Review of Terry Jones – My Gloucestershire

Terry Jones, formerly of the West Dean RMS, gave a fascinating talk that ranged across most of Gloucestershire in words and music. Terry’s aim was to present material that reflected on Gloucestershire and it’s people and he succeeded admirably. Mixing personal reminiscences and the lives of his subjects Terry gave a thought-provoking talk showing how the County and landscape have influenced some of it’s composers and poets. We heard music by the likes of Ivor Gurney, Sir Hubert Parry, Gerald Finzi, Hubert Howells and Gustav Holst along with poems by authors including Gurney, Frank Mansell and Edward Thomas, all Gloucestershire residents. Gloucester Cathedral featured as a thread linking a number of the pieces, perhaps not surprisingly, with Holst and Howells writing music for the Cathedral. Among the better-known works we were treated to fine music composed by John Sanders who was both organist and choirmaster at the Cathedral for 37 years and were especially fortunate in having John’s widow Janet as a guest for the evening.