Music Part 1

Frank's memoirs

My parents were both musical:

 

 that is, they both sang in groups at Church, usually choir or small group items at some part of the service. Dad sang tenor and Mum usually soprano, though she could take another part if necessary. 

Both of them could make out a tune on the piano if they wanted to learn a new piece of music. They both wanted their children to learn music, and when I was 7 they started me with a piano teacher, Josie Goodsir, in Sandringham. I would trot down to her house, often accompanied by the dog, Joe, for my half-hour lesson once a week. 

She started me on the Royal Schools examinations, and had pupil concerts regularly.

When we moved to Papatoetoe there was a music teacher conveniently just across our street: Miss Campbell, an ancient Scottish lady, fearsome and stern. We all learned from her for the next few years. 

I can remember insisting that I wanted to learn “There’ll Always Be An England”, which was very popular at that stage of the War, and Miss Campbell reluctantly taught me, although I guess she thought it was well beyond my capabilities at that age. 

I continued to pass grade examinations until I had reached Grade VIII; at High School age I left off the piano lessons, and when we shifted to Mt Eden I started learning the pipe organ from the organist at St Barnabas’ Church in Mt Eden Road, Bill Edgar. Sometimes I would practise at the Presbyterian Church in Union Street, which was near enough to the University for me. This church and its organ were removed when the motorway system was built. 

In 1952 I joined the University Music Club choir, which practised and gave a performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor. I also tried out for the National Symphony Orchestra’s subsidised training programme for Double Bass, but soon flagged that away; carrying a double bass around was a drag! 

Once I left home to start work in Hamilton, I no longer played regularly, except that the High School needed someone to play the piano at Morning Assembly while the school sang a hymn.

 

In India music became a neglected area. Once I was settled in the Bay of Islands in the seventies I bought an old piano and would play that from time to time.

 

In New Plymouth, when we started attending St Andrew’s Church, I renewed my interest in the pipe-organ and proceded to teach myself. I practised a few times on the St Andrew’s organ and a couple of times at St Mary’s and was then invited to play for a lunchtime service at St Andrew’s once a week. 

I also officiated on the organ at a couple of weddings, and when the Church celebrated its 125th anniversary I wrote several songs, with the music written by Ron Smith, and even a choir anthem. After Ron died suddenly, I collaborated with Lionel Hall, who had written several hymn tunes; I wrote new words for some of his tunes.  Several of these compositions were included in a special hymn-book for St Andrew’s. 

For the last year or two I would assist the organ-tuner when he came.  This I found a fascinating procedure; I learned a lot about the way organs are put together, and about music in general from the experts at South Island Organ Company. Unfortunately three of their staff were lost in the Christchurch earthquake, when the Durham St Methodist Church collapsed.