Harvey Norton - Jack’s son writes - 

 

A special moment at my father’s funeral service in St Mary The Virgin West Malling in 1963 happened when Geoffrey Parsons and Erich Vietheer performed the beautiful and emotive Schubert song “Litannie” - “All souls rest in peace….”

Geoffrey Parsons was like a member of the family when he lived with us in West Malling whilst finding his feet having moved here from Australia in 1953. He became one of the world’s leading accompanists in just a few years and with his partner Erich Vietheer they gave my father the best gift possible for his ‘send off’ with this performance as Jack so loved to listen to the music of Schubert and other composers of ‘Lieder’.  Eric was soon to be 'Godfather' to our son John.  

 

Although I know that Geoffrey and Eric performed this song many times together in concert all over the world, I cannot find a recording of them to truly honour this memory. 

So, with much trepidation, I mark this special moment in my father’s funeral service with this song performed this time by the renowned musician Michael Dixon (piano) and myself - not renowned!

 

However, I can say that Geoffrey Parsons taught me to sing this song - Litannie - “All souls rest in peace” when I was at the Royal Academy of Music in 1959.