Desert island discs with our accompanist, Benedict Lewis-Smith

We hope to return to singing as soon as it’s safe to do so, but in the meantime we have asked our accompanist - Benedict Lewis-Smith to name some of his favourite records and talk about his musical life.

Hello Ben and thank you for sharing your Desert Island Discs with us.

Thank you very much for asking me. I have to say the island life sounds very appealing right now.

I think you’re not a Londoner born and bred – is that right?

That’s right, I was born in Bristol, and then moved to Portsmouth at I think about the age of 8. I went to school there at Portsmouth Grammar, until 16 years old and then moved to Somerset for boarding school - a bit of a shock to the system!

You went to Wells Cathedral School as a specialist musician and organ scholar. What did that involve?

Indeed, I was at Wells during my sixth form years. I felt rather lucky to be ‘on the staff’ at the cathedral at a relatively young age. I maintain, the one way to improve sight-reading (or really achieve anything!) is to be thrown in at the deep end where you think you can’t quite accomplish something. You just have to make it work.

Where did you first start playing the organ? It seems quite an unusual choice for a youngish boy!

I started playing the organ as a chorister at Portsmouth Cathedral, under the tutelage of David Price. I guess I must have been around 10 or 11. It felt quite an honour to be able to practise on the mighty cathedral instrument which had a cracking 32’ reed, the bombarde stop! This was one of the earliest appeals of learning the instrument. The solo ophicleide was a bit of a beast too! I’m terribly sorry, this musn’t descend into a paradise for anoraks, although I hope Martin on his distant island might appreciate an organ duet or two? At the age of 15 or so I headed over to St Mary’s, Portsea, as Organ Scholar, until leaving for Wells in 2004.

 Are you from a “musical” family?

 No not at all but my parents are keen musical enthusiasts. I remember encountering my grandparents’ baby grand piano in my earliest days on holidays to their place in the Cotswolds. 

 And what is your first disc and why have you chosen it?

 Tristan and Isolde, Karajan, with Jon Vickers as Tristan.

I remember it vividly, in Portsmouth, listening on headphones late at night all in one sitting.

Then, later, at Oxford - I remember Roger Allen, tutor in music and former Director of Music at St Peter’s, Oxford, suggesting that the preparatory work for the week might be to open a bottle of claret and listen to love duet ‘O sink hernieder’.

This sounded like an excellent way to while away an evening! May I prescribe it now?

Then you went as Organ Scholar to The Queen’s College, Oxford. What are your best memories of those three years?

I would say that the broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 from Queen’s and from St James’ Spanish Place were particular highlights. The choir tours and living in the organ scholar accommodation (with grand piano!) at Oxford I completely took for granted.

On to your second disc which is?

The Young Messiah, or The New Young Messiah either would suit me. These adaptions/arrangements of The Messiah resonate with me for some reason. Don’t get me wrong, give me a good Pinnock recording any day, but Tom Parker’s adaption in the 1980s was bold, daring, and outrageous!

And then to London where you’ve been for some years now.  What was it about London that appealed to you?

It seemed to be the direction in which all my friends were moving! I remember my first London job as organist at Emmanuel Church (West Hampstead), very fondly, and then my second selling ice-creams at the Barbican Centre with slightly less enthusiasm, and then my third as accompanist for SWLCS (back in 2011 or so?!)

Undertaking a freelance career (Covid-19 apart) is quite daunting I imagine.

Indeed - it has taken a lot of adaption, but my key choirs have been incredibly supportive!

Rather sadistically, I enjoy the element of risk that comes with a freelance career. I like having to search for new opportunities and work, and this has certainly been more pronounced during the pandemic.

I have moved all my teaching online and have adapted my method of delivery, building a new website over the last four months: musicwithBen.com. It is in its infancy but I think with more people working from home, many will want to continue with this new way of learning online. I really never expected to be teaching students in Saudi Arabia, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Scotland and of course here in London.

You had a time at St George’s School in Windsor. Did you have any involvement with the royal family whilst you were there?

I taught class music to Lady Louise Windsor, and supported the education of the St George’s choristers. It was a beautiful place to work - but give me a more varied freelance career any day!

What is your third disc and why have you chosen it?

 Rheinberger’s Mass in E flat has always been on my choral hit list. I first encountered it as Master of the Music at Pusey House, Oxford. It was my first professional music job, and the £25 fee per service bought a good few pints of Lamb & Flag Gold just over the road on St Giles.

You’re now working with two London schools. Do you enjoy teaching in school?

I enjoy leading choirs in schools, but don’t consider myself to be particularly gifted classroom music teacher. When I was at Northcote Lodge, my first London teaching job, the highlight of the week for me was the chapel service. Take the xylophones away, lock them in the cupboard and get the Fauré scores out!

Music teaching in the state system seems to be under threat of getting lost.  How do you feel about that?

I think it is a dreadful shame. For me, choirs should be the lifeblood of the school bringing a sense of community and togetherness. Choirs, orchestras, and ensembles bring together all year groups, in a way that no other school activity does, and if these aren’t supported (and adequately funded) professional groups in the future don’t stand a chance.

