From the Organist & Choirmaster

At this Sunday’s offering of Choral Evensong, the parish choir will sing Charles Villiers Stanford’s Evening Service in B-flat major. Composed in 1879 as a part of the complete set of canticles and ordinary for Morning Prayer, Holy Communion, and Evening Prayer, these stately and wonderfully Stanford-ian canticles beautifully interpret the undertones of Mary’s and Simeon’s songs of praise.

Stanford, a notable composer in the Anglican choral tradition, was serving as organist at Trinity College, Cambridge, and these canticles were the first of many settings of the Evening service the composer wrote, premiering on May 25, 1879, they mark a significant development in Stanford’s understanding of composition. Stanford was a very well-studied musician, having studied at Trinity College, Dublin and extended studies in Leipzig and Berlin. On reviewer of the complete services summarized “The service is a major milestone in the development of Anglican Church music, representing the harnessing of Brahmsian symphonic technique to the needs of the Anglican liturgy.” The work was published in 1902 by Novello and Stanford composed additional orchestral parts in 1903.

You will also hear Welsh composer William Mathias’ setting of Psalm 24, which describes the entry of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. This anthem is confident, perky, and distinctly Welsh and was composed in 1973 for the series Anthems for Choirs. It has an almost militaristic feeling, celebrating the coming of the King of Glory, making it a staple of Advent. The anthem was heard globally for the first time during the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana along with the equally thrilling Let the peoples praise thee, O God.

I hope you will make plans to join us for Choral Evensong this Sunday at 5:30 pm in the Nave!