REVIEW: Lunchtime recital in Exeter Cathedral Chapter House

Wow! What a Wonderful day! The sun shone & a gentle breeze brought summery crowds to relax on the Cathedral Green.

The doors of the Chapter House were thrown open and soaring strains of music from within invited inspection by curious sun worshippers.

First was a pint-size girl with her half-pint cello bravely working her way through Tchaikovsky’s “Chanson Triste”.

At the piano was the professional accompanist David Green from Rugby, and beside her, with his precious full-size cello, sat her Masterclass tutor, the renowned Indian performer, Anup Kumar Biswas from London.

Phrase by phrase The Grand Master took his pupil through this melancholy piece, his own sensitive and emotive playing imparting his innate affinity with the music and his instrument, while his smile inspired all in the room to become infected with his joy.

An hour later the result of his teaching revealed such a tender performance by the transformed pupil as to bring tears to the eyes and plenty of applause!
Next was something dramatically different!

A voice student in her twenties who stunned spectators into speechless silence the moment she started singing! No microphone needed here! The gaze of the indoor viewers was drawn irresistibly upwards to the lofty ornate ceiling of the Chapter House, while those outdoors were taken as if on wings to the blue heavens.

What an unexpected thrill it was to listen to such potent raw talent as the scholar was gently coached and coaxed by the famous American baritone, Don Boothman, during her Masterclass.

Tweaks and suggestions here and there to such an impressive opening serenade hardly seemed necessary, but the audience were privileged to be entertained by the master and pupil thereby allowing us a greater understanding of how thoroughly a piece of work can be dissected and progressed.

A brief lunch-break for the group of artists ensued, while seats inside the Chapter House filled for the eagerly anticipated afternoon recital.

Don Boothman and David King then regaled us with a range of refrains from the likes of Handel and Gounod to the modern American composer of Art Songs, John Duke. Quality singing, this time “without words” came next as Anup’s sensitive and skilled playing of his cello enthralled us with movements from Sonatas by Beethoven and Brahms.

Anup charms spectators with a visual experience, living the music in his face and handling his cello as if in raptures of love.

The warm, mellow tone and superb singing quality he can produce were expertly demonstrated not least when, by special request, a rendition of “Bist Du Bei Mir” beguiled our ears and I noticed handkerchiefs dabbing the eyes of at least three in the audience!

In contrast to this tragically sad melody, Anup displayed the energy, vitality, fine delicacy of bowing, beauty of tone and vibrant intensity which have marked him out as an exceptionally gifted player as all artists united to mesmerize listeners with “Anondo Loke” a Tagore/Biswas number which included the Tanpura played by Don’s wife, Kay.

We were further enchanted with some toe-tapping Scottish Airs, and the afternoon recital ended with “Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific by Rogers & Hammerstein followed by a demanded encore of Cole Porter’s “Begin the Beguine”.

We had indeed witnessed a masterly & sensitive performance from all three artists –a magical afternoon!

This free-to-attend recital was briefly interrupted by Stephen Jones from Clyst St Mary who had visited the Mathieson Music School in Kolkata earlier this year.

He told us that the school was founded by Anup in 1994 in memory of his "guru" Father Theodore Mathieson who had "adopted" him when he was sent to the Orphanage/Mission when he was but 6 years old.

We learned about the daily school routine at MMS where children rise at 5.30am and all muck in to perform the essential household chores. This is a boarding school housing needy children, often orphans, and all from destitute, illiterate, or emotionally disturbed backgrounds.

There is a broad age-range (4-18) and a family atmosphere prevails, with older children looking after the younger ones. Staff share the same schedule and meals and they engage with the children outside the teaching time.

What Stephen found most impressive was that the school day followed a traditional curriculum of lessons until 5pm, after which there were music classes, music playing, dancing, drama, games and singing until bed at 9pm … !!!

The school is Christian, although children of all faiths are accepted and their various faiths respected.

All the children speak excellent English, and the regular teaching staff is augmented by gap year students and qualified teachers from the UK who go out at their own expense to donate their particular skills.

Mr Jones revealed that the musical standard of the pupils was quite exceptional and more than a match for children in the UK applying to go to Royal College or Royal Academy of Music.

As a retired UK teacher, he was astounded at the appetite of these children to learn – they all worked hard and wanted to do well - and the delightful students supported and looked out for each other.

Circumstances of the children offer no privileges, and MMS facilities no luxuries or things we would take for granted! Classrooms are bamboo with tiled roofs, or tin sheds on the mosquito-ridden old paddy fields.

But Anup has ambitious plans! He is currently seeking to raise £125,000 to finance new Primary School buildings (this would cost a lot more in England … !!!) and hopes that the first dig will be made “after the monsoon season” (was that what we had in the SW of England at the beginning of 2014?).

Surely this is not an “impossible dream” – it MUST be achievable, and it all seems so very worthwhile. I, for one, was certainly inspired to become a supporter of such a project. Thank you Anup, Don, David and Kay for such a marvellous and memorable afternoon!