Two Wonderful Male Voice Choirs
Some years ago, whilst we were in Germany, we met a delightful couple from Finland, and over the years we have become firm friends; the lady also shares Wendy's birthday, so we are regularly in touch for that reason as well!
A couple of months ago, Juhani wrote to say he is a member of a male voice choir called the Muntra Musikanter, and they were coming over to the UK and would be touring in Wales; it would be lovely if we could meet up whilst he was here.
Well, we were delighted to take up the chance of having a return visit to Wales, and have the opportunity of hearing the Muntra Musikanter and the Caldicot male voice choir, who were hosting them on this trip, perform in concert.
Wendy was also keen to spend a day in Swansea; when we lived in bath, we used to take regular holiday breaks in Swansea, staying at the Mermaid Hotel in the Mumbles, where Dylan Thomas used to hang out (and probably got supremely drunk!) and where we also used to enjoy the regular Friday and Saturday night dinner dances at the Hotel.
During these holidays, we would also get down to the beach - Caswell Bay, Bracelet Bay, Oxwich Bay - all delightful places with soft sand, ideal for playing and picnicking. Of course the weather is famously unreliable in Wales (not my quote, I hasten to add - but a gentle warning from the Blennau Ffestiniog Railway further north in Wales, to always remember to bring an umbrella!) and we spent many an afternoon playing on the beach and building sandcastles in the rain; and I have the photographs to prove it!
The weather this time was gentle and kind; we didn't have the luxury of time to go down to all the beaches, but it was lovely to drive along the upper coast roads, and remember the happy times.
After a night in Swansea, we drove back to Newport, which was closer (only 10 miles away) to Caldicot.
After an early dinner, we arrived at the Caldicot Choir Hall at about 6.00 p.m. and we were made so welcome by the organisers; presently the Muntra Musikanter choir arrived, and had a warm up practice outside. We also met up with our friend Junhani, and it was lovely to see him again.
I had a chance to interview the Chairman of the Muntra Musikanter, and I also talked with the Caldicot Choir, and checked all my facts - and got some new ones! - and then we settled down to enjoy the concert; and what a wonderful evening it proved to be!
After the main part of the concert ended, that was still not the end of the show; all the members of both choirs gathered round for more singing, taking it in turns to sing one song after another, to the delight of their audience. This, I was told later, is called "The Afterglow," and we thought what a brilliant and appropriate name for more joyful singing.
I said I would love to write a piece about both Caldicot and the Muntra Musikanter choirs, and see if I could get some post-tour praise and publicity for them. Everyone was delighted with that idea, and this is the article I wrote, and which will appear in various magazines over the next couple of months:
START:
In May, from the heart of Helsinki in Finland to Caldicot in the
South-East of Wales, two magnificent Male Voice Choirs united to create a
memorable evening of music.
The Caldicot Male Voice Choir has 60 members (ranging in age from 26 –
99); for this performance, 50 members took part in the show. The Muntra
Musikanter Choir has 120 members, with ages ranging from singers in their 30s
to 96 - which surely proves singing is a wonderful way for everyone to keep
themselves young, happy and enthusiastic!
Caldicot Male Voice Choir is based in south Monmouthshire; it is
arguably one of the larger and leading male voice choirs in Wales.
It had its beginnings in 1962, following the completion of the giant steelworks
at Llanwern near Newport, which employed many experienced steelworkers,
particularly from Port Talbot and Ebbw Vale. Providing housing for the steel
workers led to a huge increase in the population of small communities like
Caldicot, and it was soon realised there was no male voice choir in the area.
In 1963, the founding members of the choir - Roy Hogan, Len Waters and
Josh Grindle - held an informal meeting at the Cross pub in Caldicot. They
approached Ralph Hodges who became the choir’s first musical director, and then
knocked on doors, persuading colleagues to join what became the Caldicot and
District Male Voice Choir.
Great oaks from little acorns grow! Their first concert was held on 12
October 1964; they soon established themselves as a successful choir, and over
the years have created an impressive list of performances, being honoured in
2018 to sing at Buckingham Palace to celebrate the 70th birthday of
the then Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, and for Her Late Majesty Queen
Elizabeth II at her Golden Jubilee. The Choir has also enjoyed great success
competing at National Eisteddfodau, tours on P&O cruise ships and various
stadia throughout the country. They have been delighted to share a stage with
internationally famous singers such as Luciano Pavarotti, Jose Carreras and
Placido Domingo at Wembley Stadium and, more recently, and among many others,
they have performed with Welsh tenors Rhys Meirion, Aled Wyn Davies and Aled
Hall, and have also sung with Bryn Terfel; hearing him sing Kyrie Eleison in
Welsh at King Charles III’s Coronation was a spine-tingling moment!
