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HyfrydolHyfrydolHyfrydolHyfrydol St Swithun’s Choir e-newsletter

No. 72 December 2019

This month. December is a busy time for church choirs, and St Swithun’s choir is as busy or busier than most. Many of our choristers are involved in Messiah rehearsals, either for the annual performance in the Town Hall, or for the presentation in the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Waitara.

We shall present a short program at Royal North Shore Hospital as part of the hospital’s annual Christmas lunchtime program. We present carols and lessons at Bupa St Ives and at Wahroonga House during the month.

And at Swiz, we have the full Christmas music program: Christmas readings and carols, the Christmas Eve service and Christmas Day at 8 am.

Last month, November The 2019 Cultural Foundation concert It was a sell-out. And it was a celebration of Ethereal Voices. The combined voices of the Swiz Choir and the Willoughby Singers made up a choir of around 55.

Our rehearsal period extended over a longer period than ever before – we started learning Faure’s Requiem just after Easter – so by the time of the concert, we were pretty comfortable with it. Peter Gilkes gave us an enormous amount of his time over the months; we trust that our work gave him a result that had him feeling that his time was well spent. We choristers certainly thought so!

For the record, the concert program was as follows: • Evening Hymn by Balfour Gardiner (sung in English); • Lux Aeterna (text from Latin requiem mass) sung to Edward Elgar’s Nimrod

variation; • En Priére by Faure (sung in French by Eleanor Gilkes and accompanied on the harp

by Joanne Baée; • Bogoridἶtze Dẽvo (from All Night Vigil), sung a capella in Russian; • Pie Jesu (text from Latin requiem mass) by Durufle, sung by Belinda accompanied

by William Tu on cello and Peter Hamilton on organ; • Pie Jesu (Latin text) by Lloyd Webber, sung by Suzanne Linquist and Margaret

Coulter, accompanied by Peter Hamilton; • Harp solo by Joanne – Gavotte composed by Carlos Salzedo; • Locus iste by Anton Bruchner (Latin text) sung a cappella by the combined choirs; • Cantique de Jean Racine, Gabrielle Faure (sung in French);

After a short interval during which the string quartet moved into position, • Requiem by Gabriel Faure (Latin and Greek texts) – the major work of the concert. • Clare Benediction (in English) by Rutter

The principal instrumentalists

Peter Hamilton – organ Joanne Baée – harp William Tu – cello

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TLC lunch For many years the choir has led the carol singing at the final TLC lunch of the year. This year, the focus was less on the carols, more on the guest speaker, Vicki Knox, who spoke about her two WW1 crime novels. She finished her talk with an a capella rendition of Vera Lynn’s classic song The White Cliffs of Dover. Vicki also participated in the carol singing with the lunch clubbers afterwards. Advent carol service On the very last day of the month, the choir led a full Saturday evening congregation in singing ten Advent hymns and carols. The choir itself presented four of the first five Wheeler and James Australian carols; the congregation sang the fifth. It wasn’t all plain sailing; a storm the previous Tuesday had affected the electricity supply to the church (and much of the surrounding countryside). It wasn’t due to be reconnected until Sunday afternoon. So the service proceeded under make-shift lighting and with electronic keyboard accompaniments.

The congregation was enthusiastic. Carol’s introduction of the Wheeler and James carols was entirely apposite. Roger’s introductions of the other carols gave us a welcome break. Peter managed very well away from his favourite instrument. The whole program went off very well under difficult circumstances.

I’m dreaming of a hot Christmas This was the heading for an item published in the Sydney Morning Herald (and many other newspapers around Australia) in December 2010. The author, Geoff Strong, wrote about Christmas carols in general, and decried the “soppy carols” we hear in shopping malls in the days leading up to Christmas. He went on:

“In the mid-20th century there was a brave attempt to produce an imagery for an Australian Christmas without a fake snowflake in sight. It involved homegrown Christmas carols, the first and most enduring written by two blokes who once worked for the ABC, John Wheeler and William James. Santa was a notable absentee in their lyrics as were the ubiquitous snowflakes. Many of their references are to the Christian aspects of the festival, but the most enduring images are the celebration of the Australian landscape, its flora and fauna.”

John Wheeler (1901-84) was born, and died in Colac, Victoria. He was educated at Colac High School and Melbourne Grammar School, then at the University of Melbourne he studied English, French and History. He taught at several Victorian schools before joining the staff of the Australian Broadcasting Commission as a script-writer from 1938 to 1964. He wrote poetry, art songs and children’s song lyrics as well as a number of plays, and co-operated on choral works with many Australian musicians, including William James who also worked at the ABC.

William (Billy) James (1892-1977) was born in Ballarat. He graduated from the Melbourne University Conservatorium of Music in 1912, with an honours award for playing the pianoforte. He went to London to continue his studies and played in some of the early Prom concerts. While there, he composed a series of Australian-themed arts songs that were performed by Dame Nellie Melba.

