A marvellous ‘Appin-ing!

 

October 17th started out not looking a very auspicious day on which to visit a small rural church in Argyll, with cloud and drizzle accompanying us north. Had you been there, however, you would have seen a riot of colour at St Adamnan’s Episcopal Church, in Duror, in Appin country.

Local  congregations were represented, as well as members of the Community Choir, as we joined in the  Service of Choral Evensong. St Adamnan’s is one of a number of linked charges in this beautiful, historic part of the Highlands of Scotland between Ballachulish and Connell Bridge, and deserves our support.

It follows a wonderful event we had in March last year at the much larger St John’s, Ballachulish. St Adamnan’s is quite a different building, requiring quite a different tone and content. 

On arrival at the Church, we were ushered further on to Cuil Bay, where we ate our lunch in the lovely setting of one of the families, before heading up again to the church.

The Chancel area was packed with seats as the composite choir started the afternoon practice. The Community Choir was obviously well-rehearsed, the two choirs merged well, and we could concentrate on the finer points.

The enigmatic organ is probably the oldest in regular use in Scotland, and so it was a privilege to be there when it was played so skilfully by Kerr Jamieson. The organ is placed at the rear of the church, with the organist’s back to the front of the building, so some technical help (in the form of a miniature camera and monitor) had to be used so that conducting and playing were in synchronisation…..and it worked perfectly! With the 200 year anniversary of SS Wesley this year, both voluntaries were by him.

The Service was scheduled for 3.30 in the afternoon (not at 3.30 am as the Notice Board announced!) and people started arriving at 2.30, when we were still practising!

None of the music selected was long or complex, but depended on a strong harmony and all choir members listening to each other in the confined space. The skies were still very grey just before the Service, but we determined to process from the small Vestry (how did we ever get so many people in there?), round the church to come in from the front door. The sun actually blinked out as we provided the wonderful splash of red and white and purple in an otherwise green backdrop.

The introductory voluntary was Wesley’s ‘Andante in E Minor’, and the Introit was Helen Kennedy’s ‘Spirit of God, come dwell within me’, to the highly-appropriate tune ‘Leaving of Lismore’ (which is a beautiful island just along the coast).

‘Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven’ got the congregation off to a rousing start, and the Versicles and Responses were the traditional setting, which everyone knew. Psalm 149, and the Mag and Nunc used well-tried chants which all went ‘cleanly’.  ‘At even, ere the sun was set’, to the tune Angelus (what else?) allowed the organ to show its dynamic range, and after the Sermon, we sang one of Margaret Rizza’s pieces, ‘O Lord, my heart is not proud’.  After the Intercessions, as we sang ‘ The day Thou gavest’, I saw the last rays of what had been a rather watery sun, disappear. Our Vesper was ‘Go now in Love, go now in Peace’, which is a lovely piece by P.M.Liebergen, and is the kind of tune you whistle all the way home!

‘Chorale Song’, again by SS Wesley, completed the musical day…..but all was not finished!

The whole congregation were invited to the home of another lovely couple, where tables groaned under the weight of much home baking, and we all had a great chance to blether and reminisce about the day’s events.

For me, it proved three things:- it was a wonderful culmination of the work which everyone around had undertaken, over the last lot of months; how well that voices can blend after two hours of practice; and the power of music to evoke strong emotions in the human spirit.

All of these are alive in kicking in Appin, and I hope it is not long before we return to this area….as it is not far from where christianity came to our shores.

If you would like more information about  the Church, click the following link…. http://www.argyllandtheisles.org.uk/duror.html

People Look East!

 

Dunbar is one of the little bits of Lothian, probably not known too well by the West of Scotland folk, but it still has some charming and interesting shops.  However we were there to join the congregation of St Anne’s Episcopal Church in the service of Sung Evensong.  If you want to find out more about this lovely building  you will find some info on the following link…..

  http://www.stannesdunbar.org.uk/

The following was the music used:-

Introit:- ‘Calm Me Lord’ by Margaret Rizza

Versicles and Responses…J.H.M. First performance

Psalm 149

Magnificat:-   Knyvett

Nunc Dimittis:- M Baker

Anthem:- ‘Day by Day’….Martin How

Benediction:- ‘Go now in Love and Peace’….Patrick M Liebergen

Hymns:- ‘Lord for the Years’

                  ‘Father, Lord of all Creation’

                 ‘The Day Thou gavest’

A special thanks to the Organist, Diana Buchan who handled some difficult music very well!

