I am not putting this post on Random Arts where it belongs because I am still building up visitors over there and I want this to be seen by as many as possible.
This is Philip Langridge who died on Friday. An English tenor with one of those voices which are difficult to slot into a particular fache, he seemed to be able to turn his hand to most things. I gather he said that he never had a voice which would 'make me a Pavarotti but rather a useful one which meant he had the chance of a varied career'. I am paraphrasing his actual words, but it is typical of this man that he should be so modest.
Many years ago when I sang in the London Oriana Choir in London, we did a performance of the St John Passion and Philip was singing the Evangelist, a role which he sang many many times, and apart from the fact that he was quite superb and totally committed, I also remember what fun he was. He came in wearing a long black coat with a university striped scarf slung round his neck and he and Brian Rayner Cook (baritone taking part) were exchanging back chat and jokes all the way through the rehearsal, save when it came to their turn to sing when they were immediately ready, at one stage BRC in the pulpit declaiming to Philip Langridge below much to the delight of all the choir. Come the evening, come the performance, immaculately turned out (he always looked so elegant) he produced a stunning Evangelist that left me, hardly the most enthusiastic Bach fan in the world, almost in tears.
A few years ago, at the age of 67 he sang Loge in Das Rheingold at Covent Garden, the night that I attended because Bryn was doing his first ever Wotan. I was unaware of the rest of the cast so thrilled was I to be seeing Bryn, but when I spotted Philip Langridge was performing as Loge, I was astounded and wondered how his voice would be now and how good he would be. Silly of me to worry, he was simply splendid and garnered excellent reviews. While the world is amazed and full of awe at Placido Domingo performing on the world's opera stages at the age of 69, we should also remember Philip who did the same and with great style.
When I heard of his death, I was genuinely upset as I felt I had lost a friend and somebody who was part of my singing and musical life. He will be much missed.
Leave a Reply