Rushden Echo & Argus, 22nd September 1950
Guild Women Form a Choir - They Sing for 'the Love of it'
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St Crispin Guild Choir
CHORAL music, always popular in Rushden, gains new strength by the formation of the St. Crispin's Townswomen's Guild choir, here seen at this week's practice under the direction of Mr. W. Hardwick.
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A few months ago, Rushden latest choir kept going to its practice room and rather hoped no one would be listening. To-day it is quite willing to be heard—and the St. Crispin Townswomen's Guild says, " Why not, indeed?"
Though the choir has already sung to the parent Guild, the members went a step further by inviting the "Echo and Argus" to this week's practice. In this way, they thought, the town would know something of the Guild's cultural worth.
More than twenty women were grouped in an Alfred Street School hall, trying out something they had not yet mastered. They looked preoccupied and a shade too serious, but the tension eased as they turned to a song on which they had made more progress.
In an hour or so they went through their favourite numbers—the Nuns' Chorus from "Casanova," "Trees," "All of an April evening" and "I'll walk beside you." Often they were pulled up for instruction and so, in the main, the routine of a normal practice was observed.
The Expert
The conductor was male and expert—Mr. William Hardwick, who has handled choirs for years and years. Mr. Hardwick thought he had retired from the game, but the Guild persuaded him to take over from the lady who, after conducting the early practices, found her time too fully occupied.
At the piano was Mrs. Joan Hart, whose musical round is intensive, to say the least.
One glance at the personnel revealed more than a sprinkling of seasoned choristers. Some have sung in church, choirs, and a few are known as capable soloists. Not many were without some experience.
The choir sings three-part arrangements and is really fortunate in having the right voices for each part, with firm leads in each case. With this question settled—and not by any makeshift arrangement— practice can do the rest, and is in fact, already showing promising results.
No one was able to say with certainty whether the rules of the movement will permit public concert apearances. The tall lady in the corner said she would have to look up the "Blue Book." Whether she does or does not, the St. Crispin singers will be quite content to make music for music's sake.
