Sunday 6th January 2019 Epiphany

It Came Upon The Midnight Clear   Richard Stores-Willis  Arr. Barry Rose   Edmund H Sears

Edmund Sears (1810 - 1876) was a pastor of the Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts.  He wrote the poem in 1849, published in The Christian Register on 29th December 1849.

Edmund Sear from Wikipedia

The poem is usually sung to Arthur Sullivan's "Noel", adapted from an English melody in 1874, but the choir sang the American tune "Carol" written by Richard Stores-Willis (1819-1900) written in 1850.

Richard Stores-Willis

Barry Rose (Born 1934) was late to music, giving up a career in insurance to study organ at The Royal Academy of Music in London. Still studying he was the first appointed organist and choirmaster of Guildford Cathedral when it opening in 1961. He then moved to St Paul's Cathedral.

23rd December 2018 Village Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols

Benedicamus Domino        Peter Warlock (1894-1930)    Sloane MS 2593 15th Century

This is used in the Latin Catholic mass at the end of services which do not use the Gloria (Lent and Advent, Septuagesima and Passiontide. It translates as Let us Bless the Lord. It was apparently unknown in Rome before 1000AD, and may be Gallician in origin.

Peter Warlock is a pseudonym for Philip Arnold Heseltine. The name Warlock is used in all of his published works and also reflects his interest in the occult. He is best known for his song writing and other vocal music.  He was also a music critic.

Whilst at Eton he met Delius and began a long friendship.  Failing at academe, he started work as a music journalist and was very interested in folk song and Elizabethan music. His first serious compositions are from around 1915 and after a stay in Ireland studying Celtic culture and language he returned to England in 1918 and began serious composition. His major work was done in the 1920s developing his own style. He is thought to have killed himself by coal gas poisoning in 1930 due to depression fearing a loss of creative inspiration.

Peter Warlock from Wikipedia

No Small Wonder   Paul Edwards (1955-)   Paul Wigmore

Paul Christison Edwards is an English composer of Anglican music.  He was educated at St Paul's Choir School and Bedford Modern School. He spent 4 1/2 years as a chorister at St Paul's and also spent a similar time as a lay clerk in Peterborough Cathedral. He has made numerous recordings of organ music on historic organs of Bedford.  His carol No Small Wonder was written in 1983.  He has written many choral work and organ music.

Paul Wigmore (1925 - 2014) started his career as a copywriter of 40 years standing before branching into hymn lyrics after being waylaid by his choir master. He wrote for school and church choirs but also church congregations.

Paul Wigmore from his website.

The Angel Gabriel From Heaven Came. Sabine Baring-Gould  Basque traditional arr. Edgar Pettman.

This is a Basque Christmas folk carol based on the annunciation of the Virgin Mary by Archangel Gabriel.  It was collected by Charles Bordes (1863 -1909) a french music teacher and composer and paraphrased into English by Sabine Baring-Gould (1834-1924) an Anglican priest and collector of folk songs. It is commonly sung to an arrangement by Edgar Pettman (1866-1943) English organist, choral conductor and music editor.

In Dulci Jubilo   German 15th Century Arranged by Robert Pearsall (1795-1856) for 8 soloists and chorus with today's version arranged for four voices by W J Westbrook.

Translated means In Sweet Rejoicing and is thought to have been written by the German mystic Heinrich Seuse in 1328. Folklore says that Seuse heard angels singing In Dulci Jubilo and joined them in dancing in worship.

Robert Pearsall is best known for his arrangement of In Dulci Jubilo.  He was born in Bristol into a Quaker family. He was an amateur composer with most of his works published after his death although many still remain in manuscript.

