It’s the season when the hop harvest has been gathered in, traditionally a time for celebration and thanksgiving, and musicians from the University were once more on-hand to help with the festivities.
Shepherd Neame, based in Faversham and Britain’s oldest brewery, each year holds a Hop Blessing, which combines a religious service with a celebratory agricultural message, giving thanks for the harvest, upon which traditionally the livelihood of many have depended. Conducted by Deputy Director of Music, Dan Harding, a small vocal consort from the University sang at the service, including Finzi’s evergreen ‘My Spirit Sang All Day,’ before the entire company retired to a nearby oast-house for a hop-pickers’ lunch.
The consort also performed a pre-prandial selection of madrigals and rousing drinking songs, while music during the remainder of the lunch came from Triskele, a folk-band led by third-year student, Fred Holden.
As Tom Falcon, Production and Distribution Director with Shepherd Neame, pointed out in his welcome, the brewery buys 95% of its ale hops and 80% overall from Kent. This is one example of the profound links between Shepherd Neame and the local community, with the brewery plugged right into the heart of Kent’s critical farming industry. This relationship is three hundred years old and one also celebrated at the service. His speech also thanked the members of the University for their contribution to the event.
The musicians responded to the truly celebratory nature of the occasion with some fine music-making for a unique event – I can’t think of anything else like it. Here’s to another successful harvest: and to many more!