 Having said that, there are some state schools where the music departments are thriving - even throughout the closure of schools, they have continued to develop marvellously with performances and recitals on Zoom.

So on to your fourth disc.

I feel it might be time for something a little lighter. John Wilson’s: Gershwin in Hollywood. It was said that George Gershwin would strive to write four songs first thing in the morning – to get the bad ones out of his system! Gershwin in Hollywood

You spent some time in Buenos Aires working with students. How was that?

Working in Buenos Aires was excellent! I worked with students on English song at the DAMU: Department for Musicales y sonoras on the Av. Córdoba. We mainly worked on Quilter, Purcell etc, and the students were wonderful, pleasant and keen to learn. It was a joy.

Disc number five – which is?

Reflecting on my trip to Argentina, I discovered the music of Guastavino, and here is one of my very favourite songs! La rosa y el sauce sung by Teresa Berganza.

We are going to stretch a point and allow you one organ on your desert island. Which would it be and why?

That is very generous of you. I’m not quite sure about the practicalities, but it would, without doubt, be the Frobenius at The Queen’s College, Oxford, built in 1965 and set the standard for the classical organ revival in Britain. I think I might officially be an organ bore!

For most of us, music is our relaxation, but given that music is your working life, is there something else you do for relaxation?

In rare breaks from music, I try to get out cycling or head out for a sail with my Dad. He has a Westerley Centaur moored down in Langstone Harbour. We also recently welcomed Wilfred, a gorgeous Cavapoo, to the family. He went for his first sail recently and was dubious at first, but by the end he passed his official sea dog training! Having said that nothing beats a good walk in the Surrey Hills followed by a pub lunch.

Suppose money and size of choir and orchestra were no consideration, what would be the one piece you would most like to conduct?

Gosh, that is a very good question! I think probably Dream of Gerontius or possibly a Verdi Requiem.

And your sixth disc?

 I encountered Mozart’s piano concertos in recordings by Murray Perahia quite early on, so I think their soothing quality requires inclusion here. Perhaps one of the more dramatic numbers, but the D minor can be found here: Mozart Piano Concerto in D minor, K. 466

 You did have short time working on a small island I believe when you visited and worked on Gozo. But I imagine you were well looked after!

Ha, yes, well spotted! The Victoria International Arts Festival based on Gozo, has gathered much momentum in recent years, and I’ve enjoyed visits there over the past few years with organ recitals in St George’s Basilica.

Are you going to be able to feed yourself on this desert island? 

I am a terrible chef, and an even worse fisherman. Necessity being the mother of invention and all that, I suppose I will have to be quite adaptable (especially with no access to Deliveroo!).

We are stretching another point here – what one food would you like us to arrange a limitless supply of?

Oysters, please! But I suppose I could dive for those myself! A rare fillet steak, very well seasoned would be an alternative, or failing that grilled sardines - the large ones you get in Lisbon!

On to disc number seven, which is?

For my finals recital I framed my programme with Bach’s “St Anne” Prelude and Fugue in E flat major BWV 552, and this remains one of my very favourite organ works! The fugue is nicknamed the ‘St Anne’ due to its striking similarity to the hymn tune ‘O God our help in ages past’. Here it is played expertly by Peter Hurford, founder of the St Albans Organ Festival: Bach Prelude and Fugue in E flat

And which wine shall we ship over to you?

Very generous of you! Rioja, or white burgundy, or a wholesome Barolo - nothing too tame! I guess it’s not quite the climate for real ale?

Eighth and final disc, which is?

 So looking back, we’ve had Bach, Mozart, Wagner, Guastavino, Gershwin, Rheinberger, The Messiah.

On the rare occasion when I am trying to exercise, I put on a soul record or Motown, or something upbeat to try and get motivated, so I think my final disc should take me in that direction: Sittin' on the dock of the bay, Otis Redding

If you could only have one disc, which would it be and why?

Oh gosh, I sensed this question was looming. I think I might have to get back to you on that one. Perhaps I’d put them all into a hat and make the decision at random - that’s very noncommittal isn’t it! It would be a very close call between Bach’s ‘St Anne’ and Rheinberger Mass in E flat!

And as well as the Bible and Shakespeare which one book would you choose to be marooned with?

 I hate to admit it but I’m not a very disciplined reader. I’m good at starting books and less effective at finishing them. I love books on entrepreneurialism, marketing and business, and I think that Tim Ferriss’ ‘The 4-hour Work Week’ would suit Island life very well, or some PG Wodehouse or L.P.Hartley ‘The Go-Between’. Forgive me - I know that is too many.

And given that we’ve already been pretty generous and given you an organ to play and limitless amounts of your favourite food and wine, what would be your luxury item on this desert island?

A radio, with magical access to Radio 4! The best way to wake up in the morning.

Thank you Ben, for telling us about your desert island discs.

Thank you for having me, and all my best wishes to SWLCS, hoping we can sing together very soon. I am very grateful for the support of choir members through the last few months - my thanks to all of you!