To mark the 60th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Emma-Jane Wyatt, co-Founder of Bernstein in Chichester, reflects on the international composer’s connection to the city and the ways in which this relationship has been celebrated over the years.
This connection will be honoured once again this year as the Cathedral and Bernstein in Chichester come together to mark the 60th anniversary of this celebrated composition in the Cathedral’s 950th anniversary year.Click here to find out more about our anniversary Concert >>
The influence of Walter Hussey
Leonard Bernstein’s connection with the city was the result of a celebrated choral work he was commissioned to write by Walter Hussey, Dean of Chichester Cathedral, for the Southern Cathedrals Choir Festival in 1965 - Chichester Psalms.
On a visit to the West Sussex Record Office in Chichester it is possible to look through the archives of Walter Hussey. In amongst the compelling collection of letters you can find signed manuscripts of works from composers Hussey had succeeded in commissioning (not least a signed score of Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb). There is also a letter from Igor Stravinsky with a "thanks but no thanks" response to Hussey’s polite request for a new work for the Cathedral. But in Leonard Bernstein he found the next composer agreeing to write a new work for him. As was apparent though, the Dean and Director of Music John Birch were subjected to what must have been a nail-biting wait!
In 1964 John Lyon who was Head Chorister (though he had left the year before the Chichester Psalms premiere), reminisced: "In December 1964, I was in the back of John Birch's motor car, being driven home after a trip to the pantomime in Portsmouth - a 'senior choristers treat'. I was thirteen years old, and at the end of my term as Head Chorister at Chichester Cathedral. Walter Hussey was in the front passenger-seat. In deference to the two eminent gentlemen in front of me, I was keeping quiet and listening to their conversation. At some stage in the journey, John Birch asked the Dean when he expected 'the psalms' would be finished, to which the Dean replied "My dear Mr Birch, I think the question should be not when they may be finished, but if they will be finished!". Each man then let out his customary sound of amusement - the Dean a chuckle, John Birch something between a snort and a chortle. Not fully understanding the conversation, I was bold enough to say "Excuse me sir, but I thought the psalms were written a long time ago", to which the Dean replied "Quite right, Master Lyon, and probably rather quicker than Mr Bernstein is writing ours!". The chuckling and chortling began again!”
Marking 100 years
In 2018 the 100th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein was celebrated in Chichester with a festival of events throughout the city, organised by Bernstein in Chichester. Bringing the festival to a glorious finale was an unforgettable performance of Chichester Psalms in the Cathedral by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Bernstein’s protegée Marin Alsop with the massed choirs of the Southern Cathedrals - Chichester, Salisbury and Winchester. The roof of the cathedral all but lifted off that evening!
In attendance were a group of the lay vicars and choristers who had sung in the 1965 performance, including the chorister soloist, David Gibson. Several of them eagerly shared vivid memories of their experiences in the presence of Bernstein himself. It was clear that rehearsals had been limited and hard work, and the boys found learning the Hebrew text a challenge. A lay vicar at the time, Noel Osborne, recounted: "I remember the excitement ahead of the final Cathedrals Festival concert for the cathedral choirs of Chichester, Salisbury and Winchester, with the newly commissioned Chichester Psalms as its focus, and wondering if it would all come together on the day. Would we do justice to the music - and cope with the Hebrew? In the event the performance was rated a success. We could see the elegantly dressed composer in the audience, and Bernstein came into the Song School afterwards to congratulate everyone, and especially David Gibson, the treble soloist”.
David James who had attended the concert with his family to support his brother in the choir reminisced: "I will forever remember the extraordinary moment at the end of the piece when Bernstein jumped up from his seat before the final chord had even died away, ran down the central aisle and literally leapt onto the stage and grasped John Birch [organist and Director of Music at the time] in the most enormous and crushing bear hug. John Birch was, as you can imagine, extremely embarrassed but the audience went ballistic…"
David’s brother Paul remembers “being completely overwhelmed by the Hebrew/Yiddish texts, which took a long time to conquer and pronounce, especially as neither John Birch nor Richard Seal were any the wiser. Ditto, for me at least, was counting in 2+3 over 4 twice in each bar in the third part. I too remember Bernstein leaping onto the stage for the hugging, elegantly dressed as Noel recalls, but the striking thing for me was the long black leather coat draped around his shoulders. I’d never seen anything like that before! Cool, in later parlance!”.
At the performance in 2018 Leonard Bernstein’s son Alexander was also in the audience. He had attended the Chichester premiere as a young boy in 1965 along with his parents and sister Jamie. The two young children had been hosted by a family of Hussey’s congregation, the Elwes Family, who had similarly aged children, Richard and Henrietta, (perhaps freeing up The Deanery from young children charging around its' premises!). Just over 50 years later in 2018 it was Alexander Bernstein who leaped to his feet to lead the applause that night in the Cathedral.
A lasting legacy
And so it seemed fitting that the great connection Bernstein made in Chichester should be commemorated in a way that helps keep the memory of this great musical oeuvre alive, and the unveiling of a plaque at Chichester Cathedral seemed a perfect tribute.
As 2018 festival co-organiser Edward Milward-Oliver recognizes, “Bernstein’sChichester Psalms continues to be one of Bernstein’s most performed pieces worldwide to this day. This is a special moment to celebrate this great composer also a noted conductor, pianist and music educator”.
The plaque, made from Porchester stone and beautifully carved by eminent stone carver Rob Jolly, will sit on the Prebendal School wall for all to see and share.
It is well documented that Chichester had also made a considerable impression on the Bernstein family and so it will be with much pride that Chichester welcomes Alexander Bernstein back to unveil the plaque on Saturday 17th May at 4pm, an event to which all the Chichester community are invited.
Dame Patricia Routledge who "had the unforgettable privilege of working with Mr Bernstein” and is patron of the plaque project, said: "This plaque is a timely recognition of the worldwide significance of this beautiful work. Chichester Psalms continues to resonate across generations, and it is only fitting that its legacy is honoured here, where it all began."
In honour of the occasion, that evening, with a Bernstein family member in attendance, Chichester Psalms will be performed in the Cathedral, once again at a special concert, Together in Unity.
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This article is dedicated to the memory of Richard Elwes, fellow trustee of Bernstein in Chichester, the organisation running the 2018 festivities and the plaque project. He tragically lost his life too early in an accident, but his memory and commitment live on. It was a privilege to have had Richard as a trustee for Bernstein in Chichester.