Do you have any odd or interesting bits and pieces - on any subject - you'd like to let us know about? If so - send them in and we may display them in this slot!
We recently received this interesting recollection from an ex member (Chris H) who was in the Odd Fellows under the direction of Geoff Waller - way back in the sixties. It is with pleasure we relate it here.
"In the 60s, Geoff's rehearsals were rare and irregular, and there was sometimes a resulting 'edge' to our performances (not always a bad thing, as long as the adrenalin rush doesn't get out of hand). My abiding memory of singing with the Odd Fellows, as an Ex-Odd from that era, was a concert for an AGM of the Aldershot Townswomen's Guild (TWG). We assembled back-stage - aware from the distant voices of TWG committee members that we were not out of earshot of the ladies in the hall - and were asked to keep our voices down. Geoff produced with a flourish a new piece of music for us to take away and prepare - a setting of Drake's Drum (I am ashamed to say that I cannot remember which one, but not the C V Stanford classic, I'm sure) in 3 or 5 sections over 12 pages, with numerous key changes and considerable variety of dynamics. Sotto voce, Geoff suggested that we might hum it through quietly together while we awaited the end of the AGM. This we did - just once - and savoured the challenging harmonies, tempi and phrasing. Our opening set in the concert was very well received. So well, in fact, that Geoff thanked the TWG ladies for their support and encouragement, and announced that we would therefore like to share with them a piece that we had only recently added to our repertoire - "Drake's Drum"! It is possible that we never performed it with such edge and concentration as on that first unrehearsed outing, but most of us were too preoccupied with the sight-reading and attention to Geoff's signals to be able to recall what it sounded like on that night."
___________________________________________________________________One of our members (John B) is very particular about his spelling and submitted the following:-
We Odd Fellows are often referred to as the 'Odd's'- and honestly we don't mind - we 'even' like it!
But you don't have to be an 'Odd' to submit an item - anyone can
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