I learned this contemporary setting of the Ave Maria in the autumn of 2016, ready for a tour to Belgium with the Manchester Chorale. We were due to sing it during a mass at a large church in Beveren, near to Antwerp. Written in Latin by a young Norwegian composer, the text is … More Second Eve – Ola Gjeilo (b. 1978)
When I was a child, I had piano lessons. I longed to be able to play Chopin and Mozart as beautifully as my grandmother could and was disappointed to find that there was an awful lot of practice of the basics, such as scales, before what I was doing would become a thing of beauty … More Relationship
The “Gloria”, or Greater Doxology is sung in churches every Sunday all over the world, unless of course it is either Lent or Advent. As you probably know, this hymn begins with the words that the angels sang to announce the birth of Christ to shepherds in Luke 2:14 … More Gloria
Since joining the Manchester Chorale in April 2016 I have been introduced to a wealth of new choral music, some sacred, some secular, and some – like “Stars” – that seems to build a bridge between the two … More Stars – Erik Esenvalds (b. 1977)
No, there’s not a typo in the title! – although that’s what the ladies of the choir thought when first introduced to this anthem a couple of years ago … More Wash Me Throughly
This sermon was given by Rev Deborah at the midnight service on Christmas Eve 2017. She was assisted by our organist Tom.
How many carol services have you been to this year? However many that may be you there is something about singing carols that is timeless. At the end of our own Carol Service, a week last Sunday, several people said to me ‘it is beginning to feel like Christmas now’ … More A Christmas Carol?
Back in my twenties, when asked to name my favourite composer, I often surprised people by answering Mark Knopfler. These days, I am equally likely to surprise people by naming Karl Jenkins … More The Armed Man: a mass for peace – Karl Jenkins (1944-present)
This song refers to Jesus as the “Spotless Rose”, and tells us that he will be born of Mary, descended from Jesse, and that she will be pure. Mary is the “tender root”, and the rosebud (Jesus) will blossom on a cold night in the middle of winter … More A Spotless Rose
There was no sermon at St Margaret’s on the morning of Sunday 24 December. Instead the Sunday School gave us a presentation of the Nativity story. Here is a snippet for you to enjoy again … More The Nativity
I still remember vividly the complete shock I experienced one December at school around five years ago. I had volunteered to organise and run the whole school assembly on the last afternoon of term, immediately before breaking up for the Christmas holidays … More Christmas Carols
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 