Primary Music Magazine
Issue 3.1 Spring 2019
Interview: The Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP Q. What is your first musical memory? We had a pianola at home. This is a piano in which you insert rolls of perforated paper that when you pump the pedals, plays the piano for you. One of these tunes I remember was Ivor Novello’s “And Her Mother Came Too.” I also remember singing “Hands together, softly so” at the end of every school day at Langtons Infant School in Hornchurch in Essex. Despite being more than 50 years ago, I’ve remembered the words and melody ever since. “Hands together, softly so, Little eyes shut tight; Father, just before we go, Hear our prayer tonight. “We are all thy children here, This is what we pray, Keep us when the dark is near, And through every day.” Q. What was your first experience of ‘formal’ music education? On the way home from school age 5, on a Friday afternoon I would have piano lessons. I enjoyed them but was relieved that the lessons finished in time for Crackerjack!, which as you know started at 5 minutes to 5. 4
