Every day throughout Advent we are pleased to offer you a little Advent treat or two. Today it’s the ancient plainchant “Advent Prose” from Carol P and Tom, and “God’s Phone Number”, read by Carol O: St Margaret’s Church Prestwich holds CCLI licences CCL 79250, MRL 775231 and 466111 for music streaming and One Licence … More Digital Advent Calendar 2025 day 01
This article was written for the November 2022 issue of our parish magazine. Sarah Quartel is a Canadian composer and educator, known for her fresh and exciting approach to choral music, and I was first introduced to her work in August 2021. I was at the Sing for Pleasure summer school for choral conductors, where … More I Remember (Sarah Quartel)
I enjoy my visits across the Pennines to visit Rev Debby, and on my summer visit this year, she introduced me to a beautiful picture book called “The Lost Words”. It’s an over-sized picture book by Robert Macfarland and Jackie Morris, and was written as a response to the removal of everyday nature words from … More Lost Words Blessing – Jim Molynexy & Kate Howard
This article first appeared in the September 2025 issue of our parish magazine. Here it is for you again: Many readers will know that I attend Sing for Pleasure (SfP) conductor training events regularly, and it was as an Advanced student at the 2025 summer school that I was introduced to a set of utterly … More Gran Miracol d’Amore – Maddalena Casulana (c.1544-c.1590)
This article was written for the August edition of our parish magazine: Church of England ordinations for priests and deacons are held at St Peter’s tide, the Sunday (and Saturday) nearest to St Peter’s Day on 29 June. St Peter was of course Jesus’ “rock” upon which the early church was founded, and he is … More Tu Es Petrus – Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
This is the first of a series of four motets written by Maurice Duruflé in 1960, based on motifs of Gregorian plainsong. The others are Tota Pulchra Es (see last month’s magazine), Tu es Petrus (Thou art Peter) and Tantum Ergo (Only Then). Ubi Caritas (where there is charity) is an antiphon for use on … More Ubi Caritas – Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
This article was written for the June 2025 issue of our parish magazine. This is the second of a series of four motets written by Maurice Duruflé in 1960, based on motifs of Gregorian plainsong. The others are Ubi Caritas (Wherever there is Charity), Tu es Petrus (Thou art Peter) and Tantum Ergo (Only Then). … More Tota Pulchra Es – Maurice Duruflé (1902-1986)
This article first appeared in the July 2022 issue of our parish magazine: At first glance, this may seem to be an odd choice for this month’s article. Taken from the musical Sweet Charity, the scene featuring this song is widely thought to be a pastiche on west-coast American hippie pseudo-religious cults of the mid-sixties. … More Rhythm of Life – Coleman & Fields
Each year, midway through the Easter season, we celebrate Jesus as the Good Shepherd. You’ll know when it’s Good Shepherd Sunday as the hymns all have a distinctly sheepy theme. There are a few “go to” anthems for that day too, including various settings of Psalm 23, as well as “He Shall Feed His Flock”. … More He Shall Feed His Flock – G F Handel (1685-1759)
This article first appeared in the May 2022 issues of our parish magazine. That’s a big jazz-hands gospel-style “A-men!” It’s not a refined English “ah-men”. This is a joyous song in the American gospel tradition. It encourages us to celebrate and give thanks for all the small blessings in life – a sunny day, the … More Sing Amen (Stuart Overington 2018)
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 