Composer John Rutter did not come from a musical background, but discovered music through an old piano in the corner of his home. His interest flourished at Highgate School, where he was a contemporary of John Tavener, and he went on to  read music at Cambridge.

Here his first composition was published, he conducted his first recording, and founded the Cambridge Singers, who continue to perform choral works, including his own, to great acclaim.

Suffering a prolonged spell of ME, Rutter ceased taking commissions for several years, but returned  to receive an CBE for services to music in 2007 and was commissioned to  compose a new anthem  for the wedding of Prince William and Katherine, performed for the first time in Westminster Abbey in 2012.

His compositions are chiefly choral, and many have featured in Wherwell Singers’ concerts: this Christmas our offerings include  ‘What Sweeter Music’. Asked who were his principal musical role models in a interview last year, Rutter replied:

“Bach was always been at the top of my tree because his music has such an absolutely perfect balance of head, heart and spirit.”

He would approve, then, of appearing on our Christmas Programme alongside Bach.

See Rutter in conversation in this clip

the doens

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Find out more about Sir Hubert Parry’s best-known work “I Was Glad”, composed for the coronation of King Edward VII and performed in full at the Royal Wedding in 2011. BBC Radio 4′s ‘Tales from the Stave’ explores the history and genesis of this piece, to be performed next year by Wherwell Singers.

Our local CHurch, St Peter & Holy Cross in Wherwell, has been shrouded in scaffolding for months as works progress to fix the roof.

It is intended to re-open the church by Christmas 2011, with a rededication service to take place in the Spring to mark completion of the renovation.

The Wherwell Singers will be singing at the Rededication Service and hope to include “I Was Glad” with the help of the organ and trumpets: not to be missed!

The Rededication is on April 21 2012, watch this space for more information.

In late October several members of the Wherwell Singers shared a delicious meal at La Parisienne in Romsey just around the corner from Romsey Abbey, where we spent the rest of the evening enjoying a concert by the touring Boyan Ensemble of Kiev.

The Boyan Ensemble have toured annually in the UK since 1992 and Romsey played host to a dramatic evening of sacred chants from the austerely-clad ensemble in the first half, followed by lively folk and traditional tunes accompanied by an array of instruments as the choir dressed to style after the interval.

Male voices carried beautifully in the Abbey, the basses in particular flooding the senses, topped on occasions with the floating soprano of the only female voice. We were enchanted, and are considering an offer to host the Ensemble in Wherwell at a future date: a great opportunity to mix the musical offerings available in our lovely village.