No . 131 The Trusty Servant how , having lasted so long , it came to an end on Winchester Day 2009 , I must quote my antecedent David Fellowes ( I , 63 – 67 ). He responded to his Goddard Legacy Society members as follows :
‘ I ’ m going to take you back to Domum Dinner 2004 , just a few months after my taking up office [ as Director ] at Win Coll . Having enjoyed a good dinner in College Hall , the leavers gathered in the Warden ’ s Garden to meet up with their “ pitch-up ” before going home . The band played and all seemed well until it struck up the opening bars to “ Domum ”… hardly a voice could be heard from the assembled company , with my own rendering being rather nervously feeble as I attempted to get something going around me – it was simply awful and actually rather embarrassing . The School Song appeared to have died a death .
‘ Fast forward to the new term and I made further enquiries ... it transpired that nobody really liked the old tune at all and thus no effort was made by the Music / singing dons to teach it . I started a semi ‘ notion ’ with the help of the new Head of Music , himself a notable singer , whereby the leavers were required to gather in Music School a few days before Domum Dinner with a view to learning the tune … and well-enough it was sung on the occasion itself , I suppose .
Bursar ’ s book entry ‘ Rogero Oads ... et portanti victualia ad Crawliy ’
However , the notion of the rehearsal rather fell away until I eventually came to discuss this unhappy situation with Ralph Townsend who wasted no time in inviting Malcolm Archer to compose a new tune , still using the old words .’
For my part , I am surprised that ‘ Domum ’ had fallen into disuse . In the ’ 70s , it was learnt early , perhaps in that now taboo enterprise , the Notions Exam , and sung regularly . I am sure you could have called for several verses to be sung from memory and most of the school would have been able to oblige . We became fond of the melody on offer through familiarity , but I have recently heard younger OWs describe ‘ Domum ’, as David encountered , as something that was learnt just before final departure and for singing only at Domum Dinner . What use is a school song if you only learn it for your last day at the school ? It should be learnt early and encouraged on every conceivable occasion : House Suppers ; Morning Hills ; School Namers ; Founders Obit ; Illuminā . Impromptu occasions will follow .
David concludes : ‘ I have to say that I like the new version a lot and am delighted that it should have found so much favour amongst the young OWs who will carry it forward long into the future . I am convinced that , were “ young Normand ” to organise a practice in Chapel one fine day for OWs of ALL ages , they would emerge duly converted , having enjoyed a ripping good sing-song .’
The Malcolm Archer melody , of which I was once scathing , has won me over . It will raise hairs on the back of your neck when you hear it sung by Chapel Choir . Young Normand cannot promise to fulfil David ’ s suggestion of a practice in Chapel , but I will promote this version at OW events that I host during my tenure ! And just so that there are no excuses for not knowing the tune , I am happy to present the readership with all three possible versions of ‘ Domum ’. Two have been recorded for this article , for which I must thank Ben Cunningham again along with various conspirators . Ben has made such a good job of ‘ Lillibulero ’ that I entreat you not to get too fond of it !
The words ; ‘ Domum ’ according to Reading ; ‘ Domum ’ according to Archer ; and even ‘ Domum ’ according to Purcell can be found on the Win Coll Soc website . This QR code will take you straight there :
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