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Moseley Chimes
November 2008
I was born in Cheam, Surrey (just round the corner from Tony Hancock-land). I was brought up in a devoutly Roman Catholic household which shaped my view of the world. I attended St Matthias’ RC Church in Worcester Park, where I was an altar server and went on to organise the Servers’ Rota for the church. I also had my first dabbling on the organ there and eventually went on to play for some services. My Parish Priest was very fed up when, at age 18, I moved allegiances to the neighbouring parish in New Malden where they had a flourishing choir and paid me to be their organist.
While in London I was dating a young lady who then came to Birmingham University to study music. When I finished my degree I came up to join her and to do a Postgraduate year at the School of Education. We then got married and set up home in the north of the City before moving to Kings Heath in 1978 when I joined St Mary’s. I was attracted to the church because it had a good music tradition, took its worship, and its relationship with the community, seriously. No thriving church can exist in isolation from its community. This was one thing that attracted me. I also wanted to take charge of a choir for the first time, having previously just been organist at St Michael’s, Boldmere. St Mary’s at the time also had a charismatic Vicar who both inspired people and allowed (indeed, encouraged them) to take charge of aspects of church life and to develop them according to their enthusiasms. He positively supported the development of concerts and the musical life of the church. It was a real partnership. Because of all this, the church had a real family feeling and a buzz, with everyone developing their particular areas. The downside was that it could sometimes become a little insular with everyone doing their own thing instead of co-operating with each other and sharing a vision.
Ooh, that’s a hard one. My favourite memories are mainly concerned with people: seeing youngsters flourish and grow into independent young adults; watching as others are visibly moved by some piece of music or another that the choirs sing; seeing parents beam as their little darlings sing their first solo or are admitted into the Choir or are promoted, or gain an award. Working with a team of committed people in Choir and Singers who are themselves an inspiration to me. Taking on the Singers was a joy as their personalities and outlook complements rather than duplicates that of the Choir. Each choir has its own personality and ethos but they work well together, too. Now we have an integrated music team which is very healthy. The Choirs also help support members who are going through crises in their lives, who are unsure of themselves or who have learning or other personal difficulties. Sometimes it’s more appropriate for some to benefit from the social aspects of choir life without actually being a singing member. It’s a practical example of Christianity in action. The joint Choirs’ trip to Atlanta in 2000 was an excellent corporate venture. The Choir trip to Washington was a major landmark and something I’ll never forget. The Frankfurt Exchange in its earlier days was a major formative influence on a lot of people, leading to friendships which are still continuing. It’s a joy to see choristers become influences for good in their own adult lives: Jonathan Coore, now a priest in Hereford; Robert Carey as Director of Music at Manchester Grammar School, to name just two.
St Augustine said that “He who sings prays twice”. Music can reach those places which speech alone cannot. Music can put us in the frame of mind to receive the message of the liturgy. It can also enable us to express the joy of an encounter with Christ. In short, music can open us up as people, can penetrate our reserve, bypass our personal blocks and be a vehicle through which our relationship with God can grow. I’m always wary of music which becomes entertainment or “stuck onto” the worship. That’s why I much prefer the officiant at Evensong to introduce the anthem by saying, “To lead us into our prayers the choir will sing…” rather than, “The Choir will now sing the Anthem…”. The former puts music at the service of the liturgy; the latter stops the liturgy for a performance.
“Enjoy” may be the wrong word. I get tremendous satisfaction from any service, traditional or contemporary, formal or informal, in which all the elements have been carefully and prayerfully constructed and prepared to bring people into the presence of God or to open people up to the possibilities of their faith. I get irritated with services anywhere, Cathedral, chapel, church or school, where it’s obvious that those responsible for delivering or shaping the service haven’t communicated with each other, where there are hiccups and uncertainties, where things are rushed or unprepared. A well-prepared service of any style which proceeds fluently with minimum of fuss carries its congregation along with it. It also depends what my personal needs are at the time as to what type of service I wish to access.
It is a hard question. One favourite hymn is “How Shall I Sing That Majesty?”, John Mason’s words set to that splendid tune Coe Fen by Kenneth Naylor. A good text inspires me. That’s why I really like Chris Kearl’s hymn written to celebrate the centenary of the diocese. It’s excellent poetry which really catches fire when coupled with a good tune. Anthem? “Geistliches Lied” by Brahms and “O Salutaris” by Dupré set the hairs on the back of my neck tingling. But there are so many.
Yes! But developing our vision and the final shape of our relationship, our buildings, our ministry, our services, our music, will entail much soul searching and some very painful choices for many. I hope that I can play a small part in helping in the process, holding a lot of hands so that we stick together during the journey, arriving as a united community at our eventual destination, whatever that may look like when we get there.