he doesn’t.We don’t have much in the way of photographs of them, but here are some of the eight brass players, four trumpets, four trombones. And what a big, big sound they made!And finally, the mighty Hertfordshire Chorus.Maestro David Temple introducing the piece. He expects and gets the highest standards of performance, and I am very grateful to him.We’re on our way!A great photo, and, like most of these, it is the work of that great music photographer Seán Kelly. My thanks go to him for allowing his work to appear in this Gallery.The Requiem lasts half an hour…… but there’s a lot going on throughout.The Chorus were amazing.And when they had to pull out the stops…What a giant sound!I was thrilled and delighted, as you can see.Congratulating David Temple after the show.The choir really seemed to like it, and that’s the crucial test. I had to sign lots of scores.David Temple, Michael Brand, Ricardo Odriozola and me: three great professional musicans and a jumped-up rock’n’roll songwriter.Ricardo and us in a bar afterwards, the only place open in the eerily deserted streets of the financial district. John Ellis, lead guitarist on the CD was there in support.