…back to practices

 

The Cathedral ‘Songs of Praise’ event has come and gone and one still marvels at the breath-taking beauty of the land in which we live and the Cathedral in which we worship. Angelus is now back into practising for our next two events, one in Dunbar (with a Willis organ) and one in Duror (with an organ which is probably the oldest one in regular use in Scotland). After that, there is to be an event in a City centre church in the new year. In many ways all quite different and yet linked together in our love of the words and music of Evensong…..but more of these in later posts!

Practices have started and as is usual, music which seems impossible becomes easier, and (hopefully) ultimately enjoyable as the notes, words and parts all come together. The great unknown is the folk who will join us from the area for the afternoon practice before each event, but I am still astonished how quickly it all comes together.

Some new pieces will be involved and it is lovely to hear music sung for the first time…even if I have to face the criticism of those who find it is not as easy as I first hoped! 

Never mind, it’s great to get the tonsils moving again! ………and I mustn’t forget to oil the music stand!

In memory of Tom McCulla

 

Kedron and Angelus

 

We joined with the Kedron Singers on 6th June to remember the life of Tom McCulla, a faithful memberof both Choirs. It was held in St Matthew’s Church of the Nazarene, Gordon Street, Paisley, and took the form of a variation of  Evensong.

We  remembered especially his musical ability and so incorporated music which he had written, music he loved, and also some pieces which had been written by others in his memory.  

I had dedicated the Nunc Dimittis from my setting for Evensong, to his memory, and the last piece he sang with us was at Ballachulish, where the first performance of  ’I saw a new heaven and new earth’ was marred by a set of disdobedient organ stops! 

We  also  used a piece he wrote, and of which he was quite proud, called ‘Gentle Rain of God’ , and a setting of the 23rd Psalm by Kedron Choir Member John Brisbane in broad Scots, with some wonderful melodies!

It was quite an emotionally-charged event!

I hope Tom appreciated it all…..his family certainly did!

S.P.B.S

The world is full of initials now, but the one above should be well-known to (at least, some) Scottish Episcopalians.

The Scottish Prayer Book Society endeavours to encourage the retention of the more traditional Scottish Book of Common Prayer, and the 1970 liturgy, as part of the worship of all churches. Evensong is part of that and to me is one of the most wonderful expressions of praise, joy, wonderment, peace, reverence etc in the church’s complete literature. No wonder we love to sing it.

If you want more information about the Society, or find a church where the settings mentioned are still used, click on the link below.

http://www.scottish-prayer-book.co.uk/

St Aidan’s, Clarkston, yet again

Our third visit to St Aidan’s, Clarkston, was no less eventful than the previous two!

A Patronal Festival Evensong is pretty-well fixed in the church’s calendar, so if people are likely to be away elsewhere, then there is a problem. This happened this time with the organist, and several of the Church Choir members, and some of our members not being available on the due date.

The new Rector Rev Nicholas Taylor, had hardly  time to settle in before this festival, and Helen Raeside, the assistant organist had to get to grips with the music, some of which was new. Even problems with one of the radio mics seemed to conspire against us.

However, even with all that, it was a lovely service with  an excellent sermon from the Rector of a neighbouring Church. The usual eats and drinks before and after gave us a chance to socialise with many folk we had met before.

Music……..

• Introit:- ‘Except the Lord build the House’….(JHM)
• First Hymn:- ‘Saintly Aidan’
• Psalm:- 89, Chant E.J.Hopkins
• Magnificat:- Chant J.Turle
• Nunc Dimittis:- Chant H Baker
• Second Hymn:- Dear Lord and Father…to tune Repton
• Anthem:- ‘O, Lord, my heart is not proud’ …Music by Margaret Rizza
• Hymn:- Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour!
• Vesper:- ‘May the road rise to meet you’…music by J.Jerome Williams

Lismore Church of Scotland

 

SORRY, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE THIS SERVICE WILL NOT GO AHEAD AS PLANNED

Go and look in  your atlas, or investigate Google, or click  the link at the bottom if you want to find out about this wonderful haven of tranquility in Argyll. It is close to Port Appin (10 minute foot-ferry), or by large car-ferry from Oban.

It is a small island but boasts its own Cathedral dedicated to St Moluag. It was at one time the Cathedral of the Isles but the main part was burned-down at the Reformation, and whilst the outline can still be seen, only the Choir area is now used as Lismore Parish Church of Scotland.

By the nature of its history, Lismore Parish Church is a perfect setting for an ecumenical Service. At various times Roman Catholic, then Anglican, and now Church of Scotland.

