It has been said that if you want to give God a good laugh, tell him your five-year plan. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t have dreams, goals or plans. Just that we have no idea what’s around the corner, and we should be flexible and adapt to our changing circumstances … More Adam Lay Ybounden (Trad, arr. Warlock)
This article was written for the December 2017 issue of hte parish magazine. Composed by Paul Mealor, the text is taken from a 15th century anonymous German poem, translated into English by Catherine Winkworth in 1919. The poem was based on the prophecy of Isiah in 11.1: “And there shall come forth a rod out … More A Spotless Rose
It is three years since I took my first tentative steps into the wonderful world of choral conducting, and I have realised that choral conductors take many forms … More The Souls of the Righteous (Nares 1715-1783)
This article was written for the November 2017 edition of the parish magazine. A long time favourite, I was reminded of this hymn in May 2017 when I attended an Open Day at Trinity Laban Conservatoire with Jennifer. The last item on the schedule for prospective vocal applicants was a master class with mezzo soprano … More I Vow to Thee My Country words: Sir Cecil Spring Rice (1859-1918), music: Gustav Holst (1874-1934)
I was first introduced to the work of Will Todd in the summer of 2019 when the Manchester Chorale began rehearsing his “Mass in Blue” … More Like a Rainbow Shining – Will Todd (1970-present)
This article was written for the October 2017 edition of the parish magazine. According to Wikipedia, this is one of the most often performed hymns in the U.K. It even features in a shortened form as “All Good Gifts” in “Godspell”. We plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land, but it … More We Plough the Fields and Scatter
Love it or loathe it (and there are many who loathe it, mainly cellists), Pachelbel’s Canon in D is famous. Instantly recognisable, it is the processional piece of choice for countless weddings the world over … More Canon in D – Pachelbel (1653-1706)
This article was written for the September 2017 edition of the parish magazine. Published in 1911, Vaughan Williams set the words of Herbert’s poem The Call to music as one of a larger work, set of Five Mystical Songs. This song collection used four of Herbert’s poems, published in 1633 as “The Temple: Sacred Poems”. … More The Call – George Herbert (1593-1633)/Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Rev Deborah starts Peregrini Prayer each morning with a short story. It is always linked to the forthcoming bible reading and the theme for the day’s prayers … More He Ain’t Heavy
Lockdown restrictions mean that at present we cannot sing together in church. We can however sing – loud and proud – in our own homes! And it’ll take way more than a pesky global pandemic to stop us … More Lockdown Songs of Praise
