SOUNDBOARD June 2004

June 2004

Editorial Comment

Questionnaire

The results of last year’s questionnaire are published within, and some interesting facts emerge from it, particularly from the "if only ... " section of it. A large number of respondents wished for a four-part choir/more singers/an effective recruitment scheme. Regarding this, the are a number of strategies that can help. In this issue of SOUNDBOARD, David Wilkinson writes about his twenty eight-member choir in Rathfarnham (do read his article), and in recent years, the Editor has increased the size of his choir in Howth to about twenth two. There must be many others who have had success in assembling and/or maintaining choir numbers, and we ask that they write a paragraph or two about this for the next SOUNDBOARD. Material forthcoming, we will assemble a article that should provide help for those that may be struggling.

Another matter highlighted by the questionnaire is the desire for one-day or afternoon seminars or workshops on various aspects of church music. This are distinct possibilities here and the Committee will investigate the practicalities of it for next academic year. The Editor already has ideas! Perhaps others also have specific ideas or suggestions? Practical help is also possible for some of the other matters identified; keep in touch!

Book of Common Prayer

The new edition of the Prayer Book is very much a “hot” matter at the moment. First thoughts on the part of the Editor were personally (i) it is good to have the canticles (most of them anyway) printed in the service of Morning Prayer, and not in another part of the book — as was the case with the APB; (ii) great disappointment that the text of some of the psalms has been changed almost out of recognition and for no apparent reason; in particular, the beautiful English of Ps. 65 (e.g., “Thou O God art praised in Zion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem”) has been made so banal (“Praise is due to you, O God in Zion; to you that answer prayer shall vows be paid.”). At least the option is there of using the text of the 1926 prayer book.

Another disappointing feature is the omission of many of the pointing symbols in the psalms and canticles — making it still more difficult to chant (who was responsible for such a decision?). In Howth — and no doubt in other churches — we will have to have a session or two with red biros and add approximately an estimated 1100 missing symbols to each of the twenty choir prayer books.

Readership

It has come to the attention of the Committee that more people would like to receive and/or read SOUNDBOARD than those that are on the mailing list, and the Committee is happy to make more copies available. Would your rector/minister be interested in having a copy? Would you like a copy or two for your choir, or for any particular members of it? If ‘yes’, send an e-mail to info@churchmusicdublin.org, or contact David McConnell on (01) 497 3745, who will make the arrangements. 

1. Editorial Comment
2. The Questionnaire — what it told us
3. A “Top Ten” Recessional Voluntaries Here are some
   ideas for voluntaries — from ten amateur organists
4. Church Music in Rathfarnham David Wilkinson writes about the high standard of music in Rathfarnham Parish
5. Simple Organ Music — the music of Caleb Simper and William Lloyd Webber
6. The RSCM in Ireland — what it is and what it does, by Tom Gordon
7. The Kildare Cathedral Choir Derek Verso describes a novel approach to a provincial cathedral choir
8. A Tale of Two Churches David McConnell writes about his "other" organist’s post
9. Notes & News
10. An Organist’s Crossword