As many of you already know, my professional commitments will be taking me to the south of England from September.
Although I will not be 'selling up' in Newcastle and I plan to return to the north east regularly, I do not feel it is fair on anyone for me to try to continue to run the Schola whilst spending the majority of my time in London.
I am very proud to have been involved in founding the Schola in 1993 and to have been its director for 15 years. I am enormously grateful to the many singers who have supported me over the years and for the wonderful opportunities I have had for 'bringing the Chant' to so many places in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle.
Brinkburn Priory has always been a special place for me and for the Schola. We sang at the very first Brinkburn Festival and we have sung at the annual Mass that has been held there for more than ten years now. This year's Mass on Saturday 20 September therefore seems to be an ideal occasion for my farewell as Director of the Schola.
For the future Dorothy Allen has kindly agreed to act as contact and co-ordinator for the Schola. Dorothy can be contacted by email (Missdallen@aol.com). The regular commitments for Sung Masses: first Sunday of the month at Longbenton and third Sunday of the month at Gateshead will continue.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Monday, May 5, 2008
Schola Plans
First Sunday of each month: Sung Mass at 6pm at St Peter and Paul Longbenton.
Third Sunday of each month: Sung Mass at 12 noon at St Joseph's Gateshead.
Details of occasional Masses can be obtained from Dorothy Allen (Missdallen@aol.com).
Third Sunday of each month: Sung Mass at 12 noon at St Joseph's Gateshead.
Details of occasional Masses can be obtained from Dorothy Allen (Missdallen@aol.com).
Mary Berry RIP
Mary Berry, the UK's leading authority on Gregorian Chant, has died at the age of 90.
Mary Berry studied at Cambridge University with Thurston Dart as well as going to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger. In 1970 she received her doctorate from Cambridge after submitting a thesis on the performance of Gregorian Chant in the late middle ages and the 16th century, and afterwards became a Fellow at Newnham College.
In 1975 she founded the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge for the study and performance of Gregorian chant. The Cantors of the Schola are a group of young, largely professional singers and have performed and recorded extensively under her direction, often working from primary sources. The Schola was one of the first ensembles to perform (and certainly the first to record) music from the Winchester troper after research by Mary Berry and others made the music accessible from the manuscripts.
She travelled widely to promote the teaching and singing of Gregorian chant, and organised and participated in many workshops and courses. She was a particularly keen advocate for the use of Gregorian chant in its proper liturgical context. Her two introductory books, Plainchant for everyone and Cantors: A collection of Gregorian chants, encourage people to learn the chant, and are often recommended to beginners in the field.
In 2000 she was awarded the Papal Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, and in the 2002 New Year Honours she was awarded the CBE.
I sang with her twice: once for the thousand anniversary celebration at Durham Cathedral and once at a Latin Mass Society weekend in Manchester. She was an excellent teacher, an inspiring conductor and a huge character.
Requiescat in pace.
Mary Berry studied at Cambridge University with Thurston Dart as well as going to Paris to study with Nadia Boulanger. In 1970 she received her doctorate from Cambridge after submitting a thesis on the performance of Gregorian Chant in the late middle ages and the 16th century, and afterwards became a Fellow at Newnham College.
In 1975 she founded the Schola Gregoriana of Cambridge for the study and performance of Gregorian chant. The Cantors of the Schola are a group of young, largely professional singers and have performed and recorded extensively under her direction, often working from primary sources. The Schola was one of the first ensembles to perform (and certainly the first to record) music from the Winchester troper after research by Mary Berry and others made the music accessible from the manuscripts.
She travelled widely to promote the teaching and singing of Gregorian chant, and organised and participated in many workshops and courses. She was a particularly keen advocate for the use of Gregorian chant in its proper liturgical context. Her two introductory books, Plainchant for everyone and Cantors: A collection of Gregorian chants, encourage people to learn the chant, and are often recommended to beginners in the field.
In 2000 she was awarded the Papal Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, and in the 2002 New Year Honours she was awarded the CBE.
I sang with her twice: once for the thousand anniversary celebration at Durham Cathedral and once at a Latin Mass Society weekend in Manchester. She was an excellent teacher, an inspiring conductor and a huge character.
Requiescat in pace.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Easter
Ater last year's 'quiet' Holy Week, this year was quite the opposite: I reckon I spent nine hours singing in four days!
