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
Cappeau (1808-1877) and Adams (1803-1856), translated Dwight (1812-1893) This article first appeared in the December 2016 issue of our parish magazine. You can read it again here: Quite possibly my all time favourite Christmas carol, “O Holy Night” never fails to give me tingles down my spine. Although I had been aware of it for … More O Holy Night
Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, 1st Baronet, was an English composer, probably best known for stirring hymns and anthems such as “Jerusalem” and “I Was Glad” … More “There is a Country Far Beyond the Stars” Parry (1848-1918)
This article first appeared in the August 2016 issue of our parish magazine. you can read it again here: This is the most common English title for the 10th and last movement of the cantata “Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben”, BWV 147 (“Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life”), composed by Johann Sebastian … More Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring – J S Bach (1685-1750)
Known as the “Priestly Blessing” the text of this anthem is drawn from the Book of Numbers 6:24-26 … More The Lord Bless You and Keep You John Rutter (1945-present)
Running a music group of any kind requires a lot of planning, organisation, and inspiration. I constantly have an ear out for music that would suite our Sunday School Singers and Maggies Music Makers. … More Your Kingdom Come (P James & H Jessop)
On Sunday 10 March 2019 we launched our Year of Creation under the hashtag EcoChurch. It was a joyous service, featuring songs and poetry by our children and young people, a sermon by Rev Sue, and the presentation of our Bronze EcoChurch Award by Bishop David … More #EcoChurch
A quote often attributed to St Francis of Assisi is that we should endeavour to “Preach the gospel at all times…use words if you must”. I myself have found that quite often, words are superfluous to finding spiritual meaning in music … More Instrumental Music for Worship
As I have written previously, 2018 is a year of deep remembrance, being the centenary of the ending of the First World War … More A Flower Remembered (Rutter 1945-present)
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)
St Margaret's Church Prestwich 