President

Philip Langridge CBE

PHILIP LANGRIDGE CBE

We were very sad to hear that our President, Philip Langridge, died on 5 March after a short illness.   

Philip was a wonderful friend to Godalming Choral Society and it was our privilege to have known him, both as a person and as the foremost British tenor.     As President he gave us unfailing support and was always ready to participate in choir activities, both musical and social, giving of his time and exceptional skills freely and willingly. 

His operatic career is legendary and he was known and loved all over the world, but he was completely unassuming and always genuinely interested in other people.    He was a brilliant communicator and engaged immediately with everyone he met, at every level.   

Last year Philip generously gave up a Saturday to tutor us in a ‘Singing Day’ (master class), and as always his enthusiasm and inspiration filled members with delight and affection.   Another was already in the diary for this year, and Philip was also very keen to sing as tenor soloist in one of our concerts.   A typical comment from a member after the last master class was: 

‘Absolutely inspiring!  I feel so energized – we are incredibly lucky that our wonderful President has contributed so much time and enthusiasm to the choir’.

And that was how everyone felt.

Those who knew Philip were always struck by his courtesy and consideration for others, and we in Godalming will miss him very much.    It was only in November that many of us went to his 70th birthday concert in Wigmore Hall, and it seems incredible that he has now gone.

We will be marking Philip’s death in an appropriate way at a later date, and the concert on 10 April 2010 is dedicated to his memory.   Finzi’s ‘Intimations of Immortality’ was one of Philip’s favourites and his 1988 recording of the work with Richard Hickox and the Liverpool Philharmonic is regarded as the best.   He will be very much in our minds as we perform it at our concert.

Philip will be long and fondly remembered.

Douglas Jack
Chairman, Godalming Choral Society