It is here that we hope to have as the venue for an ecumenical service on 13th June 2010……so even if you are not coming over to join us, it is a wonderful area!

http://www.scotland-inverness.co.uk/lismore.htm

Ballachulish Colourful Choristers

We were very lucky to have Frank Conn with us when we went to join with some local choristers at St John’ for Evensong…as he is a very good photographer! The following two were taken on a miserable wet day, but still have a sparkle about them….. or maybe it is the rainbow colours of choir robes!!

On the Communion Table behind the choir were the Communion vessels allegedly used before the battle of Culloden.

A great sound in Argyll!

On Sunday we joined St. John’s Episcopal Church in Ballachulish, in Argyll, and all the Episcopal Churches in the West Highland Mission,to hold the service of Sung Evensong. You can’t miss the Church, in its glorious setting halfway between Glencoe and the Ballachulish Bridge.It has an ancient history and we were proud to be asked along. The graveyard is of great historical interest, and they have the Communion Cup and Plate reputedly used by the Jacobites just before Culloden. The building is in much need of restoration, but the beauty conceived by the architect still evident. You can find general information about them on the Diocesan website http://www.argyllandtheisles.org.uk/ballachulish.html .

They would welcome any contributions to their fabric fund, so if you would like to make a donation, you can contact them via  the Diocesan website as their current Restoration Appeal website is not operating just now.

Music Details:-

We were pleased to be supplemented by local choir members, and a total of 18 singers filled the choir stalls. This allowed us to have a rousing service of well-known hymns, the traditional sung responses, collects, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, and Psalm 119 (only a small part!). In addition we had an Introit and Anthem.

Introit:- ‘Collect 21′

Hymns:-

• Angel Voices, ever singing 
• Saviour Again to Thy Dear Name we Raise
• The Day Thou Gavest

Psalm: 119 vv 33-40 Double Chant ‘St John’s’

Anthem:- ‘I saw a new heaven’….a first performance. Some of the words of the Revelation of St John were the inspiration of this piece, and if you want some more information on it, you will find it under ‘To compose or not to compose’.

It was wonderful to see a goodly number in the pews who had come from as far as Fort William and Oban. It was evident that many knew the Office and the hymns off by heart and they had little need of the Order of Service.

We would like to thank all those involved in the arrangements, especially the Friends of St John’s, the Rev Donald Davidson, of Kinlochleven, who led the service, Elsa the Organist who had a lot of new, and difficult, music to practise and play on what proved a slightly-temperamental organ. Last but not least, the choristers who helped us raise the roof in this lovely old building!

To compose or not to compose?

With our up-coming visit to Ballachulish, we felt it would be nice to make something special out of our Service of Sung Evensong at St John’s. The building, the beautiful rural setting, the local history (gory as it is) …they all tell of a long-standing place of worship in this somewhat isolated (and perhaps a bit sad), community, close to the Vale of Weeping, Glencoe.

The choice of music for such a location and occasion must be determined by the wish of people to join in music they know, and the fact that evening hymns must be there. The Chants may or may not be known, the Responses should be known by a least some.

But to make it somewhat special, perhaps an anthem would be in order. So what should we do ?….pick an old favourite, do something extrovert with modern harmonies etc, or write and learn something original.

Scottish music has some rather unique features….the drone of the bagpipes, the scotch ‘snap’, the almost-plainchant simplicity of the melodic line of local music, and the obvious ‘sadness’ in much of the music, stemming from the nation’s history.

The name, St John’s, led me to thinking of some verses from Revelation about the ‘new heaven and earth’ replacing the ‘old heaven and earth’.

I used a mysterious organ introduction (with simulated bagpipe-drone) leading to a simple tune by the men, and a response from the ladies. A harmony of thirds gives the plainchant ‘feel’, small triplet figures simulate waves on the adjacent loch, and the climb to the high notes and descent indicate the soaring peaks of the area. Two part harmony only appears two thirds of the way through. A reprise of the early mysterious notes sweeps to the final phrases…’He shall wipe away each tear’, by the ladies, and then two- and four-part harmony take us to the final words of …’the former things have now passed away’. Instead of a gloriously-loud ending, the organ gives us a simple rendition of the original melody line……..

So there we have the dissection of this new piece. When it sees the light of day, I hope that it achieves the effects I wanted from it, but that has to be left to the listeners to decide. Let’s hope the Good Lord is forgiving of the paucity of the content, and the presence of all my errors!