Sweet harmony

There is something about that scene where the remnants of the embattled Royal Engineers launch into Bread of Heaven as they await their expected demise at the hands of the Zulu hordes which gets me every time.

So hearing that Swindon has a 60-strong male voice choir which is on the look out for new members I immediately decided to make my vocal talents available to them.

As a karaoke singer of some note I thought my audition for the baritone section would be a breeze.

So I was slightly perturbed when I told musical director Max Brockman-More of my prestigious pedigree and he responded: "Oh, so you are going in at the deep end."

And when I was presented with a sheet of music to sing along to I got really worried.

Not to put would-be choristers off but this male-voice singing game is harder than it looks.

Each section the bass, baritones and first and second tenors has its own part to sing, often completely different from the main tune.

So while another part of the choir is singing "glory, glory hallelujah" the baritones may be singing "oommm, oommm" or perhaps the same words but different notes.

Max said: "The main thing is you've got to be able to hold your part and sing it other than that, we do the training."

After attending a few practices new members have a voice test with Max to decide if they make the grade you don't have to be able read music or necessarily have any experience.

Most I spoke to reckoned it takes up to six months of practice to get really confident.

But while it may be hard work the rewards are rich. When it all comes together it is music to make the hairs on the back of your head stand up. Being part of a 60-strong-group of men singing the Battle Hymn of the Republic made me feel like going out and re-fighting the American War of Independence single-handedly.

And when we sang the Water is Wide a haunting romantic ballad I have to confess to a tear gathering in the corner of my eye.

With lyrics like: "Love grows old and waxes cold and fades away like morning dew" can you blame me?

Chairman Richard Giles, 58, of Charlton St Peter, near Salisbury, said: "When they join us most choristers discover for the first time what it is to sing in harmony with other people.

"They may have sung in a group at big events but when we are singing contrasting parts, that's when they discover there's a special magic to it."

When the choir was formed in 1919 as the First Great Western Choir it was made up mainly from workers at the town's great railway works.

These were men who worked together, sang together and often fought and died together.

Senior member Max Lane, 79, joined the choir in 1943 when its numbers were depleted by the World War II.

He said: "I'm not a musician so it's hard work for me singing in the second tenors.

"But I thoroughly enjoy the singing and the camaraderie."

Tony Farrell, 52, a Motorola worker, joined eight years ago after never having done any singing before.

He said: "I never thought I'd do anything like this but it gives you a whole new aspect to your life."

One of my favourite film lines is in Shadowlands when Anthony Hopkins, playing CS Lewis, says: "We read to know we are not alone."

After a night spent with Swindon Male Voice Choir I am inclined to think that the same sentiment applies to singing.

As one member said to me: "Everyone here has their problems in life but when you come here and sing for an evening it takes you out of yourself."

And in my view there's no better therapy than belting out Nessun Dorma with 60 other chaps.