Taken from our music:

The original melody employed, as a Cantus firmus, in the following compositon, is to be found in an old German book published in the year 1570, - which from its title and contents appears to have contained the ritual of the Protestant Congregations of Zweibrueken and Neuburg. Even there it is called "A very ancient song (uraltes Lied) for Christmas eve;" so there can be no doubt that it is one of those old Roman Catholic melodies that Luther, on account of their beauty, retained in the Protestant Service. It was formerly sung in the processions that took place on Christmas-eve, and is so still in those remote parts of Germany where people yet retain old customs. The words are rather remarkable, being written half in Latin and half in the upper German dialect.  I have translated them to fit the music, and endeavoured to preserve, as much as I could, the simplicity of the original. Of the melody there can be but one opinion; namely that which in spite of religious animosity, secured it the approbation of the Protestant reformers, and that of the German people during many centuries. The music in the following passages was written for the Choral Society at Carlaruhe, and was performed there in the Autumn of 1834. The original melody is distinguished by being expressed in notes of rather a larger character then those for which I am personally answerable.  

Willsbridge, Gloucestershire, 31st January 1837. R.L.P.

Robert Pearsall from Wikipedia

Torches  John Joubert (1927- ) From the Galacician

John Joubert is a British composer of South African descent. He was born in Cape Town and educated at Diocesan College, Rondesbosch, founded by the Anglican Church. He started as a painter, but by 15 years of age had moved to music although not as a performer.  In 1950 he was appointed Lecturer in Music at the University of Hull the same year as graduating from Durham with a Bachelor of Music. Torches was written in 1951 for his wife's pupils and was published 10 years later in Carols for Choirs Vol 1. He moved to Moseley in Birmingham to take up a senior lectureship in 1962, retiring in 1986.

John Joubert from Wikipedia

Lully, Lulla, Thou Little Tiny Child  Kenneth Leigton (1929-1988)

Also known as The Coventry Carol, this is possibly the earliest English carol, written for the Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors of Coventry.  There are references to it from 1392 and a text of 1534. It is the lament of the mothers of the Holy Innocents, the children killed on the orders of King Herod.

Kenneth Leighton was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire. His parents recognised his musical talents and enrolled him in the choir school at Wakefield Cathedral. He was a pianist of precocious talent. He gained a place at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in 1940 and whilst there gained his LRAM in piano performance. He studied Classics at Oxford after gaining a state scholarship. He simultaneously studied for a degree in Music. Gerald Finzi became an early supporter and friend and introduced him to  Vaughan Willimas.  His setting of The Coventry Carol remains one of his popular pieces.

Kenneth Leighton from Wikipedia

The Echo Carol   Alfred Whitehead (1887-1974)

Alfred Whitehead was born in Peterborough and received his earliest musical education at the cathedral in Peterborough.  He studied organ at the Royal School of Music in London. In 1912 he emigrated to Canada and became the first person to obtain the Fellowship of the Royal Canadian College of Organists.  The Echo Carol is based on a traditional French carol. Alfred whitehead is considered in Canada to be their Rutter.

Sunday 16th December 2018 Advent 3

"This is the record of John" Orlando Gibbons (1583-1625)

This is typical anthem of its time.  It is based on text from the Gospel of John (1:19 -23) and refers to John the Baptist.  It is divided into 3 sections each starting with solo countertenor followed by SATB chorus echoing the words of the soloist. Although usually performed on organ or viol, today Joanna Chivers (our Director of Music) played an electric piano on "harpsichord" mode which added an "early music" feel to the piece.

The anthem was written at the request of William Laud, president of St John's College, Oxford.

Gibbons sang in he choir of Kings College Cambridge between 1598 and 1598, where his eldest brother was master of the choristers. He gained his Bachelor of Music in 1606. King James 1 appointed him a Gentleman of the Chapel Royal, and he was organist there from around 1615 until his death, being senior organist from 1623. He was also a keyboard player in the privy chamber of Prince Charles (later Charles 1) and organist at Westminster Abbey. He died suddenly at the age of 41.

From Wikipedia

He wrote a large number of pieces for keyboard, madrigals and many verse anthems of which "This is the record of John" is one.

Jubilate Deo in B flat  Charles Villiers Stanford

Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) thought to be one of our great British composers was actually Irish, born in Dublin, although educated at The University of Cambridge and then studied music in Leipzig and Berlin.

