The power of music to bring people together was on full display as a group of schoolboys, now in their 70s, reunited to hear a newly remastered version of their 1963 recording of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem. The choir, from London’s Highgate School, had sung on a recording that sold 200,000 copies in just five months and won Britten two Grammy Awards, yet they were never credited.
Thanks to an advert in a local newspaper, 15 of the surviving choir members were able to come together in Soho to listen to the cleaned-up version of the Requiem and reminisce about the “gruelling” experience of recording the masterpiece. The recording session was not without its drama, as Russian soprano Galina Vishnevskaya caused a scene due to her displeasure with her placement next to the adolescent choirboys.
The War Requiem, commissioned to mark the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral in 1962, interweaves the traditional Latin text of the Requiem Mass with the anti-war poetry of soldier Wilfred Owen. The deeply moving and often harrowing score was immediately hailed as a masterpiece, with critics praising its power and impact.
The reunion of the choir members, who went on to have diverse careers in music, engineering, architecture, and charity work, was described as “absolutely great” and “overwhelming” by those in attendance. The event served as a reminder of the lasting impact of music and the bonds formed through shared experiences, even after 60 years.
