The St Paul's Era - 1974-1984
Two years earlier, he had been appointed to a part-time post at the BBC, as Music Adviser to the Head of Religious Broadcasting, and one of his responsibilities was directing the singers and playing the organ in the live broadcast of the Radio 4 Daily Service each weekday from All Souls’ Church, Langham Place. Every week, on three or four mornings, Barry would take an early train from Guildford to London, rehearse and take part in the live transmission at 10.15 am, and immediately it was over, rush back to Guildford, in the hope of getting there in time for the choristers’ daily 12.15 pm rehearsal at Lanesborough School.
After a year or so, it became clear that this timetable could not be sustained indefinitely, and the possibility of a move to Central London would make the journeys to and from the BBC less tiring and stressful. By then, Barry had run the Guildford choir for 13 years, and perhaps it was time for a change – for his, and the choir’s sake.
The post at St. Paul’s was officially that of sub-organist, and the vacancy had arisen through the retirement of Dr. Harry Gabb. Although the title was initially sub-organist, (later re-designated as Master of the Choir, in June 1977), there was an unwritten agenda behind the offer to Barry, later revealed in Dean Martin Sullivan’s autobiography (Hodder & Stoughton, 1975) - "he will also take over the training of the boys" - though in the initial discussions with Christopher Dearnley, then organist of St.Paul’s, there was always the intention that Barry would work with the younger probationer choristers, as well as taking a share of working with the full choir.
The appointment was virtually signed and sealed before a so-called formal ‘audition’ in November of that year, and it was agreed that Barry would remain at Guildford until July, 1974, and begin his duties at St. Paul’s at the beginning of September. With his wife, and two young children (then aged 3 and 9 months), the Rose family became the newest residents of Amen Court, a small housing enclave a few yards from St. Paul’s.
The next 10 years were to be exhilarating, exciting, challenging, and sometimes turbulent in relationships with some of the senior clergy at the Cathedral (known as The Chapter). There were many great State occasions, including HM The Queen's Silver Jubilee Thanksgiving (1977), HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother's 80th Birthday Service (1980), the Wedding of HRH The Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer (1981), and the whole period is now regarded as outstanding years for the choir and the Cathedral’s music. Despite the acknowledged success, Barry’s tenure was to come to an acrimonious and much publicised end in 1984, exactly ten years after he had arrived.
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The Choristers, after an Evensong in Summer, 1982 |
Final rehearsal for HM The Queen's Silver Jubilee - June 1977 (photograph by Nicolas Ware) |
Some of the Vicars Choral and Barry Rose toast the health of the Prince and the future Princess of Wales- June 1981 |
The Wedding of The Prince and Princess of Wales, 29th July, 1981 |
- Click here to listen to the choristers of St Paul's Cathedral singing a movement from William Boyce's extended anthem 'Lord, thou has been our refuge'. Accompanied by The London Bach Orchestra, this recording dates from March, 1979.
- Click here to listen to the choristers in June 1980, accompanied by John Scott, singing Mark Blatchly’s setting of the Magnificat, specially written for them.