Whilst an undergraduate, he was appointed organist of Trinity College, Cambridge and was one of the founding professors of the Royal College of Music, where he taught composition for the rest of his life.  He was also Professor of Music at Cambridge.  His pupils included Gustav Holst and Ralph Vaughan Williams whose fame went on to surpass his own.

He is best remembered for his sacred choral compositions for church performance in the Anglican tradition. Along with Hubert Parry and Alexander Mackenzie, he was thought responsible for the renaissance of music in the British Isles.

Taken from the Novello Copy:
Sir Charles Villiers Stanford has a perverse relationship with posterity.  Remembered today largely for his choral miniatures, this restless symphonist was the unwilling Janus of British music. A significant presence on the European scene in his own lifetime, he was an outspoken critic of Wagner, Strauss and modernism in general. Nevertheless, as a formalist with flair and skill, his influence catalysed much of the great English Music of the 20th century.  As fellow composer George Dyson said: "In a certain sense the very rebellion he fought was the most obvious fruit of his methods". The Jubilate in B flat displays the composer's trademark of thematic structures.

From Wikipedia

9th December 2018 Advent 2

How Beautiful Upon the Mountains   from "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion"
John Stainer 1840-1901 Words Isaiah 52 v. 7

Stainer was born in Southwark, London, the son of a cabinet maker. He was a chorister at  St Paul's Cathedral at the age of 10 and at 16, appointed organist at St Michael's College, Tenbury.  In 1960, he became organist at Magdalen College, Oxford. He was allowed to study for a degree so long as it did not interfere with his duties and in 1864 gained his BA, and 2 years later his MA.  He was eventually an examiner for Oxford music degrees.

In 1872 he was appointed organist at St Paul's cathedral, in 1877 an honorary fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, and an examiner for the Doctor of Music degrees for Cambridge and London Universities.  He received his knighthood from Queen Victoria in 1888.

John Stainer (Wikimedia Commons)

2nd December 2018 Advent 1

O Thou The Central Orb  Charles Wood

This is one of Wood's many fine anthems. It is suitable for Advent.


Charles Wood (1866-1926) was born in Ireland. He was a treble chorister in the nearby St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh. He received his early education in the cathedral choir school and also studied the organ under Robert Turle and Dr Thomas Marks. In 1883, he was one of the inaugural students of the Royal College of Music, studying composition under Charles Villiers Stanford and CHH Parry. After four years he continued his studies at Selwyn College, Cambridge. In 1889 he was appointed as organ scholar in Gonville and Caius college, Cambridge, becoming a fellow in 1994 and Director of Music and organist. Following the death of Stanford in 1924 Wood took over the role of Professor of Music in Cambridge.

He is remembered for his Anglican Church music.

From Wikipedia

25th November 2018 Christ The King

Above All Praise And Majesty   Felix Mendelssohn (1809 - 1847)

Above All Praise And Majesty is a joyful,majestic piece suitable for Christ The King, Ascension and Easter.

Felix Mendelssohn is a German born composer, organist, conductor and pianist. He was a grandson of the philosopher, Moses Mendelssohn and so born into a prominent Jewish family.  However he was brought up without religion until the age of seven when he was baptised as a Reformed Christian. he was recognised early as a musical prodigy, but his family did not seek to capitalise on his talent. Mendelssohn revived interest in the music of J S Bach. He had quite conservative tastes in his composition which set him apart from his contemporaries, such as Liszt, Wagner and Berlioz. He founded the Leipzig Conservatoire.

From Wikipedia

11th November 2018 Remembrance Sunday

My Soul, There is a Country,  from Songs of Farewell by C H H Parry

This is the first of Parry's "Songs of Farewell" written about the needless suffering in war. It changes tempo from slow and somber to a more lilting, uplifting, dance like quality, back and forth during the piece. The choir sang it accompanied by our Director and conducted by James Roriston.

C H H Parry was born in Bournemouth in 1848 into a rich family and was educated at Eton where he also gained his music degree.  He went to study further at Oxford.  His music influenced other great English composers such as Elgar and Vaughan Williams.  He wrote his best music in his later years and this include his Songs of Farewell.  He died in Rustington in 1918, just before the end of the Great War.

Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry
From Wikipedia