Firstly it was wonderful to be able to sing the whole of Tenebrae on each day of the Triduum. Yes it takes a long time but the music is beautiful and the total effect quite mesmerising. Special thanks to Dorothy Allen for providing the impetus for this and to Fr Michael Brown for providing the venue (SS Peter and Paul Longbenton) and for his priestly presence.
Secondly I was delighted to be able to sing for the Good Friday Liturgy (Missal of Blessed John XXIII) at SS Peter and Paul Longbenton. There was a good turnout of singers and we sang a good portion of the Improperia and the Crux Fidelis. Such wonderful music: the mournful tone of the Improperia and the subtle change to the Crux Fidelis with its note of triumph of the Cross.
Finally we sang for a Sung Mass for Easter Day at St Joseph's Gateshead. Special thanks to the "Jarrow Men" (you know who you are!) for suggesting that we sing the Mass "Lux et Origo" and providing such abundant and refulgent tone. I thought the Regina Caeli might take the roof off.
This was the best Easter Triduum I have had on Tyneside for more than 15 years.
Firstly it was wonderful to be able to sing the whole of Tenebrae on each day of the Triduum. Yes it takes a long time but the music is beautiful and the total effect quite mesmerising. Special thanks to Dorothy Allen for providing the impetus for this and to Fr Michael Brown for providing the venue (SS Peter and Paul Longbenton) and for his priestly presence.
Secondly I was delighted to be able to sing for the Good Friday Liturgy (Missal of Blessed John XXIII) at SS Peter and Paul Longbenton. There was a good turnout of singers and we sang a good portion of the Improperia and the Crux Fidelis. Such wonderful music: the mournful tone of the Improperia and the subtle change to the Crux Fidelis with its note of triumph of the Cross.
Finally we sang for a Sung Mass for Easter Day at St Joseph's Gateshead. Special thanks to the "Jarrow Men" (you know who you are!) for suggesting that we sing the Mass "Lux et Origo" and providing such abundant and refulgent tone. I thought the Regina Caeli might take the roof off.
This was the best Easter Triduum I have had on Tyneside for more than 15 years.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Tenebrae
Tenebrae is the name used for the particular way of reciting the offices of Matins and Lauds during the Easter Triduum. The name comes from the Latin word for darkness because these offices traditionally were anticipated and sung the evening before, ending with all the lights extinguished.
The two offices are sung straight through, one after the other. The psalms are interwoven with responsories, meditations on the great themes of Holy Week. These responsories have been set to wonderful polyphonic settings, most notably by Victoria and Gesualdo, but the original chants are themselves very beautiful. In addition there are readings from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, sung to a haunting tone which may even date back to chants from the ancient Jewish temple, and extracts from the writings of St Augustine and St Paul.
After each of the fourteen psalms one candle is extinguished of fifteen that stand on a special stand called a hearse. During the Benedictus the six altar candles are also put out leaving just the one candle alight. After the Christus factus est is sung that candle is then removed from the hearse and hidden behind the altar. The choir bang their books, representing the chaos in on the earth deprived of the light of the world. The final candle reappears and Tenebrae ends.
It is exactly twenty years since I sang my first Tenebrae as part of the famous "Glover Holy Week" in Durham. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to be able to sing it again. I am pleased to see from the NLM blog that there is a growing revival of interest in Tenebrae. We do not seem to have set Tyneside on fire for it quite yet but at least we have made a start.
The two offices are sung straight through, one after the other. The psalms are interwoven with responsories, meditations on the great themes of Holy Week. These responsories have been set to wonderful polyphonic settings, most notably by Victoria and Gesualdo, but the original chants are themselves very beautiful. In addition there are readings from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, sung to a haunting tone which may even date back to chants from the ancient Jewish temple, and extracts from the writings of St Augustine and St Paul.
After each of the fourteen psalms one candle is extinguished of fifteen that stand on a special stand called a hearse. During the Benedictus the six altar candles are also put out leaving just the one candle alight. After the Christus factus est is sung that candle is then removed from the hearse and hidden behind the altar. The choir bang their books, representing the chaos in on the earth deprived of the light of the world. The final candle reappears and Tenebrae ends.
It is exactly twenty years since I sang my first Tenebrae as part of the famous "Glover Holy Week" in Durham. It is wonderful to have the opportunity to be able to sing it again. I am pleased to see from the NLM blog that there is a growing revival of interest in Tenebrae. We do not seem to have set Tyneside on fire for it quite yet but at least we have made a start.
