CHARLES H. WELCH
36
Occasionally we children anticipated modern `Jazz' by placing sheets of newspaper on the wires and creating a
tinny banjo effect!
Later in life I came to appreciate the three great `B's' of music, Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. Whether others
appreciated my attempts is a moot point!
Dr. Bullinger was no mean musician, one of his best known hymn tunes being set to the words `I am trusting
Thee Lord Jesus'. Though musical, he stood firmly against the so-called musical services. Whilst not posing as a
musician I am thankful that at a pinch I can step in and play either the organ or piano, and can also produce some
weird noises on both the violin and the `cello'.
My mother, like most of her class and day, had very little schooling, but it was manifest that she had an innate
love for both music and drawing. When first married and before any children claimed her care, she used to lean
over the bannisters on the top floor while the landlady's daughter had her music lesson below, and then, when the
teacher had left, my mother would use the same instruction book and go over the lesson as far as possible.
I can remember so well sitting on Sunday evening with my mother while we both attempted to draw the intricate
Greek fret pattern on the frosted glass shade of the parlour lamp. This reminds me of one effort at artistic expression
that did NOT receive parental approbation. My mother found me sitting on the pavement outside the house
endeavouring to emulate the `pavement artist', with his Mackerel, Sunsets, Dogs heads and some such appealing
slogan as: `One Shower of rain, my work is all in vain'.