Choir and Music

CIRENCESTER PARISH CHURCH MUSIC – ANNUAL REPORT
It has been an interesting twelve months for music in the Parish Church, as it has been for so many other aspects of our church life. The commencement of the internal work in the building with all of the upheaval attendant upon it, and the temporary retirement of the pipe organ, has necessitated a good deal of careful thought and planning musically speaking. Yet it has also provided an invaluable opportunity to assess the role of music within our liturgy and has provided the choir members with new challenges to which, I am pleased and proud to say, they have responded with good grace, humour and tremendous positivity. There are many highlights which stand out for me, but principally I think of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols last December. Although the available space made this a squash, and the choir was unable to be front centre as they would be normally for this service, the sheer quality of the music that evening made it the best Nine Lessons in my time, I think.

My intention during this period was that whatever our circumstances might be on a week by week basis, the musical standards could not be allowed to suffer. Cirencester Parish Church is hugely privileged in having such a fine musical tradition but we live in a day and age where complacency about such matters is fatal. Choir members give tirelessly of their time and efforts throughout the year. It is not unreasonable that in return they like to be challenged and stimulated by a varied selection of quality music performed to a high standard for a congregation which appreciates it. Once a church falls into the trap of relegating this necessity to a position of secondary importance, even the longest established tradition of excellence can be lost almost in the blink of an eye. At a time when there was so much potential danger of this happening, I have been delighted by the continuing efforts of all involved to ensure that we protect and nurture what we have.

The Father Willis pipe organ has gone of course, but it will return soon in a new and thrilling guise ready to begin another century of existence at the heart of the church’s music. The slight delay in work beginning on site in the nave and south aisle of the church after Easter 2008 meant that although the temporary Makin digital organ was installed and usable, we were able to eke out a few more weeks of service from the Willis. It was interesting that two weeks after Easter, on what I was sure would be its last Sunday in use anyway, a pneumatic motor burst inside the instrument rendering one of the three manuals unusable. It was almost as if the organ itself were finally saying “enough!”

During early December, as the Harrison and Harrison team finally dismantled it after many months sitting there disconnected and unused, I was asked by a number of people whether I was sad to see it going. My reply was always an emphatic “no!”.  I arrived in Cirencester in July 2003 and in all of my time the instrument had been nursed along in a gradually deteriorating state. I know the quality of craftsmanship which a rebuild by Harrison and Harrison guarantees and I am sure that when the instrument returns, rebuilt and enlarged, everything will be proved worthwhile. We are spending a lot of money on it, and this will never sit easily with everyone, but at the end of the process we will have an instrument which will rival that of many cathedrals and will attract international interest. That instrument must then earn its keep. When its reputation begins to get people through our doors, and it will, over the long term it will repay the parish. You can all help with this. When there are concerts, come to them, even if you aren’t sure that they are your ‘thing’. Listen, ask questions and above all, when you go away again, talk to others and spread the word that musically Cirencester Parish Church is embarking on a thrilling new period of its life.

The digital organ provided by Makin Organs of Oldham has provided sterling service during this year. Really the preservation of our musical standards is due in very large part to having this superb instrument. It has bridged a gap beautifully, between the dilapidated pipe organ which retired last April and the magnificent new instrument which will begin assembly during the latter half of this year. We have been able to do far more with it than merely use it to accompany services, and the lunchtime concerts have attracted many favourable comments from people who loved having the facility which a mobile console has offered to make the player visible to the audience.

Last July the new choir C.D., Symphonie-Passion: Advent to Easter at Cirencester Parish Church was launched with great success. In one day we recouped almost all of the expenditure which we had laid out on its production and subsequent profits have gone towards music funds, which are always grateful for a boost. The disc is a cycle of choral and organ music for the church year and is warmly recommended to anyone who does not yet own a copy. It is available in church, from The Cornerstone, or feel free to contact me direct. The choral tracks were a combined effort by members of the Parish Church Choir, the Junior Choir and the St. John Singers, and we are very proud indeed of the results.

Mentioning this joint effort brings me to the issue of membership numbers and whilst I am pleased to report that the fall in membership numbers in the St. John Singers has stabilized somewhat in the last year, that choir is still in urgent need of new voices. Usually it meets to sing for the evening service on the second Sunday in each month with a rehearsal on the day and on the preceding Friday evening. This is only two meetings per month, so if anyone out there is interested in a small friendly choir where time commitment is low but commitment to musical quality high, give us a try. Our repertoire is not too demanding and we prefer to concentrate on doing simple things well than on over-reaching. Likewise the Junior Choir is always in need of more singers. We have too few members and we would love to have more so if you have a son or daughter who might be interested, don’t hesitate to get in touch. As surely as this last year has been momentous, so will the next be even more so. We need your support and your encouragement as much as ever.  In an atmosphere of mutual friendship, appreciation, support and consideration, Cirencester Parish Church’s musical future looks bright. Let us never forget however, that keeping it that way is a job for everyone.   
                            
Anthony Hammond – Director of Music

HOLY TRINITY MUSIC REPORT

HOLY TRINITY –DIRECTOR OF MUSIC REPORT
The Choir at  Holy  Trinity is about  the same as it was  this time last  year.
Probably the high-light last year was the presentation of "The Cross of Christ" which  we  sang  on Good  Friday  evening, which  attracted a  good  sized congregation, who had plenty of well-known Passiontide hymns to sing. The choir sang several anthems and our friend Mike Eddy played the organ for us so that I could concentrate on directing the choir. It went well, and we received plenty of good appreciative comments from the congregation.

Sadly we did not recruit any new singers during last year, but we still retain a very loyal group of singers every Sunday. I appreciate their loyalty and hard work very much.

The Music Group of Instrumentalists still leads the worship on the first Sunday of almost every month. I know that additional players would be very welcome. The group is only involved on the first Sunday of the month so is not such a commitment as the choir requires.

The congregational singing is always very enthusiastic at all services. We have introduced a new setting of the music for the Eucharist which is a bit more user-friendly than the music which has been used in recent years.

It would be useful to have a list of competent singers who might be prepared to sing at Weddings and occasional funerals. For obvious reasons it is never possible to give much notice of funerals, but weddings we get to know about with much more notice - usually! I have weddings in my diary for about two years hence!

I would also like to know of any hymns or anthems you would like to have included in our services. Although we use the RSCM guide to choosing hymns, anthems and organ voluntaries, there may be other pieces of music which you would like to sing or hear during the year. For guidance we use the RSCM's "Sunday by Sunday" booklet which enables us to plan up to three months ahead, but we can often include a request item at other times, so long as we are made aware of them up to three weeks in advance of when you will be in church to take part in them - this is so that the office staff can print details in the weekly pew-sheet.                  

Gordon Webb