Today would have been the 100th birthday of Sir David Willcocks.
Willcocks, one of Britain’s premiere choral directors, died in 2015 at the age of 95. He is especially identified with his tenure as director of music at King’s College, Cambridge, where he served from 1957 to 1974. He was also director of the Royal College of Music.
Willcocks conducted the Choir of King’s College on its annual Christmas Eve broadcasts of Nine Lessons and Carols and made countless records. His recording of Allegri’s “Miserere” is a notable landmark. He was also renowned for his performances of Bach masterworks. His interpretation of Fauré’s Requiem is regarded by some as definitive.
In 1981, he presided over the music at the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. The event was observed by a global television audience of 750 million. Earlier, in 1968, he achieved notoriety when he led the London Bach Choir on the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”
Join me this afternoon as we sample the artistry of Sir David Willcocks. Of course, this guarantees music by Ralph Vaughan Williams (if not the Stones). We’ll also remember composers Josef Bohuslav Foerster and Dmitri Kabalevsky on the anniversary of their births.
It turns out you really can get what you want. Lift up your voices, from 4 to 7 p.m. EST, on WWFM – The Classical Network and wwfm.org.
