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13th April
2015
Former chorister returns for concert with her brilliant
new choir! Sat 23rd May 2015 |
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Article... |
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31st October
2014
An English Autumn Concert : 21st November 2014 |
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Article... |
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5th May
2014
David Arcus begins as Interim Director of Music! |
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Article... |
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17th February
2014
Mozart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
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Article... |
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Christmas has just
Begun!
26th December
2013
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Nine Lessons and Carols was sung in the candlelit,
festive and pious beauty of the Church and thoroughly
enjoyed by the congregation. All Saints first held a
service of Nine Lessons and Carols during the ministry
of Canon Trevor Lewis who had come to All Saints from
Truro. Wherever the service is heard and however it is
adapted, whether the music is provided by the choir or
congregation, the pattern and strength of the service
derives from the lessons and not the music. The centre
of the service is still found by those who “go in heart
and mind” and who consent to follow where the story
leads.
The proceeds from this year’s service were donated to
the Hope Centre, which supports up to one hundred
homeless and socially disadvantaged people every day.
The people using the centre need help for many reasons –
from alcohol and drug addictions, to family breakdowns
and mental health issues; most have been homeless at
some time in their lives. The Hope Centre also has a
programme of education, training and development. This
builds self-esteem and enables the centre’s clients to
take on responsibility, hopefully leading to community
volunteering and employment. All Saints Church is proud
to support this worthwhile charity.
The service began with organ music performed by our
Travis Organ Fellow including Balbastre, Bach, Mawby and
Vaughan Williams to name but a few. A perfect selection
of hymns and carols followed, the particular highlights
being the Robert Walker carol commissioned by All Saints
for this service in 2003 which sets the text of Gerard
Manly Hopkins’ poem Moonless darkness stands between
and carols featured on Christmas CDs recorded by All
Saints, including David Bednall Noe! Noe!, Gerald
Near’s arrangement of Tomorrow shall be my dancing
day and the late John Tavener’s The Lamb.
The order of service for Nine Lessons and Carols can be
downloaded here.
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Midnight
Mass on Christmas Eve was a wonderful service where the
girls’ and men’s choirs were joined by alumni and
instrumentalists to sing Richard Shephard’s Mass of
the Nativity and arrangements of the popular carols
O Holy Night and Still, Still, Still.
These last two carols will be recorded on the choir’s
next carol CD,
Be
Merry! The festivities were marked in a somewhat
unusual fashion when during the final procession to the
crib, the incense set off the Church |
smoke alarm!
On Christmas Day, the boys managed to contain their
excitement, and together with the men, sang
Charpentier’s Messe de Minuit, an arrangement of
I saw three ships (also to be featured on the
choir’s next recording) and the stunning title track of
the Choir’s most recent Christmas CD –
Carol of Joy by Dan Forrest.
This can be purchased here.
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Finally, our annual Christmas organ recital this
year featured three organists on three organs!
Our illustrious Director of Music, Lee Dunleavy,
performed on the Gallery Organ, our Travis Organ
Fellow, Hilary Punnett on the Lady Chapel Organ
and our Parish Priest, Father McConkey (a Yale
music graduate) the Chancel Organ. Like all our
Christmas services and events this was very well
attended, and the repertoire - which included
nods to our on-going Rage and Romance
series in Guilmant’s Final alla Schumann
and Liszt’s Die Hirten an der Krippe (In
dulci jubilo) – was very |
well
received.
The programme for the Christmas Organ recital
can be downloaded here. |
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