A message of hope rang out loud and clear from the massed choirs, soloists, instrumentalists and speakers of the boys of Eaton House The Manor Prep as they gathered in St Lukes’ Church Battersea on the Tuesday 9 December for a thrilling, musically-varied and extraordinarily well performed event.
The message was clear: Eaton House is a spiritual home for all of us. We are one ‘family’ and we support each other with warmth and compassion and this is expressed in the sharing of musical experiences together, none grander than this Christmas Carol Concert.
Thanks are due to Mr David Wingfield, the new Headmaster of the Prep who, with Mr Lukas Kargl, the Director of Music, has championed a culture of sophisticated musicianship that is second to none in London. Mr Kargl worked tirelessly to bring the concert about and to send us home with a renewed appreciation of the meaning of Christmas. The strong cheer that the boys gave Mr Kargl after the finale was a true testament to his efforts, which were watched appreciatively by Dukes Directors Mr Tim Fish and Professor Mark Bailey and by Principal Alison Fleming, who gave the opening address on the theme of ‘hope’.
St Luke’s Church Battersea was resplendent with red velvet bows and shiny red Christmas tree baubles when the Eaton House The Manor Prep gathered for their traditional Carol Service. Boys were deputed to hand out orders of service decorated with robins in Eaton House scarves, and the thrum of anticipation gave way to a trumpet Te Deum by Charpentier. Then the Chamber Choir performed ‘Procession’ from Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols as the oldest boys walked up the aisle towards the nave.
As usual, every moment was perfectly arranged and the various choirs changed seats on the staging with incredible efficiency. All the boys were smartly dressed and jumped neatly to the right, as one, to file out when it was the turn of the next group to perform, which was an impressive footnote to each section.
The staff, parents and pupils loved joining in with well-loved hymns: Once in Royal David’s City, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, O Little Town of Bethlehem, O Come all Ye Faithful, with a rousing Hark the Herald to finish.
Year 4 distinguished itself with a reading by David Mensah, a rendering of Away in a Manger by Chappell and I Saw Three Ships, with solos by Edward Hammond, Toby Hunt, Albert Moore and Adi Sundaresan.
The Senior Choir thrilled with Still, Still, Still, followed by a flawless Clarinet Solo by ChengTong Xu (8S) and the Little Drummer Boy.
Year 5 gave a reading by Leyl Kouchih Pouchoulin, and sang a New Year Carolby Britten, followed by the poignant Star Carol by Rutter.
The A Cappella Choir enchanted with Jesus My Jesus by Kirk Richards and Year 6 started with a reading by Freddie Revell, followed by an Advent Carol and the Carol of the Children.
The next choir to delight us was the Junior Choir with The Candle Song by Kendrick and It’s a Magical Time, by Johnson.
Year 7 offered a reading by Oliver Iankov, the Song of the Wise Men and the incredible Gaudete! From Piae Cantiones.
The Chamber Choir followed it with the Carol of the Bells and Caccini’s Ave Maria.
Saturated with such an extraordinary range of music, we listened to the prayer by Archie Hodges and Huxley Lesser, Head Boy and Deputy Head Boy, followed by a whole-school Carol, Christmas Dreams, by Besig.
We left feeling happy and more Christmassy, certainly, but also, more importantly, filled with wonder once again at the importance of the time of year and the enduring message of the Nativity.
Our thanks are due to St Luke’s Battersea, to Fr Lorenzo Fernandez-Small – who was sadly not able to be present on this occasion – Jennie-Helen Moston, pianist, Michael Hodges, organist, and Cai Isfryn, trumpet, for contributing to such a wonderful celebration of Christmas.
