AT THE TIME OF WRITING, no comment on the recent death of Dr John Fletcher has, to my knowledge, appeared in your newspaper, apart from a brief paragraph or two informing us of his passing and that, in accordance with his wishes, he was accorded a private burial at Westbury Cemetery.
Such was the nature of the man; go onstage, do what you have to do and get off.
Yet it is worthwhile noting that Dr Fletcher did far more than can be recounted to enrich the musical landscape of Barbados, chiefly as organist and choirmaster of St Michael’s Cathedral, and as director of the Sine Nomine singers, but also as music master at Combermere School.
Few will forget the superb quality of the presentation of the Service Of Nine Lessons And Carols at the Cathedral under his direction. It exposed Barbadians and visitors alike to a wide range of music from the seasonal repertoire and, to the chagrin of some, included pieces other than the traditional “sing-along” type carols.
But surely, in doing so, “The Doc”, as he was fondly referred to by his choristers, sought to educate the public and expose them to the best of modern trends in church music, and not just items that would appeal to the nostalgia that, of necessity, accompanies the festive season.
For let it be remembered, Dr John was no ordinary musician.
As if being a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and a Doctor of Music (Columbia University) were not enough, he was rare in being one of the very few holders of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Diploma In Church Music, a designation awarded only to the candidate with the highest marks in any given year, and it is an examination based on theory, practical and viva (face to face questioning by examiners).
One opportunity
Aspirants to this are afforded one opportunity only. He attained this in 1978.
Dr Fletcher was not one to suffer fools gladly, and so became known for his fiery temper, more often than not merited by those to whom it was directed.
As a choirmaster, he was demanding in the extreme, because he knew that those under his charge were capable of far more than they themselves believed, a fact which was manifest when the “finished product” was presented to audiences at choral events.
He was no less demanding of himself. A stickler for punctuality, he almost single-handedly was responsible for the smooth running of the schedule of services at the Cathedral during his tenure.
Choristers would not be permitted to sing unless they had been present for the requisite number of practices prior to an event.
His refusal to allow the Cathedral organ to be played by all and sundry drew sharp criticism from many, as did the fact that he did not take organ students. Nevertheless, such was his musical influence that he played a major role in encouraging a number of Barbadians to successfully undertake further musical studies and achieve academic and practical qualifications in this area of endeavour.
Some may be aware that our own Biggie Irie is a former treble chorister of St Michael’s Cathedral, and was one of the choristers who accompanied Dr Fletcher on the choristers’ tour to Boston.
As a composer, Dr Fletcher was also in his element. The modal mass which is used in many, if not most, of our Anglican churches to this day, is his composition, as well as a folk mass.
He also composed settings to the Versicles and Responses used at services of the Office (Matins and Evensong), and there are also a number of anthems which bear his name, arguably the best known of these being the haunting Nipson Anomemata (Wash My Hands, Not Only My Face), based on the words of a Greek palindrome which encircles the 1680 font in the Cathedral.
Dr John, we can never thank you enough for all that you have done for this island,your adopted home.
May your soul continue to rest in peace.
– DR Sherlock Bradshaw