Singing in Italy
I have recently returned from a pilgrimage to southern Italy, taking in Sicily, Naples and Rome.
After a night in Palermo, we set off driving through mountainous scenery with roads lined by citrous trees to the ancient city of Agrigento. Here we visited the Valley of the Temples, a series of remains or reconstructions of temples from the period when Sicily was occupied by the Greeks. Some of these temples were stunning. I was asked by our pilgrimage leader to provide a 'spiritual moment' and so on the steps on the best preserved of all the temples the "Concordia" I sang the Kyrie eleison from the Mass Orbis Factor.
The day we spent travelling from Naples to Rome proved to be one of the highlights of the trip as we visited Monte Cassino, a Benedictine Monastery founded by St Benedict himself. It is set high in the mountains and was badly damaged during fighting towards the end of World War II. Happily it has been almost completely and very beautifully restored. We arrived to find the place shrouded in mist, which produced great atmosphere. We had our prayer service in the chapel of St Benedict and St Scholastica, which is decorated with stunning mosaics. I sang the Salve Regina to the solemn Benedictine chant. I was pleased to note that the High Altar in the main basilica is arranged for the celebration of Mass ad orientem, complete with big six and crucifix.
The highlight of our first full day in Rome for me was a Mass for our group at St John Lateran. Fr Bruce Williams OP celebrated (ad orientem) in a chapel to the north east of the High Altar with beautiful wood carvings of saints. It was wonderful to have our own Mass in this great basilica, the Pope's cathedral. During communion I sang the antiphon Tu es Petrus, which I chose considering the venue, considering that we had seen the Pope that morning and that it was the feast of St Gregory the Great.
After a night in Palermo, we set off driving through mountainous scenery with roads lined by citrous trees to the ancient city of Agrigento. Here we visited the Valley of the Temples, a series of remains or reconstructions of temples from the period when Sicily was occupied by the Greeks. Some of these temples were stunning. I was asked by our pilgrimage leader to provide a 'spiritual moment' and so on the steps on the best preserved of all the temples the "Concordia" I sang the Kyrie eleison from the Mass Orbis Factor.
The day we spent travelling from Naples to Rome proved to be one of the highlights of the trip as we visited Monte Cassino, a Benedictine Monastery founded by St Benedict himself. It is set high in the mountains and was badly damaged during fighting towards the end of World War II. Happily it has been almost completely and very beautifully restored. We arrived to find the place shrouded in mist, which produced great atmosphere. We had our prayer service in the chapel of St Benedict and St Scholastica, which is decorated with stunning mosaics. I sang the Salve Regina to the solemn Benedictine chant. I was pleased to note that the High Altar in the main basilica is arranged for the celebration of Mass ad orientem, complete with big six and crucifix.
The highlight of our first full day in Rome for me was a Mass for our group at St John Lateran. Fr Bruce Williams OP celebrated (ad orientem) in a chapel to the north east of the High Altar with beautiful wood carvings of saints. It was wonderful to have our own Mass in this great basilica, the Pope's cathedral. During communion I sang the antiphon Tu es Petrus, which I chose considering the venue, considering that we had seen the Pope that morning and that it was the feast of St Gregory the Great.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
A Talk about Polyphony
I gave a talk at the Church of St Mary of the Rosary, Forest Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 26 February. The title was "More than One Voice - the Development of Polyphony in Liturgical Music 1300-1600".
I illustrated the talk with recordings of music by Machaut, Dufay, Josquin, Palestrina and Victoria and even included an extract from Pftizner's opera "Palestrina".
I illustrated the talk with recordings of music by Machaut, Dufay, Josquin, Palestrina and Victoria and even included an extract from Pftizner's opera "Palestrina".
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Sunday Mass at Longbenton
I am very happy that we now have a regular slot singing for the monthly Latin Mass (Missal of Blessed John XXIII) at the Church of SS Peter and Paul Longbenton. This Mass started in December and there were one or two teething problems (lack of a choir gallery; noisy heating v no heating) but they seem to be being ironed out.
The Church is a bit of a barn dating from the 1960s but it does still look like a Church and has a usable High Altar with a Tabernacle behind it. The acoustics are good for singing. There is an organ, which although electronic, has two manuals and pedals and both our organists are happy with it.
The attendance, whilst not large, has been steady and has included not only regular Latin Mass people but also people from the parish, which is very gratifying to see.