Billy returned to Australia in 1923. He toured the country as accompanist with a number of the operatic stars of the time, and taught piano at his alma mater, the Melbourne University Conservatorium. In about 1929 he was offered a full time position as Director of Programs with the ABC, first in Victoria and later nationally. He recalled that “I used to audition artists, engage them, give piano recitals and talks on music myself, and conduct the opera and operetta broadcasts. It was very personal and pleasant.”

Billy retired from the ABC in 1957.

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David Tunley, Emeritus Professor of Music at the University of Western Australia, has written a book on the life of James, whom he describes as a driving force in developing modern Australian music via his ABC work. As for the music, Tunley describes James as a good minor composer and the carols, which are thought his most enduring work, were particularly successful. He said, “They fulfil the requirements of what carols should be. They are good tunes that can be remembered after hearing only a few times.”

The Wheeler/James Australian carols were published in three sets, each of five carols over the period from 1948 to 1961.

It is the first set of five carols that are best remembered and these are the ones we sang at the Advent carol service, four as choral items and one as a congregational carol.

• The Three Drovers • The Silver Stars • Christmas Day • Christmas Bush for His Adorning • Carol of the Birds

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Joy to the World The words of the hymn "Joy to the World" are by English pastor, preacher, poet, and prolific hymn writer Isaac Watts. The hymn was originally printed in 1719 in Watts' collection The Psalms of David: Imitated in the language of the New Testament, and applied to the Christian state and worship. The paraphrase is Watts' theological interpretation of those scripture passages. The nations of the world are asked to rejoice because God's faithfulness to the house of Israel has delivered salvation to Earth.

His inspiration is said to have been Psalm 98, 96:11-12 and Genesis 3:17-18.

Watts grew up in a world where the music in every worship service consisted only of psalms or sections of Scripture put to music. Watts found the practice monotonous. To him, there was a lack of joy and emotion among the congregants as they sang. He once famously said, “To see the dull indifference, the negligent and thoughtless air that sits upon the faces of a whole assembly, while the psalm is upon their lips, might even tempt a charitable observer to suspect the fervency of their inward religion.”

Watts’s father issued a challenge. He told Watts that if he struggled with the songs they sang, then he ought to do something about it. Perhaps he should attempt to write something different. This moment set Watts on a lifelong pursuit to write lyrics that exalted Christ and reminded Christians of their hope in his saving work on the cross.

While “Joy to the World” is primarily sung at Christmas, it’s not about the birth of Jesus. Rather, the song tells the story of Christ’s return.

The hymn/carol is most commonly sung to the tune Antioch, ascribed in Hymns for Today’s Church to “G F Handel, arranged L. Mason” and in 100 Carols for Choirs to “Lowell L Mason, based on Handel”. Mason was heavily influenced by the classical composers, but the Handel connection here is, at best, tenuous. The first phrase “Joy to the world” is identical with the first phrase of Handel’s Messiah chorus “Glory to God”. Some commentators have suggested the chorus “Lift up your heads”, but that one is in a different key. Let us just allow the American composer Lowell Mason the lion’s share of the credit for a very joyful tune. ������������������������

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Salisbury 2020 Wilton House The first destination on our program of day trips from Salisbury next August will be Wilton House. It lies only a short distance from the Cathedral; about 6 km to the west.

One of the great houses of England, it began its life as a nunnery. The abbey at Wilton was built around 871, and founded by the first recognized Saxon sovereign of England, King Egbert. Under King Alfred, who was known to be a devout Christian, the abbey grew until it became one of the most prosperous in England.

Of course, Wilton Abbey could not escape the attention of King Henry VIII and was seized during the Dissolution of the Monasteries around the year 1540. As brother-in-law to the King, (Herbert married Anne Parr, sister of Queen Consort Catherine Parr) William Herbert was granted the abbey and 46,000 acre estate in 1542. Eventually, Herbert was also granted the title of Earl of Pembroke, a tradition that continues today with the 18th Earl still a resident at Wilton House. Herbert’s future was secured and he began to enjoy the fruits of his labours at court by transforming his abandoned abbey into a fine stately home.

The great Tudor mansion built by the first Earl of Pembroke lasted just eighty years, despite unsubstantiated rumors that the architect of the project was none other than Hans Holbein the Younger. Whether the artist was involved or not, the Gothic-renaissance entrance porch to the Tudor house was salvaged in the 19th century and is now known as the ‘Holbein Porch’.

In the 1630s the 4th Earl decided to demolish the southern wing of the house and erect several staterooms in its place. Using original designs said to have been drawn up by the famous Inigo Jones, the 4th Earl employed Jones’ protégé Isaac de Caus to create a new south facade in a severe Palladian style. It has been discovered that the original plan was for two identical wings linked by a central portico but the second wing was never built. Following a huge fire that ravaged Wilton House, Inigo Jones was enlisted, along with John Webb, to improve the house based on his original plan. The modifications carried out were considered a triumph.

The state rooms at Wilton House designed by John Webb and Inigo Jones are considered some of the finest and most lavishly decorated rooms in England. Designed to please the eye of royal guests, the state rooms are hung with a magnificent collection of paintings and filled with furniture by the greatest makers of the day.

