STIRRING EVENSONG IN A MINSTER OF GLASS.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 26, Issue 10, 1 October 1936, Page 7

STIRRING EVENSONG IN A MINSTER OF GLASS.

S.E.C.M. FESTIVAL AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.

On June 19th, the concert hall at the Crystal Palace was transformed into a minster of glass when the massed choirs of four thousand voices, under the direction of Dr. Sydney Nicholson, assembled for the third great festival arranged by the School of English Church Music. H.R.H. the Princess Royal was among those present, and the Archbishop of Canterbury gave the address. Robed m white surplices, the S.E.C.M. badge suspended on a ribbon round the neck, and wearing cassocks of black, blue, purple, or scarlet, the choirs presented a powerful array of far-flung propaganda and activity as they entered m procession. The number was four times as many as took part m the first festival at the Albert Hall, and yet is less than one-sixth of the total number of choristers who look to the S.E.C.M. for guidance and inspiration. It would seem likely that future festivals may have to take place m the open air. Units came from all parts of the country, and a number of clergy, one from the Russian Church, took part. The singing began with "Light's Abode" (tune ("Regent Square"), sung by two mighty processional choirs far away m the transepts, north responding to south; this was unaccompanied, and the singing was stirring and strikingly beautiful. Two noble and manly tunes among the newer music made a great appeal. They were Dr. H. G. Ley's free melody for "Fight the good fight," and Parry's "Rustington" m eightline metre for "Through the night of doubt and sorrow." The professors and eminent church musicians wearing academic gowns and hoods followed the choirs. Then came the Archbishop with clergy and servers, and, last of all, a few score of Boy Scouts bearing the banners and titles of numerous parishes. The singing ceased while a reply from H.M. the King to' a message of loyalty was read. Evensong began with choral Ver-

sides and Responses, and Psalms 8, 15 and 46 to Anglican chants and descants comfortably pointed from "The Parish Psalter." This first opportunity of hearing the mighty chorus m unision and descant was most exhilarating. Basses and tenors sang "like men," and the treble diapason was almost terrible m its intensity. By way of contrast, Plainchant was used, for the office hymn, "Father, most holy." The Canticles with doubled antiphons (and Paschal Alleluias) were sung to tones, with the f aux-bourdons specially written for the festival by Dr. Healey Willan. Five examples of present-day church music were included m the eight anthems sung before the sermon, and they were a worthy match for the three masterpieces which were taken from other periods, viz., Weelkes's "Hosanna," Purcell's "Thou knowest, Lord," and Maurice Greene's "O clap your hands." Such works as Dr. Alan Gray's "What are these" (words by Christina Rossetti), "O Thou the central Orb," by Dr. Charles Wood, Sir Edward Bairstow's "Let all mortal flesh," Dr. Vaughan Williams's' "My soul, praise the Lord," and "I will not leave you comfortless," by an American composer, Everett Titcomb, admirably sung, and accompanied most cleverly by Dr. Ernest Bullock at the organ, were comforting proof that church music of to-day is worthy of its high traditions. > The congregation assisted m singing the "Old Hundredth," and then the Archbishop adressed the people and choirs. He said: — "Once again, after a lapse of three years, m the name of the English Church, I welcome this great assembly of church choirs. They come from every part of the country, from twenty-seven cathedrals, sixteen public schools, from the churches m cities and towns and country villages, and from regions across the sea, to take part m rendering good music. To hear it is m itself a great privilege. In these days of discord and noise it is good to realise what a volume of good and beautiful sound can be. "But this service is much more than an impressive performance. First, it is an act of loyalty to the great tradition of music m the English Church. Certainly there is no Church m Christendom which has

a tradition so rich and so continuous. It has the music of the Middle Ages, it passes through the buoyant music of the Tudor period, that spring-time of English culture — through the seventeenth century, the days of Purcell and Gibbons. Music of the English Church has flowed on like a stream, .sometimes full, sometimes shallow, but never interrupted, a rich and glorious melody making glad the City of God. This service represents English Church music of more than five hundred years. We cannot help feeling thrilled when we remember that this is our trust, and to-night we give witness to our loyalty. "The aim of the S.E.C.M. is to spread a sense of the honour of that trust. Three years ago, eight hundred choirs were affiliated — they now number upwards of twelve hundred, and three hundred of them are m our Dominions overseas. Their task is to educate people to know what church music should be, to show that music, like architecture, can be simple yet noble, to aim at nothing but the best — believing that men will always admire the best when they hear it — to introduce and teach all that is worthy m new music. I beg the choirs to carry back the spirit of loyalty to a great tradition, and to maintain a high ambition to prove worthy of it. "The singing of our English boys for nearly thirteen hundred years has been continuous. Nowhere m the world has it been excelled or even rivalled. The boys should remember they have their own special place m this great tradition. Let them be proud of it. "Secondly, and chiefly, this service is a great act of worship of God, m which we offer our imperfect use of His great gift. Let choirs and people hold this worship m their hearts now, so that we may -humbly realise we are taking some part with angels and archangels, and all the company of heaven, as we rise with them to laud and (magnify God's glorious name." After two short prayers, the great choir rose and sang with renewed vigour, strength, and sweetness, Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus," and, as the Archbishop's procession left, rendered Gibbons' melodious "AngeVs Song 34" to Charles Wes-

ley's hymn, "Forth m Thy Name, O Lord, I go." The Princess was accorded a warm and heartfelt ovation on leaving the hall. Again, m its fundamental work at the College of St. Nicolas, Chislehurst, and by the testimony of this great festival, the S.E.C.M. indicates rapid advance towards the status of a high and central authority on church music — if, indeed, that position has not actually been attained already.