Nottingham Chamber Singers’ soprano Helena goes to London:
I’d never known such a place existed! The name of this London church appears in many forms, but I’ll stick with the one used on its website, Holy Sepulchre Church. Located diagonally opposite the Old Bailey and near St Paul’s Cathedral, its north and south side chapels have contrasting dedications – to the south lies the regimental chapel of the Royal Fusiliers.
A young Henry Wood (co-founder of the Proms) learnt to play the organ at the church and at the age of 14 became the assistant organist. After his death in 1944 his ashes were interred in the north side chapel that until 1931 had housed the organ. Funds were raised to restore the chapel and in 1955 it was re-dedicated as the Musicians’ Chapel.
Each year after the Last Night of the Proms, the wreath placed on the bust of Sir Henry in the Royal Albert Hall is brought to the chapel and laid beneath a window dedicated to his memory. A festal evensong is held, which the church would like to claim marks the real last night of the Proms! Three other windows in the chapel are dedicated to Dame Nellie Melba, John Ireland, and Walter Carroll.
Below the patron saint of music – St Cecilia – and to the bottom righthand corner of the window, Wood is depicted between Byrd and Purcell conducting a Promenade Concert.
What a legacy! A window, a chapel and of course the BBC Proms, still going strong after 130 years. The Proms showcase many fine composers, conductors, instrumentalists and singers, while quietly and with gratitude musicians from the past are remembered and celebrated in the Musicians’ Chapel.
See:
BBC archive page about the Proms
Photos by Helena Durham
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