Sunday
Services
Service
of Matins
Weddings
Baptisms
(Christenings)
Choral
Evensong
| ©2018 St. Blasius Old Parish Church, Shanklin
Choral Evensong
What
a
delight
and
privilege
it
was
to
sing
a
proper
Choral
Evensong
in
our
ancient
and
lovely
church!
Especially
wonderful
was
the
fact
that
all
the
singers
and
the
organist
are
our
own
church
members.
Soloists,
cantor,
ensemble
-
what
a talented bunch - we are very lucky indeed.
Evensong
as
a
service
was
formed
from
the
ancient
monastic
Office
of
Vespers
and
Compline,
and
we
used
the
order
of
service
from
the
Book
of
Common
Prayer
1662.
The
service
offers
the
chance
to
reflect
on
the
work
of
the
day
and
look
forward
to
the
rest
of
the
night
to
come.
It
is
a
service
of
thanksgiving
and
praise, petitions and prayers. The hymns were chosen to reflect this.
We
tried
to
include
beautiful
music
from
all
periods.
The
introit
anthem
by
Gibbons
(d.
1625)
was
given
a
modern
slant
by
David
Blackford,
a
modern
composer,
who
still
respected
the
style
of
the
original.
The
anthem
proper,
"sung
in
places
where
they
have
quires",
was
also
by
a
modern
composer,
Peter
Hurford
The
main
canticles,
the
Magnificat
and
Nunc
Dimittis,
were
written
by
Thomas
Attwood
Walmisley,
(d.1856).
Walmisley,
appointed
Professor
of
Music
at
Cambridge
at
the
tender
age
of
22,
was
a
superb
organist,
choir
trainer
and
composer.
He
sadly
suffered
badly
from
depression,
and
the
world
of
church
music
reputedly
owes
a
great
debt
to
his
friend,
who
rescued
his
"Evening
Service
in
D"
from
the
waste
paper
basket
where
Walmisley
had
"filed"
it.
He
died
4
months later at the age of 42.
We
used
the
setting
of
the
Preces
(petitions)
and
Responses
by
composer
William
Smith
(d.
1645),
a
chorister,
minor
canon
and
Precentor
of
Durham
Cathedral.
He
was
much
influenced
by
Gibbons,
and
gives
away
his
Northern
roots
by
giving
the
word
"spirit"
two
syllables
and
notes.
This
is
unusual as other composers of the period from London and the south usually only allow one "sprit"
We
are
very
lucky
to
have
an
organist
of
Lawrence's
calibre,
and
it
was
so
atmospheric
to
begin
the
service
with
Parry's
prelude
"Eventide",
better
known
as
"Abide
with
me".
We
ended
in
very
dramatic
fashion
with
Olivier
Messaien's
"The
Children
of
God".
This
was
very
difficult
music,
requiring
great
expertise
and
long
fingers!
Well
done,
Lawrence.
Thanks
must
also
go
to
Erles,
who
has
practised patiently with us for weeks now, suffering some very unmusical sounds on the way. His ears have been much offended!
Thank
you
to
the
PCC
and
Tony
for
allowing
us
to
do
this
service,
to
Annette
for
printing
the
booklets,
to
Ces
for
the
lovely
posters,
to
Jo
for
refreshments
and
Brian
for
reading
and
anyone
who
helped
in
any
way,
including
attending!
It
was
hard
work
but
we
hope
you
will
agree it was worth it.
Coral, and the St Blasius' choir
23 July 2017
Sunday
Services
Service
of Matins
Weddings
Baptisms
(Christenings)
Choral
Evensong