My father was always a classical music man, going back to his childhood in Bebbington when he was accepted for Liverpool Cathedral Choir, but was not allowed to follow through this path as his parents were afraid of him having to cross on the Mersey ferry each day.

Some of my earliest memories of him singing was when he had parts in "The Pirates of Penzance" and "Iolanthe". I remember him singing the judge's song, even though that was not his part, I think that he understudied it as nobody apart from him and the person playing that part could manage it!

I think that he was really pleased the first time that he and I sang together in the bass section for "The Messiah".


One little thing that he said he learned as a boy chorister was sung to the tune of a Bach fugue and concerned Prout's publications of choral music.
Oh Ebeneezer Prout's, you are a funny man,
You have made Bach's fugues as simple as you can,
You have made Bach's fugues as simple as you can.