Musical Directors: Russell Kessell (1936-1959), Hildegard Craig (1980-1888 or later)
1936: Melba Kessell, Accompanist.
1956
1956: The famous Treviscoe Choir which carried off the top award for choirs not exceeding 60 voices at the Llangollen International Music Festival. Russell Kessell, who led the choir from 1936 to 1959, holds the award aloft.
One day in 1936, some young men had a plan
To form a male voice choir but first they’d need a man
To stand in front with baton. Who would that person be?
Well, they chose Russell castle, and the rest is history.
From ‘36 to ‘39 they worked extremely hard
Winning several competitions with high praise on judges cards.
When war broke out in 39, the choir was disbanded.
With so many called away, they would be too short handed.
But when the war was at an end they soon got back together,
And the judges remarks at contest time now got so much better;
Phrasing first class, balance good, they do their work with ease,
Well disciplined, enthusiastic, a very fine choir indeed.
Then, Mr Kessell said one day, “Let us go and sing
at international level and see what that will bring”.
So, the choir set off for Wales, to the eisteddfod at Llangothlin.
They gained third prize in their very first attempt at international competition.
The following year they came in 6th, but the choir would not give up.
They returned again in ‘55 and this time had more luck.
Second to an Italian choir, but still named Britain’s best.
Determined to give it one more try, they couldn’t let it rest.
On practice nights they worked so hard, and when the time was come,
they once more took the road to Wales to see what could be done.
This time it all went right for them, there singing, near perfection,
they were world champions at last, oh what celebrations.
They hoisted Russell shoulder high and sang good old ‘Trelawny:
shall he live, or shall he die’, they were like a Cornish army.
When they returned to Cornwall, Treviscoe gave three cheers.
Crowds were there to greet them, there were hugs of joy and tears.
Photographs were taken and congratulations said,
The choir sang three test pieces and made their way to bed.
Next day in newspapers under headings bright and bold,
Like ‘Treviscoe Men Outsing the World’, their story did unfold.
How from small beginnings in a clay village call my in the west,
these men took on the world and won, they proved they were the best.
Singing almost to perfection, their marks the highest ever given.
No other choir had done as well, it was in ‘Male Voice Heaven’.
‘It’s all due to our practise, my men work extremely hard’,
Russell said, ‘and this world trophy is their well-deserved reward’.
Treviscoe was now on the map, it had its claim to fame.
People in Britain, and around the world, would speak Treviscoe’s name.
For several years thereafter the choir kept up their song.
With Russell and melba at the helm, they couldn’t go far wrong
but as members all grew older, then finally retired,
other people took their place and it became a different choir.
Now, Treviscoe Male Voice are no more, their time of fame is gone.
But all Treviscoe born and bred will not forget their song.
They’ll always be remembered in the place it all began,
especially Russell Kessell, their brilliant anchor-man.
(Y Pattick)
Treviscoe Choir at Bristol Recording Studio under Ken Yelland with interviewer Tom Salmon
1969-1988 or later: Inez Bilkey, Accompanist.
Brian Mitchell, Accompanist.
1980: Alan Cooper, Musical Director.
1980: I Bilkey and B Mitchell, Accompanists.
1983: The choir took part in the 1,000 Voice Concert at the Royal Albert Hall in 1983.
November 1987
This has been compiled by Barry Hawken and is a part of the Cornish National Music Archive (CNMA) project to Collect, Preserve and Share our Cornish Heritage and Culture.
If you would like to amend or add to this page then please leave a comment and we will be in touch.
This is a part of the Cornish National Music Archive (CNMA) project to Collect, Preserve and Share our Cornish Heritage and Culture.