The Music

Music became central to our lives from then on. We sang together in concerts & soirees at his school; he started a teachers' choir there (the only choir I never joined) and he wrote an operetta for the children of school, involving almost every child, called `Castles in the Air'.

For years afterwards his old pupils would write to him about their progress and their memories of taking part in the musical.

He took the part of the Headmaster in `The Happiest Days of your Life', which was produced by the English Department and he played the part of Mephistopheles in the opera Faust, put on by the Music Department.

Mephistopheles has a solo in the show, in which he accompanies himself on a guitar. As Brian couldn't play a guitar, it was decided to paint a piano in lurid colours and have it pushed on-stage by a group of small boys dressed as devils (typecast no doubt!).

Unfortunately, on the night of the performance Brian lost his voice, so it was decided that the conductor would sing the part whilst Brian played the piano. Brian was a bass, and everybody knew this; the conductor was a male alto! The result was hilarious..!