Memories

As we turn the page to embark on a new era under a new director it seems like an appropriate time to pay tribute to the late Gwyn Morris who passed away on December 5th of last year.
A proud man, he would have been so pleased with the funeral service in which the choir sang their final farewell to their charismatic leader. It was an emotional occasion for all attending particularly his family but also for many long-serving choir members, some having been on a fifty-year musical journey with Gwyn. The choir sang Morte Christe and two of Gwyn’s arrangements, ‘Be Still My Soul’ and ‘Blaenwern’ with so much passion that emotions became obvious among choir members and family alike. Our chairman, David Carter, was asked to pay tribute to Gwyn on behalf of the choir and the Reverend Rosemary Nash spoke on behalf of the family.
It was also particularly good to see so many representatives from local music societies attending the service and showing their respect for this well-known and talented musician.
Afterwards, his friends spent some time in the Middlesbrough Bowls club reminiscing about the man and the musician. Somebody described the day as a ‘send-off’ he would have appreciated.

The historical facts of Gwyn’s life have been well documented. He was born in Ruabon, North Wales nearly 78 years ago living his early life in Pen-y-Cal close to Llangollen. His father was a well-known local brass band leader, so it was no surprise that Gwyn turned out to be an accomplished musician. An excellent pianist before he was a teenager he had ambitions to become an accompanist and on reaching the age of sixteen he was to accompany famous singers such as Heddle Nash and Isobel Baillie. He was soon to become something of a local junior celebrity. Eventually, however, conducting and voice training were to win the day.

After Grammar School, Gwyn studied music at Bangor University and this was followed by a stint in ‘National Service’. Even serving his time in a minesweeper with the Royal Navy couldn’t keep him from his music for long and after completing studies at London Music Academy a career in teaching beckoned. Not in the rolling mountains of North Wales, as you might have expected, but at Hugh Bell school in the picturesque town of Middlesbrough. Having a good tenor voice he joined what was then the Middlesbrough Male Voice Choir and within a short space of time his enormous talent was recognised and he was appointed Musical Director. The next fifty-two years were devoted to his beloved Apollo Choir.

Through all of these years, under his leadership, the Apollo’s experiences included foreign tours, celebrity concerts, recordings, broadcasts, TV appearances, major competitions and countless charity concerts. Hundreds of male voices and some guest female singers have all enjoyed working under Gwyn’s exciting but strict direction. Yes, he was strict and didn’t take any prisoners but he did have perfect pitch and a mastery of harmony and chord formation so it had to be right. Very few had the courage to question his musical judgement, or did so at the risk of some harsh words and a withering stare. He could be single-minded and also intolerant as he strove for perfection from his choir and no doubt, to all who heard the Apollo singing, he probably achieved that perfection. To say he was a good speed teacher is like saying George best could play football. What would seem to be an impossible piece of music for the choir to learn would be accomplished within twenty minutes under Gwyn’s direction.

His arrangements, and there were hundreds of them, were much sought after by other choir directors. Proof in itself of his special musical talents. There were many occasions when these talents were demonstrated and one, which is often recalled by the choir, occurred at Huddersfield Town Hall. Following a day’s competition, three choirs, including the Apollo, were invited to perform an evening concert for the public. The Apollo performed the final item of the evening and received a standing ovation by the audience and by the attending choirs. The music was Gwyn’s arrangement of highlights from the musical ‘Les Miserables’. This arrangement, arguably his best, was subsequently chased up by many other choir directors.

His competitive nature very often stretched beyond music, however, and particularly into sport. At some stage in his life he played football, cricket, bowls, snooker and golf, all at a good standard and you could usually tell how the game was going by his facial expressions. These same expressions became well known to the choir.

Gwyn’s happiest times with the choir were probably at informal musical evenings, after a bowls match or a game of golf or after a choir concert. He would relax, sit at the piano and play every tune you could imagine. His sense of humour would emerge at these sessions, typically, just as the choir would reach a vital part of a song he would introduce his perfect impersonation of Les Dawson.
In the last few years of his life the fire dimmed a little and after choir practice, over a drink or two and like all grandads he was happy talking about his grandchildren. There was a gentle shift in priorities and this softer approach was good to see. Near the end he recognised how important his family had been to him as he raced through his musical journey. Was it a coincidence that he chose to leave us only days after the ever-popular ‘Annual Concerts’’?
There is no doubt he will be greatly missed by the many singers and musicians whose lives he has influenced and inspired and by the many audiences his Apollo choir entertained.
Gwyn will be remembered for some time to come.