St Mary’s Music News - August/September 2023

There were 2 very successful taster sessions on 9 June, one for Joyful Noise and one for the Junior Choir. There were 4 potential recruits at each session, with more children expressing an interest but not able to join in the singing and other activities – dressing up in robes, seeing the organ, playing musical games – on the day. 9 children attended the regular sessions the following week, and we hope they will join permanently as they are the foundation of the choirs.

Choral Evensong on 11 June took place on the 400th anniversary of Great Ringing Day, so the choir and congregation were treated both to peals of bells as they entered the church, and to refreshments after the service. It was such a hot evening that the choir were allowed to wear robes without collars or – for the Juniors - ruffs and surplices. Usually Evensong is a quiet, reflective act of worship, but this was a rousing celebration, including both Sumsion’s Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis in G, and also Vaughan Williams’ Let All the World in Every Corner Sing. Fittingly, the organ voluntary was Langlais’ Bells.

The series of 8 lunchtime concerts has been very successful, with a variety of works including singers, pianists, violinists, an organ soloist and the St Mary’s Brass Quintet. They have been well attended, and we have received many appreciative comments. The refreshments have also been popular, and several people observed that the “meal deal” is the best value in Saffron Walden. The SMMA is very grateful to all the musicians, and to everyone front and back of house, who contributes to the experience. It is quite an undertaking to put on so many events, and it would not happen without a lot of hard work. We shall find out how much money was raised towards Music Association funds, supporting church worship, when the series concludes.

The “Saturday special” organ concert given by Anna Lapwood on 1 July attracted an audience of nearly 400 people. Anna has a devoted following, and visitors came from as far away as South Africa. She opened with a mesmeric performance of Kristina Arakelyan’s Star Fantasy, then treated us to suites from Interstellar by Hans Zimmer which she had arranged, as well as to music by composers as varied as Bach, Debussy and Philip Glass. She told us that Glass’s Mad Rush was written for the Dalai Lama’s first public address in North America, and was commissioned to last for up to 40 minutes, depending on how long it took people to enter the building. The version played by Anna was, perhaps sadly, somewhat shorter. Many thanks to Peter De Vile both for organising the concert, and for nursing the organ through the performance. Thanks to his skills, only 1 of the pieces had to be swapped out because 4 of the stops needed for it had decided to take a summer break. The generous donations received are still being counted, and will be reported on in the autumn.

On the same day, the Junior Choir sang for a wedding blessing at Debden. Only 2 of the 13 choristers had sung for a wedding before, due to lockdown, but they all rose splendidly to the occasion.

Meanwhile we have said farewell to Rosie Kennedy Cadell as a member of the SMMA Committee, and to her son Angus who is leaving his role as a junior chorister at St Mary’s to take up a similar role at Ely Cathedral. We wish them both all the best.

Finally, we are delighted to report that Ziyi Wang, a student at SWCH, will be our third Michael Swindlehurst Organ Scholar, and the first female recipient of this award.

Ottilie Lefever