“The imminent 100th anniversary reminds me that when I joined the Music staff in 1972 preparations were underway for the 50th (I can hardly believe it…). My small contribution was to compose a new cantata called Templa Quam Dilecta – a 21-minute piece for SATB choir, piano, strings and percussion. It was created in the Queen‘s Temple and published by Novello.
I wrote many other works for Stowe. Nero, an ancient Roman popular-style cantata was actually put on a Stowe LP. Goodness knows where that might be found now. One other thing I recall is that my then student Howard Goodall, who played some of the percussion for Templa Quam Dilecta, went on to be a successful composer, particularly of TV theme tunes. I‘m not sure the two things are connected in any way…!”