South African Heritage in Church Music

On the most recent Heritage Day, I had the privilege of attending a concert at which, amongst others, the very talented Jazz pianist. Melvin Peters performed. 

Heritage Day is a special day on the calendar in South Africa when we celebrate each other’s rich heritage. We are thankful for what our predecessors, which include our mothers and fathers and wider family, have endowed us with, but we also honour others not related to us who through their talents have enriched our lives.

Peters’ bright musical career took off when he studied for his Bachelor of Music under the famous jazz musician Darius Brubeck at the university where I did my undergrad and post-graduate degrees. I was very familiar with the concerts that the Music School of the University of KwaZulu- Natal held regularly, attending these whenever I could, because I was also an amateur musician playing the violin. 

The concert on this Heritage Day was held at one of Durban’s landmark buildings, the St Thomas Anglican church in Musgrave Road, whose history dates back to the 1860s when Allen Gardiner, a retired officer in the British navy, started missionary work in Natal. 

The church was built in 1928. It was a fitting venue for the rich variety of music presented. Apart from some well-known jazz items by the Melvin Peters quintet, such as Joy Comes in the Morning, there were also items by a combined choir comprised of members from the Durban region, and 20 others from the St Stephani Kantorei in Bremen, Germany, led by their talented conductor, and professor of music, Dr Tim Guenther. The co-operation between the German choir and the local one was the outcome of a cultural collaboration agreement between the city of Bremen and Durban. Last year, I had the privilege of singing in the choir that combined with the Bremen contingent, when Guenther conducted practices in preparation for this year’s concert. Due to some health issues, I could not take part this year.

The concert ended with Miriam Makeba’s song Pata Pata performed by the combined choir together with the Melvin Peters quintet and Nolwazi Blose as soloist, conducted by Guenther. What a treat.

After the concert my eye caught a book table outside the church. It was offering well known books at bargain prices. The book table was organized by StreetLit Books 4 Sale, an initiative of the Denis Hurley Centre to help homeless people earn some money. My eye caught a particular book about Nelson Mandela: Playing the Enemy by John Carlin. 

I asked how much it costs. “R100” was the reply. I looked in my purse and said: “I am sorry, I can’t get it. I don’t have enough money on me.” Not one to give up, the sales assistant asked: “How much do you have?”

“I only have R40,” I answered. She gave me the book and took my R40. 

The book expertly describes Mandela’s strategizing that paved the way for South Africa moving from a near horrendous blood bath in the 1990s to a stable democracy through a negotiated settlement engineered by the iconic Mandela. 

This is the country I live in – my beloved South Africa. What an amazing heritage – I am blessed to call it my own.