Events, publications and releases
EVENTS
Choirs unite for Fauré’s Requiem on Remembrance Sunday
On November 11 church choirs from around Belfast will join the choir of St Anne’s Cathedral in singing Gabriel Fauré’s beautiful ‘Requiem’, as part of a service to commemorate Remembrance Sunday.
The choirs have been rehearsing the Requiem separately, and will have a joint rehearsal at 2pm on the day in advance of the service at 3:30pm.
Any other singers who know the Requiem and would like to take part are invited to contact David Stevens, the Master of the Choristers at St Anne’s: david@belfastcathedral.org.
CD launch – Choristers of St Patrick’s
A new CD by the choristers of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin is to be officially launched at a free concert in the cathedral on Friday 16 November 2012 at 6.00 p.m. St Patrick’s Cathedral choir has made many recording over the years. This latest recording entitled ‘In Dublin’s Fair City’ features just the choristers accompanied by harpist Dianne Marshall, guitarist Victoria Green and organists David Leigh and Harry Meehan. Many of the tracks chosen have special links with the cathedral; four of them were written or arranged by cathedral musicians, others have much older links including Handel’s ‘How beautiful are the feet’ from Messiah which was first performed by members of both St Patrick’s and Christ Church Cathedral choirs and of course, there is always the title track which should need no explanation whatsoever!
The Choristers will be performing a number of the tracks included on the recording live and will also then be joined by the Cathedral Consort with whom they will perform a wide variety of works not included on the recording, both sacred and secular.
Church Music Dublin –‘Refreshing Worship’
Church Music Dublin is going local by offering to resource clergy and organists/musicians in the local setting. A pilot meeting is planned for the West Glendalough Rural Deanery area in Timolin Parish Hall on Thursday November 15 at 8.00 pm. This will be a social gathering for local clergy and parish musicians and choir members and will include some liturgical input by the Archdeacon of Glendalough and music resources for Advent & Christmas by Jacqueline Mullen and Derek Verso. This is planned as a fun evening with some useful resources for parish worship. Timolin parish are hosting the event and providing refreshments.
Derry Advent Procession
The Advent Procession, a service of hymns, anthems, Scripture readings and prayers on the Advent theme of darkness to light, will be held by candlelight in the Cathedral on Advent Sunday, December 2, beginning at 7.30 pm.
Derry Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols
This traditional and popular service, which like the Advent Procession, attracts a very large congregation, will be held on Sunday 23 December at 1930 hours.
William Lauder Memorial Organ Recitals
A programme of organ recitals continued on Sunday 21 October 2012 n St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral, Armagh. The organist will be Revd Dr Peter Thompson, Succentor and Assistant Organist at the Cathedral, and Rector of the parishes of Castlecaulfield and Donaghmore.
Peter began his organ studies with Tim Allen at Derry Cathedral while Organ Scholar at Sligo Grammar School. He was awarded a double entrance scholarship to the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where he studied organ with Professor David Lee and piano with Professor Deirdre Doyle.
While reading Music and Theology at the Queen’s University of Belfast, he was the Harty-Brennan Organ Scholar at St Anne’s Cathedral and at the University, where he accompanied the University’s chamber choir, The Queen’s Consort, and played organ and continuo with the University Symphony Orchestra and choir. He is an Associate of the Royal Irish Academy of Music, a Fellow of the London College of Music, and holds the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Certificate in Church Music.
His recital programme opened with Johann Sebastian Bach’s ‘Fantasia & Fugue in G minor’, and include Mendelssohn’s Sonata in B flat, Howells’ ‘Siciliano for a High Ceremony’ and Stanford’s ‘St Patrick’s Breastplate’.
Beethoven hymn discovered
A professor at the University of Manchester has discovered a Beethoven arrangement for an old hymn.
His version of Pange Lingua was noticed by Professor Barry Cooper written inside a sketchbook.
It is believed to have been written by Beethoven around 1820, according to the BBC, but Prof Cooper was the first to recognise its significance as a previously unknown work by the composer.