On Sunday (Quinquagesima) we sang the Mass "Orbis Factor" and the Rossini Propers apart from the Offertory, which I sang to the Chant from the Liber Usualis. Peter Locke played the organ, accompanying the Ordinary of the Mass and providing organ interludes.
The Church is a bit of a barn dating from the 1960s but it does still look like a Church and has a usable High Altar with a Tabernacle behind it. The acoustics are good for singing. There is an organ, which although electronic, has two manuals and pedals and both our organists are happy with it.
The attendance, whilst not large, has been steady and has included not only regular Latin Mass people but also people from the parish, which is very gratifying to see.
On Sunday (Quinquagesima) we sang the Mass "Orbis Factor" and the Rossini Propers apart from the Offertory, which I sang to the Chant from the Liber Usualis. Peter Locke played the organ, accompanying the Ordinary of the Mass and providing organ interludes.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Walter Webster RIP
I am very sorry to report the death this morning of Schola singer Walter Webster.
Walter and his wife Sheila were both popular and respected singers in Catholic choirs in the North of England. Walter had been for many years a leading tenor in the choir of St Mary's Sunderland (rated by some as the best mixed-voice choir in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle) and had also sung with the Rudgate Singers and the Latin Mass Choir at St Dominic's Priory.
In recent years Walter sang regularly with the Schola, making a valuable contribution with his wealth of experience and still strong tenor voice. He was a choir master's delight: reliable, musical and doing as requested!
His funeral (a Sung Requiem according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII) will take place at St Patrick's Ryhope at 10am on Thursday 7 February.
Requiescat in Pace.
Walter and his wife Sheila were both popular and respected singers in Catholic choirs in the North of England. Walter had been for many years a leading tenor in the choir of St Mary's Sunderland (rated by some as the best mixed-voice choir in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle) and had also sung with the Rudgate Singers and the Latin Mass Choir at St Dominic's Priory.
In recent years Walter sang regularly with the Schola, making a valuable contribution with his wealth of experience and still strong tenor voice. He was a choir master's delight: reliable, musical and doing as requested!
His funeral (a Sung Requiem according to the Missal of Blessed John XXIII) will take place at St Patrick's Ryhope at 10am on Thursday 7 February.
Requiescat in Pace.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Epiphany
This year we sang the Mass of the Epiphany at the Church of SS Peter and Paul, Longbenton.
The Introit and Alleluia were sung by the Schola to chants from the Liber Usualis. The remainder of the Proper of the Mass was sung by the Schola to chants arranged by Carlo Rossini.
The Ordinary of the Mass was sung antiphonally using Mass VIII and Credo III.
At the Offertory the Schola sang (in four parts - a capella) the Epiphany version of “Adeste fideles” which includes the verse:-
Stella duce, Magi Christum adorantes,
Aurum, thus, et myrrham dant munera.
Jesu infanti corda praebeamus.
(Lo, star-led chieftains, Magi Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold and myrrh.
We to the Christ child bring our hearts’ oblations.)
At the end of Mass all sang the hymn “As with Gladness Men of Old”.
After Mass we were all given a piece of blessed chalk to write the inscription 20CMB08 on or beside the front door of our homes in order to bless our homes and those who live there. The letters stand for Christus Mansionem Benedicat (May Christ bless this house) and also represent the initials of the names tradition ascribes to the Magi (Caspar Melchior and Balthazar).
The Introit and Alleluia were sung by the Schola to chants from the Liber Usualis. The remainder of the Proper of the Mass was sung by the Schola to chants arranged by Carlo Rossini.
The Ordinary of the Mass was sung antiphonally using Mass VIII and Credo III.
At the Offertory the Schola sang (in four parts - a capella) the Epiphany version of “Adeste fideles” which includes the verse:-
Stella duce, Magi Christum adorantes,
Aurum, thus, et myrrham dant munera.
Jesu infanti corda praebeamus.
(Lo, star-led chieftains, Magi Christ adoring,
Offer Him incense, gold and myrrh.
We to the Christ child bring our hearts’ oblations.)
At the end of Mass all sang the hymn “As with Gladness Men of Old”.
After Mass we were all given a piece of blessed chalk to write the inscription 20CMB08 on or beside the front door of our homes in order to bless our homes and those who live there. The letters stand for Christus Mansionem Benedicat (May Christ bless this house) and also represent the initials of the names tradition ascribes to the Magi (Caspar Melchior and Balthazar).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)