Hopefully you’ve seen the Posters in the recent News Update blog. This is the same information in Diary form combined with the Music List for June. We have now had a myriad (10,000) views of the blog, from 65 different countries – thank you.
Meanwhile, keep watching our Peregrine chicks, live on the internet at our website thanks to generous sponsorship of the streaming costs by Devon Birds ( www.devonbirds.org ). The 4-week old juveniles are quite mobile around the nest box, starting to feed for themselves on what the adults bring in, and looking rather untidy as they grow their proper feathers; they are due to fledge in the second week of June.
Heritage & Music Festival 2014
So, this is when we bring most of the Project together with a wonderful variety of entertainment, education and worship. Please come and enjoy this exciting month with us at St Michael’s. We will also shortly be launching a new, enhanced website at www.stmichaelsmountdinham.org.uk . Don’t miss David Briggs on Monday 16th June; he is one of the world’s most exciting concert organists.
Thursday 29th May, Ascension Day N.B. 7.30am Matins. Plainsong sung from the West Gallery; followed by Breakfast.
Thursday 29th May, Ascension Day 7.30pm Mass. Setting: Mass in C & F. Motet: Coelos Ascendit Hodie, both by C V Stanford.
Sunday 1st June, Easter VII 10.45am Mass. Setting: Missa Dixit Maria, Hassler. Motet: God is gone up with a merry noise, Hutchings (1906–1989)[Ascendit Deus, Philips]
Sunday 1st June, 6pm Evensong and Benediction. Responses: Sumsion. Psalm 47. Canticles: Stanford in G. Anthem: To My Request and Earnest Cry, by S S Wesley. (A substantial Bach-like piece, written in Exeter in 1836, setting the last 8 verses of Psalm 119 from Tate & Brady’s metrical “New Version”.) O Salutaris Hostia & Tantum Ergo: Plainsong.
Wednesday 4th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Dr David Oates on the Colourful Arms of Devon’s colourful Gentry.
Sunday 8th June, Pentecost, 10.45am Mass. Setting: Missa Brevis Laetatus Sum by Browne. Motet: Exultate Deo by Palestrina.
Sunday 8th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Nick Dixon (Raptor expert) on 20 years with Exeter’s Peregrine Falcons at St Michael’s, including new video footage from the nest box camera. Indeed, the young Peregrines should be on the threshold of fledging.
Juveniles at 3 weeks
Wednesday 11th June, 7.30pm Charity Concert. Exeter Rotary presents Torbay Police Male Voice Choir in a programme of Gilbert & Sullivan and popular songs. (Admission £6.50 on the door.)
Friday 13th June, 7.30pm St Michael’s Recital. Exeter Chorale, conducted by Dr Nigel Browne and accompanied by Dr Paul Evans & Alex West (piano duet), return with a summer programme of Madrigals, Partsongs & Glees. (Admission £7.50/£4 on the door, children free.)
Sunday 15th June, Trinity Sunday, 10.45am Mass. Setting: Spatzenmesse (Sparrow Mass) by Mozart. Motet: Duo Seraphim by Guerrero. (Two Seraphim, from Isaiah 6, with 3 intertwining 4-part choirs representing the Holy Trinity)
Sunday 15th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Richard W Parker (our own Architectural Historian) on the long History of Mount Dinham and St Michael’s.
Monday 16th June, 7.30pm Inaugural Organ Recital. David Briggs (International Organ Virtuoso, Artist-in-Residence at Toronto Cathedral, and Organist Emeritus of Gloucester Cathedral) will perform a varied programme on our newly installed, restored pipe organ. David will include 3 pieces played by his grandfather when the organ was re-dedicated after a re-build in 1952 at St Jude’s Church, Birmingham. Don’t miss this exciting Concert; see organrecitals.com for details. (Admission £10/£8 on the door.) David’s Finale will be an improvised Symphony, from themes suggested by the audience!
David Briggs – International Organ Virtuoso
Thursday 19th June, Corpus Christi, 7.30pm Mass with Procession around Mount Dinham. Setting: Mass in F by Rheinberger. Motet: Panis Angelicus, Cavalli/Leppard
Sunday 22nd June, Music Sunday, 10.45am Mass. Setting: Little Organ Mass. Motet: Insanae et Vanae Curae. (Unhealthy and vain cares invade our minds; What profit, O Mortal, in worldly things, if you neglect the heavens? But all things are favourable to you, if God is for you.) Both by Franz Joseph Haydn.
Sunday 22nd June, 6pm Evensong & Dedication of the new Organ. With Bishop Richard Hawkins – special order of service, preceded by a 20 minute mini Organ recital. Much of the choir’s music will feature bold organ accompaniments in Balfour-Gardner’s Evening Hymn and a Stanfordfest of Psalm 150 and the Canticles in C.
We hope also to include prayers used by Bishop Ernest Barnes from the 1952 Organ Re-dedication Service at St Jude’s, Birmingham. We are grateful to Heritage Lottery Fund, Viridor Credits and our many generous donors.
Wednesday 25th June, 7.30pm Heritage Lecture. Paul Morgan (Exeter Cathedral Organist Emeritus) on the Life and Achievements of Samuel Sebastian Wesley.
Friday 27th June, 7.30pm Requiem Mass. In memory of the 150th Anniversary of the death of John Dinham, Exeter Tea Merchant, Philanthropist and Founder of the Mount Dinham development.
Sunday 29th June, SS Peter & Paul, 10.45am Mass. Setting: Anglican Folk Mass by Martin Shaw. Motet: Tu Es Petrus, Palestrina.
As usual at St Michael’s, virtually every event will have Refreshments afterwards, with voluntary donations. Unless otherwise stated, entrance is free with a voluntary collection as you leave. This celebratory month of diverse events is the climax of our 18-month Heritage Lottery Funded project (with other donors) to make Heritage, Music, Education, and indeed Religion, lively on Mount Dinham, now and for the future, in the spirit of our Victorian forbears, John Dinham, Rev Theophilus Toye and William Gibbs.
Northernhay Gardens – John Dinham statue (1866)
I’m not sure what John Dinham would make of a Requiem in his memory; he seems to have been of a more puritan, evangelical persuasion than those who built this church to his memory. What all had in common, though, was a fervent Christian faith demonstrated in the worship of God and the welfare of their fellow citizens.
Richard Barnes.