In 1996, following a huge fundraising effort and lottery grant, the
choir’s own concert and practice hall was built. It is the envy of all the
choirs who have visited it, and is unique in that it is the only one in Wales
(and probably in the UK) that has been purpose-built and acoustically designed
for a male voice choir.
Through its concert performances, each year the choir raises several
thousands of pounds for local and national charities. To facilitate its charity
commitments, it performs at private functions and Company events; it also
provides opportunities for rising new young singers at the start of their
careers.
Apart from performing in Wales, the choir tours regularly and
extensively throughout the British Isles, Europe and America.
The Muntra Musikanter (The Merry Musicians) Choir from Helsinki in
Finland had its beginnings in 1878; it was first known as “P.C.”, which was
short for Petersburg Concert, and referred to a concert trip planned to take
place in that city. Although that concert fell through, the Choir survived, and
gave its first performance on 11 May 1878. Later, it became known as the “Sällskapet MM (the Muntra Musikanter Society) and has
rejoiced in that happy name ever since.
From its earliest days, the Choir has travelled extensively, performing
all over Europe and this year is enjoying its 145th anniversary
concert tour. It is one of the oldest performing male voice choirs in Finland,
and has gone from strength to strength, performing regularly in concerts both in
Finland and in Europe, including Wales and England, and further abroad in Malta
and the USA.
The Muntra Musikanter Choir is also the proud owner of the oldest “Spex”
performing art tradition in Finland. “Spex” originally began as Swedish student
comedy productions, rather akin to the British panto tradition, with men
performing the female roles, and creating parodies of operatic arias or popular
hits. They are always amateur productions, with lots of improvisation, and
audience participation is actively encouraged!
The Choir has a brilliant Conductor, Riku Laurikka; he is a graduate from the Sibelius Music Academy
in Helsinki, and joined the Choir in February 2021.
The pieces chosen by both choirs, although very different, all created “pictures
in our heads,” inspired by the amazing sound effects produced by their
wonderful voices; from delicate whispers to full-throated orchestral resonance,
it was not just to be listened to, but was an experience of an exceptional
sound, created by those voices alone.
Accompanied by John Nicholson, The Caldicot Choir’s Musical Director,
Sian Hatton and Shirley Anne James conducted the singers through a varied
programme of songs, from rousing musical numbers such as “76 Trombones” to
poignant reminiscences in “The Miners’ Song,” by Dan and Laura Curtis, written
in 2013, as a tribute to fallen miners. Closing their part of the concert was a
stirring rendition of the Welsh National Anthem, “Land of Our Fathers.”
The Muntra Musikanter’s programme included works by Elgar and Finnish, Swedish
and Estonian composers focussing on the forces of nature, and ancient songs of
the sea; they also delighted their audience in Caldicot by performing a song in
Welsh, “Calon Lan” – Pure Heart – beautifully sung, and such a compliment to
their hosts. Their final piece was Sibelius’ “Finlandia,” sung with great joy
and pride.
The Choir has an impressive list of recordings to their name; “Prime”
was released on Spotify in 2020, and video performances can also be viewed on
YouTube.
During their tour of Wales, Muntra Musikanter also performed at Llandaff
Cathedral, and gave another concert at St John’s Church in Cardiff.
The Chairman of the choir, Sam Simonsen, said their future programme
includes plans for further tours of Europe and Japan.
Last year, the Caldicot Male Voice Choir also sang in Llandaff Cathedral
in a joint concert with the North Dakota University Choir, and their future
plans include another performance at the Royal Albert Hall on 27 April next
year. Recordings of their concerts can be found on YouTube and Facebook.
Both choirs will continue to be much in demand and enjoyed by everyone
who has the pleasure of attending their concerts.
END
The Caldicot Male Voice Choir
The Muntra Musikanter (The Merry Musicians)
The Caldicot Male Voice Choir - in relaxed dress and in full voice!
