According to statistics from the Church of England, attendance at cathedral services is rising, with choral evensong in particular enjoying a renaissance. Oxford University’s Faculty of Music is researching this surprising trend: to read more, and to take part a survey, cut and paste this link www.englishcathedrals.co.uk and click on the Choral Evensong tab.
Author: Marianne Barton
David Coram’s memorial service
The service is to be held at St Peter’s, Hammersmith, W6 9BE on Saturday 4 May at 2.00pm. Please pass on the details to other Laudemians who might not see this notice. Church is at the bottom end of Black Lion Lane, which runs between the Great West Road (no access at this end) and Chiswick High Road. Nearest tube is Stamford Brook (District Line).
A fund for David’s children
David’s friends are raising money to give David’s children, Lydia and Thomas, the opportunities they now won’t get from their Dad. Visit www.GoFundMe.com, and search for David Coram.
David Coram
It is with the greatest sadness that we announce the death of David Coram on 27/28 January 2019. See more on the page ‘Our Music Team’. When funeral details are known, they will be posted here, and it seems likely there will also be a memorial service at St Peter’s Hammersmith, West London, where David was a much-loved Director of Music.
Minster wedding
Travelled to Wimborne Minster on Friday 31 August for the wedding of Margaret James (92) and Robert Cave (91). They are Britain’s oldest newly-weds, and a full Minster church wished them well. Google their names for more details and lovely pictures! (The Michael James Music Trust supports two Laudemus! scholars each year.)
Another year over!
Another wonderful week over – all very successful apart from an uncharacteristic ‘blip’ on Friday. Over the course of five days we coped with ciphers, impossible sight-lines, interesting cantors and challenging organs: all in a day’s singing. Now back to the real world, with Howells’ St Paul’s Service and Wesley’s Ascribe unto the Lord still ringing in our ears from the final service in Wimborne Minster. Huge thanks to our wonderful professional team of Sam Hanson (organ) and Jeremy Jackman (inspirational musical director).
This year’s organists
David Coram is not able to be with us this year, but we’re delighted to be working with Sam Hanson for most of the week, and with Alison Davies on Friday. Alison is Director of Music at Pimperne; Sam plays regularly at Wimborne Minster, and is no stranger to Laudemus!
Music list ready
We now have a music list for this summer, with some terrific pieces. Canticles include Francis Jackson (in G, just heard in today’s Evensong from Keble), Howells (St Paul) and Gibbons (Second Service); anthems include Weelkes ‘I heard a voice’ and Wesley ‘Ascribe unto the Lord’. Roll on July!
Keble Evensong
Superb Evensong from Keble College on R3 this afternoon. From opening introit (plainsong arr. Andrew Reid) through to the finale of Widor’s 6th Organ Symphony it was a triumph. And we’re singing Jackson in G at Laudemus! this summer – what a fantastic service.
Fantastic response
Overwhelming response to this year’s invitation to singers: oversubscribed in virtually every voice (not tenors, of course, but they always require special nurturing). Makes life very easy for us, but very disappointing for those we will have to turn away, including some long-standing friends.