EDWARD EVANS (1913-1987)

Choirmaster at the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne 1965-1987

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Soprano and Tenor 1923-1965

 

Edward (Ned) Evans was born in 1913 and spent his formative years under the shadow of the North Cathedral Church in the family home in Kearneys Lane (now Kearneys Avenue). He was the youngest of five children, he had two sisters and two brothers.

When the area around Kearneys Lane was earmarked for regeneration his family moved to 58 Cathedral Road, where he was to reside for approximately sixty years until his death in 1987. His love of, and interest in classical music can be traced to his father Maurice who was a keen student of Opera Music. In fact Mr Evans Senior was often referred to as “ The Master” after “His Masters Voice” as a consequence of the frequent recordings of Opera Music he played for his friends and neighbours on his gramophone. Mr Evans Senior was a regular visitor to Pigott and Co. Gramophone Saloon at 117, Patrick  Street Cork, and also O Leary’s, “His Masters Voice Depot, 49 Grand Parade Cork  where he purchased various classical compositions from choral to orchestral and, in keeping with Northside tradition, a Tenor Aria was a must.

Ned Evans was a product of that environment and it was therefore no surprise that he joined the Cathedral Choir as a boy Soprano in 1923. Thus began a sixty four year association with the Choir until his death in 1987.

He was a talented soccer player playing in the National League for Cork Bohemians in the 1930s. However two serious leg injuries resulted in his retirement from the game when he was in his prime.

His love of classical music and in particular Church music ensured he had enough to occupy him during his spare time away from his work with the Cork Timber, Slate and Cement Co., for whom he worked for forty years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Evans formed the Cork Lyric Singers in the 1940s  with Donal Mullins, Plunkett Mullins, Tom Quinlan, Bill Lutteral and accompanist Finbarr Houlihan. All were members of the Cathedral Choir, in fact their accompianist Finbarr Houlihan had taken up pianoforte study under Herr Fleischmann and Frau Fleischmann. Through the recommendation of James Stack they appeared in their first Pantomine in Father Matthew Hall. It was during their rehearsal for their sixth successive pantomime in the Old Opera house that the famous old building burned down. Their weekly recitals on Radio Eireann  brought them to National prominence. In his weekly “Radio Commentary” column Tommy O Brien stated that “he had received numerous letters from Radio Eireann listeners expressing their enjoyment of the Lyric Singers Broadcasts”. He suggested that the fifteen minute timeslot was too short and that Radio Eireann should consider extending the programme to thirty minutes such was its popularity and appeal to listeners.  These radio programmes were recorded in the old Radio Eireann Studios in the fromer Cork Jail in Sundays Well and spanned twenty five years from 1948 to 1973.  In fact they were the last group to record from the old Cork Studios.

Aloys Fleischmann was a major influence on Ned Evans' musical career. He tutored him in music theory and harmony and his willing student savoured every opportunity to avail of the opportunity to learn from a teacher who had a world wide reputation for music.

In 1965 Ned Evans took charge of the Cathedral choir. He remained steadfastly loyal to the ethos of church music as instilled in him by his mentor, Aloys Fleischmann.

Edward Evans conducting the some of the altos and sopranos on December 23rd 1967

He took his work as conductor very seriously. In fact the work took over a large part of his life when one considers his weekly schedule. On Monday nights he had a practice with the boy sopranos from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. From 9pm to 10pm he practiced with the Tenor and Bass lines. On Tuesday night it was the turn of the Alto line to practice from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. He would spend Thursday night practicing on the organ in the Cathedral Presbytery. This also afforded him the opportunity to consider new Motets which could be added to the repertoire of the choir. On Friday night he would bring together the altos and sopranos for practice from 7.30 to 8.30pm. On Saturday night he would lay out the music for Sunday Mass. The choir always sang at noon Mass on Sundays.

Every September he travelled up to the North Monastery Primary School and auditioned boys for the choir. He was a regular at Feis Matiu where he took considerable pride in the success of his young singers in the various individual competitions. He was also very conscious of the social needs of the choirboys, consequently they were given ample time to socialise after practice by providing them with games such as table tennis and darts. The boys really looked forward to these simple pleasures after practice. The young boys also looked forward to their annual trip to Knockadoon in East Cork which was supervised by Ned Evans and some senior members of the choir.

A few months before his death it was obvious to those who knew Ned Evans that his illness was having a seriously debilitating effect on him. However he continued to perform his duties for the choir until shortly before he passed away in the Cork University Hospital on 31st March 1987. He died happy in the knowledge that his mentor Aloys Fleishman would have approved of  the way his protégé carried on the great tradition of sacred choral work which was synonymous with the Cathedral Choir for generations.