The Choir

This account brings out a prominent feature that has been usually obscured by the emphasis placed upon mediaeval York. Such familiar Georgian features as the Mansion House, the Assembly Rooms, the Assize Courts, parts of Stonegate, and Micklegate, "one of the most beautiful Streets in Europe", acquire a new significance after their origin and history has been discovered. One may question, perhaps, the author's assertion that York exceeded Bath as a centre of true elegance and fashion.

Those of us who intend to see Mr. Burgess' Festival Play about the Railway King will be interested in what Mr. Rodgers says of the latter in his first chapter. This chapter, by the way, is marred by a misprint on page 86; the date given on page 88 for the beginning of the Mayoral year (9th November) is also inaccurate.

Mr. Rodgers declares that in York "everybody is steeped in centuries of old tradition and history. Nothing is dead in York. The past lives before our eyes, and everything, however old, which has survived, is serving some useful purpose." And at the end Mr. Rodgers demands that York must guard its heritage : "by sheer neglect and lack of interest a great deal of its treasures have fallen into a chronic state of disrepair". Not everyone will agree that most citizens of York are as apathetic towards the beauty and historical interest of the city as the author alleges; on the other hand, however, it must be recognised that it usually needs a smart reprimand such as Mr. Rodgers' to make people aware of their civic duties and responsibilities.

The Easter Term, though short, was particularly strenuous. Although the Choir was not called on to sing Epiphany Carols in the Minster—this year the Service took place before the School reassembled—the season of Lent culminating in Holy Week and Easter made great demands at a time when individuals in the Choir were being incapacitated by illness. Owing to illness the Choir Supper had to be cancelled.

The following Anthems were sung :O come ye servants—Tye. Let thy merciful ears—Weelkes. *Hide not thou thy face—Farrant. Save us 0 Lord—Bairstow. Jesu, joy of man's desiring—J. S. Bach.

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Drop, drop slow tears—O. Gibbons. Jesu, grant me this I pray—Gibbons—Bairstow. * Also sung at the Music Society Concert.

On Easter Day the Carol "This joyful Eastertide" took the place of the Anthem and at the close of the Service the Choir was joined by the congregation in singing "The Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah. * * *

A propos our notes in the last number of "The Peterite", the following letter has been received from an O.P. We apologise for the mis-statement and gladly print this correction.

The Editor, The Peterite, St. Peter's School, York. 20 Landsdowne Road,

London, W.11. 6th March, 1951.

Sir,

I notice in the February edition of "The Peterite" you state that the anthem "God be in my Head", by Walford Davies, was performed for the first time in Chapel in the Christmas term which has just passed. This is not correct as it was sung by the School Choir in the Chapel on the occasion of the marriage of Miss E. C. M. Toyne and Captain E. P. Sewell, as I believe he then was, when I myself had the pleasure of being a member of the choir. Yours faithfully, NOEL COLBECK.

THE ST. MATTHEW PASSION (Good Friday, 1951)

It was a very remarkable feat, in the realm of technical performance, for the School to sing an excerpt, lasting in all for one hour and a quarter, from Bach's St. Matthew Passion. Inevitably the full score was somewhat drastically cut; but the cutting was so done as to leave the main features of the story of Our Blessed Lord's Passion clear and distinct. The loss of practically all the Arias was sad, but it was inevitable. Again to select and train a double Chorus, and in addition the Ripieno of some 70 Juniors in the opening chorus, and to balance them all so satisfactorily, must have involved a tremendous amount 31

of work. Bach's music has considerable and somewhat peculiar difficulties, and it is not surprising that the Choral Society had to begin practising almost at the start of the 'Christmas term.

But technical skill is not enough; nor indeed for such an important occasion as Good Friday is it even the most vital consideration. It was essential that all concerned caught the devotional spirit of this masterly musical meditation on the Passion. To some of us Bach's genius reaches its highest point of expression in the St. Matthew Passion; and what was so impressive on Good Friday was that the music was clearly "felt" by Choirs and Soloists alike. The interpretation therefore did throw new light on the story of the Crucifixion of Christ. Particularly noticeable, and very rare in performances of the Passion music, was the singing of the Chorales by the whole School. No doubt Bach meant these glorious hymn tunes to be congregationally sung : and the effect, due to constant but not excessive rehearsal, was most striking. Surely the School learned not only to sing but to love these magnificent Chorales.

The main burden, outside the Choral singing, falls on the Evangelist, and we were very lucky to have George Palmer to undertake this exacting role. Palmer's voice is not powerful, but it was entirely adequate for the School Chapel; and the pureness of his tone, the excellence of his phrasing, and the insight of his interpretation left little to be desired. Philip Mason sang the part of Jesus with admirable taste. He never made the mistake of forcing his voice, which has not yet reached its full maturity, and he sang with real feeling. The other soloists—Judas, Peter, Pilate, Pilate's wife and the Maid—were sung by members of the School : and while all did their part admirably, special mention must be made of J. T. Ankers' singing of the part of Peter.

Allan Wicks, at the Organ, and Alice Knight (Continuo) cooperated with each other and with the Choir and Soloists with complete and musicianly skill.

If we had to pick out the high lights in a performance which was excellent throughout, we should choose the first Chorus "Come ye daughters, share my mourning" : the final Chorus "In tears of grief, dear Lord, we leave thee" : and the dramatic moment when in answer to Pilate's enquiry "Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?" the crowd (both Choruses) answer "Barabbas !" We knew it was coming, and even so the effect was simply tremendous.

Finally let this tribute be paid to all, and especially to the Conductor on whose musicianship and appreciation so much depended. The singing of the Passion was a worthy Act of Worship to Almighty God in commemoration of Christ's victory on Calvary. Had the singing failed there, all else would have been in vain.

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