Wilton’s Colonnade Room was converted for a visit by King George III and features a rococo ceiling mural completed in the 1730s by a noted French artist of the time. In the Great Ante-Room hangs one of Wilton’s greatest treasures, a portrait of Rembrandt’s mother painted by Rembrandt himself. The Single Cube Room introduces visitors to Jones’ scheme of white plaster encrusted with gold, red walls and pink carpets and features a painted canvas ceiling rendered by Italian painter Cavalier D’Arpino.

The Double Cube Room is considered the most stunning room in the house. Around 60ft by 30ft by 30ft in size, this cavernous space was decorated to complement the van Dyck paintings that fill the wall panels and includes a huge work depicting the 4th Earl and his family. The Corner Room, Little Ante Room and The Hunting Room are the final three rooms created by Inigo Jones, Webb and de Caus.

In 1705, the 8th Earl made some changes to Wilton House in order to accommodate his Arundel Marbles, but other than this minor intervention Wilton was largely unchanged until the 11th Earl took control in 1801. James Wyatt was enlisted by the 11th Earl to modernise Wilton House and provide more space for the Earl to display

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his growing collection of paintings and sculpture. Wyatt’s architectural work at Wilton House was in the Gothic style, a change from his usual neoclassical approach.

The changes Wyatt made to the north front of the house, relocating an ‘arc de triumph’ from Wilton’s park to the entrance forecourt and adding an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, have not always been met with praise. However, Wyatt’s addition of the cloisters, a two-storied gallery added in recognition of Wilton’s monastic past, and creation of a natural-light filled space to display the Pembroke collection of sculpture, is largely celebrated. The Cloisters house an important collection of antique Greek & Roman statuary. In the Lower Cloisters, the Smoking Rooms contain fine examples of English Georgian furniture including Chippendale’s ‘Violin’ Bookcase and a wealth of equestrian and military paintings.

A Palladian bridge by Roger Morris that sits astride the River Nadder is a highlight of Wilton’s grounds and gardens. Wilton House has been open to the public since 1951 and since 2012, the 18th Earl, William Pembroke, has lived in the house with his family. Wilton House’s 21 acres of landscaped parkland, particularly its water and rose gardens, are incredibly popular among visitors.

As with several other of our destinations this week, Wilton House has been featured in a number of well-known films.

They include Sense and Sensibility, The Madness of King George, Mrs. Brown, Pride and Prejudice and, more recently, The Young Victoria. ������������������������

St Paul’s Burwood’s Parish Pantry Pamela Summers Fr James Collins and Lay Minister, Rosemary King, were both at the St Paul’s Burwood Church Office when Penny and Pamela arrived on Wednesday this week to deliver the choir’s donations for the Parish Pantry. St Paul’s gives away items of non-perishable food and personal hygiene items to those in need each Tuesday and Thursday morning. There is a huge and growing demand in their local community for this service and our donations from time to time are very much appreciated. Father James and Rosemary asked us to convey their sincere thanks and blessings on the St Swithun’s choir as they took delivery of the following donations from all of us:

Tuna/salmon/sardines etc: 37 cans; Ham/SPAM/ corned beef: 15 tins Tinned vegetables: 16 tins Baked beans/tinned spaghetti: 10 cans Rice and pasta: 19 packets Pasta sauce: 3 bottles Breakfast cereals: 9 boxes Long life milk/ Up n Go: 9 packs Tinned meat & veg: 8 tins Soup: 3 packs Rice pudding: 1 tin Tinned fruit 7 containers Dried fruit: 1 packet Biscuits (sweet & savoury): 12 boxes/packets Spreads (vegemite & honey): 2 jars Instant mashed potato: 1 packet Teabags: 3 boxes Instant coffee: 2 jars Sugar: 2 bags Soap: 29 cakes Toothpaste: 4 packs Fem. Hygiene: 4 packs Razors: 1 pack Washing powder: 1 box Dish detergent: 1 bottle Sponges: 3 packs Cash donation: $50

You have been so amazingly generous, and we can only imagine the difference these items will make to people in need in the lead up to Christmas. ������������������������

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What has Louise been doing? She has been missing from a couple of services over the past month. No, she hasn’t been on holiday. She has been representing the Sydney Adventist Hospital in Corporate games, both in the NSW Games at Homebush and in the National Corporate Games in Melbourne. Her father has been surprised: “I didn’t know she could run” he said.

But run she can. She won gold in the 10 km races in both the NSW and National meets. Well done, Louise.

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Choir program – 2019

Date Venue Time Mon 9 Dec RNSH 1 pm Christmas Carols Thu 12 Dec Swiz 11 am Service of Solace & Consolation Sun 15 Dec Wahroonga House 2:30 pm Lessons & carols Thu 19 Dec Bupa St Ives tba Lessons & carols Sun 22 Dec Swiz 10 am Christmas lessons & carols Tue 24 Dec Swiz 11 pm Christmas Eve service Wed 25 Dec Swiz 8 am Christmas Day service Note that nothing is final until the actual day has arrived, so please be mindful of possible changes.

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Past issues of Sing Joyfully/Hyfrydol may be viewed on the parish website: https://swiz.org.au/choir.