November is something of a hybrid month liturgically – the Calendar has Sundays before Advent, but we need the Sundays after Trinity for the Plainsong Propers. As a quieter month before December’s special Advent & Christmas music, it would also be a good time for new singers to give the Choir a try.
Sun 29th Oct. 10.45am, All Saints’ Sunday, Fr C, Rev Alison. Victoria, O quam gloriosum.
Thu 2nd Nov, 7.30pm. Fauré Requiem, Sung Mass for All Souls’ Day.
Sun 5th Nov, Advent-4, Trinity XXI, 10.45am Sung Mass. Palestrina.
Sun 5th Nov, 6pm Choral Evensong & Benediction. Dyson in F. Gibbons.
Wed 8th Nov, 7.30pm, Song Recital by Thomas Hobbs with Andrew Millington. £15/£5.
Sun 12th Nov, Remembrance Sunday, 10.45am. Wood in Phrygian mode. For the Fallen, Keitch.
Sun 19th Nov, Advent-2, Trinity XXIII, 10.45am Mass. Nicholson in C. Rejoice in the Lord alway.
Wed 22nd Nov, 7.30pm, John Hughes Memorial Lecture by Dr Ed Skidelsky.
Thu 23rd Nov, 6pm. CBS Mass – St Clement, Bishop of Rome, Martyr (c.100)
Sun 26th Nov, Christ the King, 10.45am Mass. Byrd 4. Mendelssohn.
Sun 3rd Dec, Advent Sunday. 10.45am Sung Mass. 6pm Choral Evensong & Benediction.
Fri 8th Dec, 6.30pm at St David’s Church. Community Christmas Concert. £5.
Sun 10th Dec, 6pm, Advent Procession & Carols.
Other Regular Events:-
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 6pm Plainsong Vespers & Meditation.
Tuesdays, 7-8.30pm Choir Practice.
Wednesdays, 9.30am BCP Morning Prayer, 10am Low Mass.
St Michael’s Lecture
Wednesday 22 November, 7.30pm, we welcome Dr Ed Skidelsky from Exeter University’s Sociology & Philosophy Dept to talk on “How can believers talk to unbelievers about God?”, a topic relevant to our recent Deanery Synod study on Discipleship. This is in memory of John Hughes, our Curate 2005-9, who tragically died in 2014 in a car accident while Dean of Jesus College, Cambridge. All welcome.
Choir Music
The main event for the Choir is a liturgical performance of Gabriel Fauré’s beautiful Requiem, in the context of a Requiem Mass for All Souls’ Day on Thursday 2nd November at 7.30pm. Please support this important midweek service. We will also sing Justorum Animae (The souls of the righteous…) by Stanford and the Russian Contakion of the Departed.
Please come to Choral Evensong & Benediction at 6pm on the 5th. Each setting of the Magnificat has its own character and, for me, Dyson in F, with its floating Soprano solo, ATB backing group, laid-back organ accompaniment, plus an incense-laden quire, evokes a sacred jazz club, so relax and enjoy the gently atmospheric music.
With an interim Director of Music and Organist rota, the Choir will keep singing and carry on providing music appropriate to the liturgy.
Review of October’s Concerts
At a couple of weeks’ notice, electro-acoustic musician GRICE and friends moved their Concert from the Chapter House to St Michael’s. Thanks to Jane Bellamy for all the liaison involved. Using all our candle-stands and bringing in uplighting & amplification, St Mike’s was transformed to an atmospheric venue for the 5-piece art-rock band. A very different and enjoyable evening of music.
A fortnight later, Tony Pugh brought Exeter Police & Community Male Voice Choir, with MD David Williams and guest soloist John Burgoyne, to St Michael’s with a toe-tapping programme of songs and arrangements from Frank Sinatra and ‘My Fair Lady’ to John Denver and Les Mis.
Thank you all.
Richard Barnes, 27 Oct 2017.