“I was very surprised when I found this – I didn’t think he’d written anything like this,” Prof Cooper said.
He speculated that it may have been played at the 1820 ceremony in which Beethoven’s patron, Archduke Rudolph of Austria, became Archbishop of Olmutz.
It may have been overlooked until now because “it just looked like a series of notes”, he said, according to the BBC.
He added: “He never composed any functional music at all – the only liturgical music he wrote was for the two great masses.
“So to find him writing simple functional music for an ordinary church service is extraordinary.”
Big Christmas Sing
Christian Aid Ireland is encouraging churches to hold a Christian Aid Big Christmas Sing and raise voices to bring hope and healing to some of the world’s poorest communities. Join Christian Aid supporters throughout Britain and Ireland this December and raise funds by singing carols in the community, hymns at home or jingles at your job. Links for resources at:
http://www.christianaid.ie/getinvolved/christmas/big-christmas-sing/index.aspx
PUBLICATIONS
RSCM publishes new carols
New Christmas works from two of the UK’s most popular church music composers, Malcolm Archer and Margaret Rizza, feature in the Royal School of Church Music’s (RSCM) 2012 line up of published carols, which are available as separate choral leaflets. Carols from other composers in this year’s Christmas catalogue include Peter Aston, Patrick Gowers, Thomas Hewitt Jones, Grayston Ives, Peter Nardone and Richard Shephard.
These carols published by the RSCM are available for review in bona-fide publications.
Malcolm Archer: The Stable Carol
Margaret Rizza: Sweet dreams form a shade
Peter Aston: O my dear heart
Patrick Gowers: Chester Lullaby
Thomas Hewitt Jones: The babe in glory crowned
Grayston Ives: O remember Adam’s fall
Peter Nardone: The Lord at first did Adam make
Richard Shephard: Advent Carol
Malcolm Archer has set his own words in The Stable Carol which is scored for four-part choir, (with simple soprano division) and organ and is reflective in mood. This is the latest work from Malcolm Archer to be published by the RSCM; amongst his other Christmas fare is his carol sequence Nowell! Nowell! for upper voices.
Margaret Rizza’s new carol is a setting of words by William Blake. Sweet dreams form a shade is a cradle song from Songs of Innocence and contains a simple melody written for upper voices culminating in simple division in the final verse. The RSCM has already published music by Margaret Rizza, including the Mass of Saint Benedict (available in a version setting the text of the new translation of the Roman Missal), and a series of communion anthems in a collection called Blessed Bread.
Other carols in the RSCM’s Christmas collection range from O my dear heart by Peter Aston (also available in a version for two-part upper voices in the RSCM’s Carols for Life) to Chester Lullaby which is scored for an unaccompanied eight-part choir. Thomas Hewitt Jones’ lively The Babe in glory crowned was an instant hit with many church choirs when it was released last year.
Tim Ruffer, the RSCM’s Head of Publishing, says there’s plenty of choice. “The most effective carols are those which are simple, and there’s plenty here for choirs of all kinds to consider. These will work well in any Christmas carol service or concert.”
All carols published by the RSCM are available from RSCM Music Direct and may be ordered by telephone, email or online. Prices are from £2.10, and RSCM affiliated churches and members are entitled to generous discounts.
RSCM Music Direct
Tel: +44 (0)845 021 7726
Email: musicdirect@rscm.com
Online: www.rscm.com/shop
RELEASES
Bebo Norman reaches No 2 on iTunes Christian album chart
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/bebo.norman.reaches.no.2.on.itunes.christian.album.chart/30883.htm
Chris Tomlin working on new album
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/chris.tomlin.working.on.new.album/30856.htm
New album from The Royal Royal
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/new.album.from.the.royal.royal/30842.htm
New album from Hyland
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/new.album.from.hyland/30882.htm
Its goodbye from Barlowgirl
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/its.goodbye.from.barlowgirl/30887.htm
Two new bands signed to BEC Recordings
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/two.new.bands.signed.to.bec.recordings/30924.htm