Figure 1 St Peter’s Church Langton L-R Organ, Church, William Hanbury, Organ Plaque. Image © Dr Jennifer Wilkinson
LBC and Handel’s Messiah – Part 2
LBC Archivist: Dr Jennifer Wilkinson
© Dr Jennifer Wilkinson (permission is given to correct typographical errors but not to edit or alter without consent from Dr Jennifer Wilkinson)
The LBC first performance of Messiah was in 1936, in a village church 13 miles south of Leicester. The occasion commemorated the 1759 inaugural performance of Messiah in an English parish church and the restoration of the original organ(1). Last week I visited Church Langton to re-imagine the spectacle of singers, musicians and an audience of 2,000 people in this intimate space!
The 1759 Church Langton performance was part of a three day music festival designed to raise money to fund the ambitions of rector, William Hanbury, who wished to transform Church Langton into a cultural centre. Balconies were added to the church and a new organ, built by Abraham Adcock (Handel’s favourite trumpeter and one of the concert musicians), was installed in the bell tower(2). (The church interior was significantly remodelled in the 1860s and Adcock’s organ was relocated to its current position in the chancel.)(3).
Hanbury’s contemporary account paints a rich picture(4). Tickets sold for 5 shillings and visitors overwhelmed local villages. Even the Duke of Devonshire had to lodge with a tradesman! Day one featured the Occasional Oratorio during which “some of the common people… were frightened and hurried out of the church with all speed; for hearing the kettle drums, which they took to be thunder… they thought that the day of judgement was really come indeed”.
Messiah followed on day two: “foot-roads from every quarter were lined with common people and the quality and the gentry in their different carriages rattled in from every part”. Doors were barricaded to prevent late entry and as soon as the Oratorio ended selections were performed again for the entertainment of the common people. Such was the hurry to enter that “one boy was fairly squeezed up and walked upon their heads”!
In 1936 George Gray conducted the LBC in a second performance of Messiah at Church Langton(5) to commemorate the re-building of the organ(6). Described by the Leicester Daily Mercury as a “strangely interesting and moving performance” with a “very fine rendering by the Leicester Bach choir [which] aroused much interest.” The event was understandably less well attended than the original. “Alas! Last night there were empty pews The gentry came in their motor cars and choir in their charabancs.”
References
- Ross, T.H. (1936) “The Messiah” Concert Notes, from the LBC Archive
- Holman, M. “Abraham Adcock: A Blog about Handel’s favourite Trumpet Player, 18th Century Theatre and Theatre History”, Available here
- Willatts, R. et al (2019) Visitor’s Guide St Peter’s Church, Church Langton
- Hanbury, W (1767) “The history of the rise and progress of the charitable foundations at Church-Langton: together with the different deeds of trust of that establishment.”
- Market Harborough Advertiser and Midland Mail – Friday 31 January 1936
- The National Pipe Organ Register “Leicestershire, Church Langton, St Peter, [N04600]. Available from NPOR | N04600
- Leicester Daily Mercury – Thursday 20 February 1936