This article was written for the May issue of our parish magazine. Here it is for you again.
As Rev Christine pointed out in her May letter to the parish, this year, Ascension Day, Pentecost and Trinity all fall within May. It’s an extraordinarily busy time for musicians – with no space for respite after all the Easter services!
The choir’s busy-ness this year is heightened by our booking to sing in three BBC Radio 4 Daily Services. On the afternoon of Sunday 3 May we met in church with Bishop David, Rev Steve, Rev Sue, the BBC Daily Service Singers, producers, sound engineers, and Andrew Earis (Choir Master from St Martin-in-the-Field) to rehearse and record all three services, each containing at least three pieces of music, back-to-back. The themes will be Pentecost and Trinity, and the services were broadcast on 25 May, 29 May and 1 June. You can listen on catchup via BBC Sounds https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/schedules/bbc_radio_four_extra
It was with some trepidation then that I scheduled a new piece for our parish choir to learn, practice, rehearse and sing for Pentecost in church on 24 May!
John Rutter is approaching National Treasure status in the world of choral music, and has been a prolific composer of both sacred and secular choral pieces. “I Will Sing with the Spirit” is a joyful and uplifting anthem, with plenty of alleluias to celebrate Pentecost. The text is:
- I will sing with the spirit – Hallelujah!
- And I will sing with the understanding also – Hallelujah!
- I will sing with the spirit – Hallelujah!
The music begins with a soprano solo and builds in intensity as the altos join in, firstly in homophonic harmony, and then in canon. Towards then end though the alleluias become more thoughtful, decreasing in pitch, tempo and dynamic to fade away with a ripple chord on the piano. There are all the trademark Rutter key changes, with modulations from A major to A minor and back again.
You can hear the two 2017 Young Choristers of the Year singing this song here https://youtu.be/GC8UKuJFL9M?si=wG2u93QIVpb9zrxp Hopefully you’ll hear our parish choir sing it soon!
Carol P
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 