Third Philharmonia Sessions: The Marshes of Glynn
Posted on 17/01/2026
Third set of recordings: The Marshes of Glynn, November 26th, 2024, St Jude’s Hampstead, London
I wasn’t certain I was going to be able to go to this recording because my younger daughter, Millie, didn’t want me to leave her. I felt very torn. I didn’t want to leave her if she didn’t want me to go, but I had organised this recording and really wanted to be there. I had decided not to sing in the chorus again, to keep the childcare needs as simple as possible and I had booked both daughters in to board for one night at school. I thought it would be good preparation for the chorister stayover at Christmas, which Millie was quite nervous about, not having done it before. Penny and Millie were unfortunately in different sections of the school so couldn’t board together, which would have been easier for Millie.
I made all the plans for going and just hoped Millie would agree on the day. David left for London on the 25th with all of the scores and parts in the car. I had booked him a hotel near St Jude’s Church. The chorus and soloist rehearsal was once again in the Warehouse that evening. I got the girls ready for their boarding experience and firmly told Millie I thought she would be fine. And she agreed to try it!
On the 26th, after dropping the girls off for their chorister practice, I dropped their bags off at their respective boarding houses, went to work to organise the cover for the day, and then escaped down the hill to the train station with my backpack on my back. The journey to London was easy and I was able to be online on my laptop to monitor my work emails. I caught the tube up to Golders Green, where I settled down in Pret a Manger for some lunch, to catch up on work emails, and to wait for my Mum.
After my Mum had arrived and had had something to eat and drink, we walked the short distance to the church, which was in a lovely quiet area with a nice coffee truck outside. Inside the church was gorgeous, with a wonderful acoustic and beautiful paintings on the ceilings. Ally Pally wasn’t available for this date, but since it had been so complicated to get the Orchestra, Choir, Tenor Soloist and recording engineer together on a date that suited us as well, and this venue was free, we went for it.
I recognised singers from the last recording, as well as one from my university days, so chatted to as many people as I could. There was also a family friend, Yvonne Parsons, playing in the cello section. I had made my first CD recording with David on the piano and Yvonne on the cello, of songs by my Dad back in 2000, so this was a lovely and seemingly fateful reunion! My sister and I had grown up with Yvonne, singing in Halesowen Girls’ Choir and playing in Dudley Schools Symphony Orchestra together. Yvonne also played in our quartet, comprising, my sister (1st violin), me (second violin), my Mum (viola) and Yvonne (cello).
Following the songs recording, Paradise Forum, Birmingham, 2000, Yvonne - front right, David - front left. Andrew Downes - back right, Paula Downes - second from back left
Just before the recording started, there was a bit of a panic about a missing cor anglais part. I trawled through my Dad’s scores stored on my google drive, but it wasn’t there. Thankfully we worked out it was in the oboe part!
About an hour into the first session, an administrator of the orchestra came up to me and my Mum at the back of the church to let us know that some of the players had complained that they were too cold. She asked if we could pay for some heaters to be brought in. My Mum quickly agreed, since we needed the players to be warm enough! I was surprised it was possible to just order heaters in like that!
The session went beautifully. My Mum and I let the music wash over us. It was out of this world. The Marshes of Glynn was my Dad’s first large-scale choral and orchestral work, and it is glorious. He surprised everyone with this work at the time of writing. He was supposed to be writing a much smaller-scale piece, but this is what came out: a stunning flowing, passionate work in the English Pastoral tradition, with strong influences of Vaughan Williams, but with its own unique language. There is already an excellent recording of the premiere from 1985, which was sold on LP and then CD. The premiere was performed by students at Birmingham Conservatoire for the Royal opening of the Adrian Boult Hall in Birmingham. It was a huge event in my parents’ life. Many bigwigs attended the performance and my Dad received huge numbers of wonderful letters of congratulations. The students who performed in it still talk about what an amazing experience that concert was.
My Mum and I went for a walk in the dark around the neighbourhood between sessions to avoid getting stiff with the cold. We also enjoyed some deluxe hot chocolates from the coffee truck. I phoned the boarding houses at the school to check on the girls and was told all was well.
Brenden Gunnell was amazing as the tenor soloist. We had heard him do Beethoven 9th with the Aurora Orchestra at the Proms and knew he would be perfect for the role. He was very friendly as well. David had gone to rehearse with him at Gyndebourne a few weeks before the recordings.
Following the sessions, my Mum, David and I drove back to Ely, talking non-stop about how wonderful it had all been. We bought some sandwiches to eat for the journey home.
The next morning, I went to see Millie at her boarding house before she went for breakfast. She was fine and happy! She was all excited for the Christmas Chorister Stayover now!
Read on: Fourth set of recording sessions
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