Category: music

Thou Visitest the Earth

October 26, 2024

This article was first published in the September 2021 issue of our parish magazine.
About a year ago, in the autumn of 2020 we had endured a full national lockdown, a summer of somewhat eased restrictions, and were entering a time of less-than-clear tiered restrictions. If memory serves, that meant that worshippers could attend services in person, but had to remain seated throughout, keep a mask on at all times, and absolutely no singing whatsoever … More Thou Visitest the Earth

Sing4Stroke: World Stroke Day – 29 October 2024

October 15, 2024

Did you know singing is a powerful tool in stroke recovery for those who experience communication difficulties after a stroke? Because music and singing are processed in a different part of he brain to spoken language, some people with aphasia find that they can sing easily, even though speaking is hard. … More Sing4Stroke: World Stroke Day – 29 October 2024

Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)

October 8, 2024

Cohen steadfastly avoided giving explanations for his lyrics, instead allowing cover singers and audiences to find their own meaning in the poetry. He did however say that “many different hallelujahs exist”, and that “there is a religious hallelujah, but there are many other ones. When one looks at the world, there’s only one thing to say, and it’s hallelujah” … More Hallelujah – Leonard Cohen (1934-2016)

St Margaret’s Patronal Festival Medley (arr. Dalton & Porter, 2021)

September 24, 2024

Do you recall that up until Monday 19 July 2021, in accordance with England’s covid-19 restrictions at the time, congregational singing was prohibited, as was choral singing in groups larger than 6? This posed some challenges for planning a service with music as its focus! … More St Margaret’s Patronal Festival Medley (arr. Dalton & Porter, 2021)

Agnus Dei

September 10, 2024

The “Agnus Dei” is the last movement of any mass setting, and it means “Lamb of God”. Throughout the Old Testament, blood sacrifices are offered to please God, to praise him, to thank him, and to ask favour of him. Jesus put an end to that by offering himself as the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. He became the sacrificial lamb, submitting entirely to God’s will and dying a tortuous death on our behalf … More Agnus Dei

When is a ‘Performance’ not a ‘Performance’?

August 27, 2024

Regular readers will know how important music is to me, and much has been said about the importance of music in worship over recent weeks – in a weekly course, in our church services and in magazine articles. It has been all the more poignant for the long absence of music from our worship, and its reintroduction at the end of July … More When is a ‘Performance’ not a ‘Performance’?

Benedictus

August 13, 2024

“Benedictus” is a Latin word which translates literally to “blessed”. Very often in communion settings – indeed in the one we use at St Margaret’s – the Benedictus is bundled up with the “Sanctus” (see last month’s magazine), which is Latin for “holy”. Originally, they were separate paragraphs in the eucharist, and therefore treated separately by composers … More Benedictus

Sanctus – various

July 9, 2024

“Sanctus” is a Latin word which translates literally to “holy”. Very often in communion settings – indeed in the one we use at St Margaret’s – the Sanctus is bundled up with the “Benedictus”, which is Latin for “blessed”. Originally, they were separate paragraphs in the eucharist, and therefore treated separately by composers … More Sanctus – various