The Master Singers
| Company type | Vocal ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | John Horrex, George Pratt, Geoff Keating, Barry Montague |
| Defunct | 1967 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Key people | John Horrex, George Pratt, Geoff Keating, Barry Montague, Mike Warrington |
| Products | Humorous a cappella recordings of everyday texts in Anglican chant style |
The Master Singers were a British vocal ensemble active during the 1960s, composed of four educators known for their humorous a cappella renditions of everyday texts such as the radio weather bulletin and the Highway Code, all performed in the style of Anglican chant. Their singles "Highway Code" and "Weather Forecast," both produced by George Martin, achieved chart success in the UK in 1966.
History
John Horrex, a teacher at Abingdon School, originally developed the concept of setting the Highway Code to Anglican chant in the late 1950s. In 1963, to celebrate the school's 300th anniversary, Horrex along with three fellow teachers—George Pratt, Geoff Keating, and Barry Montague—recorded a private version of the Highway Code arranged in various musical styles. This recording eventually reached Fritz Spiegl, a broadcaster who facilitated its broadcast on BBC radio.
The group secured a contract with Parlophone Records and made their recording debut in late 1965 by collaborating with Peter Sellers on his rendition of the Beatles' "Help!", under George Martin’s production. They also produced Christmas carols alongside Cliff Richard; while some tracks were released, their version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" was considered too lengthy for publication. Geoff Keating later took on arranging carols for The King's Singers.
Released in April 1966 and produced by George Martin, "The Highway Code," arranged by Horrex and Keating, climbed to No. 25 on the UK singles chart. This piece features four Anglican chants composed by W. H. Havergal, E. J. Hopkins, William Felton, and J. T. Harris.
Building on this achievement, they put out "Telephone Directory" and "Weather Forecast," with the latter reaching No. 50 on the charts. However, "Telephone Directory" encountered copyright challenges due to General Post Office regulations restricting the use of personal names and numbers from the directory. The group also contributed two tracks to a charity record for Keele University and issued an EP containing two singles.
They made several television appearances before Barry Montague emigrated to Australia and was succeeded by Mike Warrington from Cheadle Hulme School. As members relocated for teaching roles—Horrex moved to Glasgow, Pratt to Keele, and Keating to Cheadle Hulme—the ensemble eventually dissolved.
Later life
John Horrex became Head of Physics at The Glasgow Academy in 1965 and played a significant role in Academy theatrical productions as a writer, producer, performer, and technical consultant. After sixteen years, he took up the position of Head of Physics at St Edmund’s School in Canterbury. He passed away on 18 March 2013.
Geoff Keating held the position of Director of Music at Millfield School for seventeen years and spent three years teaching at Sherborne School before retiring to Scotland. From 1997 until 2018, he conducted the Solway Sinfonia.
Barry Montague taught English at Brisbane Grammar School where he established The Grammar Singers, a joint choir with Girls' Grammar School. He spearheaded major choral performances including Bach's St John Passion and Faure's Requiem, frequently collaborating with organist Christopher Wrench. He retired in 2001 and currently lives near Brisbane.
George Pratt (1935–2017) served as Director of Music at Keele University from 1964 to 1985, overseeing the installation of an innovative organ in the University Chapel and contributing to the founding of the renowned Lindsay String Quartet. Subsequently, he was Professor of Music at Huddersfield University and authored The Dynamics of Harmony (1984). He retired to Exeter, where he died in 2017.
Mike Warrington advanced to become a head teacher in Oldham prior to his retirement.