For a number of years now the four choirs of Coventry Cathedral, Derby Cathedral, Leicester Cathedral and Southwell Minster have gathered ‘en massé’ to sing a service of Choral Evening.
Initially we believe it was either the boy choirs or the girls’ choirs however in recent years it has incorporated the lay clerks as well, with the boys’ voices and girls voices in alternating years.
This year it was Derby’s turn to host and the boys’ choirs turn to provide the treble line. The music list contained both standard “war horses” – ‘Stanford in C’ and ‘For unto us’ from Handel’s Messiah, as well as the Humphrey Clucas responses and, for me a new discovery, James Whitbourn’s ‘The Magi’s Dream’ based on Herod’s injunction “that I may come and worship him”.
The sight, and sound of some 50 trebles and almost 30 lay clerks is impressive. Derby’s excellent acoustic projects the sound well and a delightful sound it was too. The four directors of music divided the responsibilities between. Alexander Binns (Derby) accompanied, Paul Provost (Southwell) started the proceedings as far as the psalm (104), Joe Watson (acting DoM Coventry) took over for the canticles and Chris Ouvry-Johns concluded the proceedings with the lesser litany and anthem.
The links between the musical hierarchy are fascinating as well. Chris Ouvry-Johns started his musical career at Derby, Joe Watson has spent some time at Southwell, Ed Turner, the current assistant at Derby was also an organ scholar at Southwell so, in more ways than one, there is an interesting sharing of music traditions.
From my berth at the far end of the Decani tenor section, the four choirs of Derby, Leicester, Coventry and Southwell made for an impressive sight, two full ranks of boy choristers on either side, and a fine band of Clerks to back them up. The excellent sounds I heard all around me certainly suggest that Cathedral music in the Midlands is in good health, and we are very fortunate to have four extremely fine Directors of Music, including our own Acting DoM from Coventry, Joe Watson, making his debut at this event, and Alexander Binns of Derby accompanying excellently.
It was fascinating to see the different but complementary approaches and conducting styles of the different DoMs who all took on different elements of the service, whilst also making sure that the whole service remained a coherent experience.
But, this was also a wonderful opportunity to spend time in the company of many of the good friends have made across over 20 years of Cathedral music. Cathedra Music Trusts current campaign for UNESCO recognition of the English choral tradition is as much about the friendships forged and renewed over a much-annotated copy of Stanford in C, and the experience of transforming notes on a page into a shared musical endeavour, as it is about great composers and resounding organs. I am sure that our choristers from Coventry will have gone home inspired by new conductors and having made new friends from across the region, and that’s really what it’s all about.
An excellent way to promote the continuing excellence of our Cathedral choirs and musical heritage in the twenty-first century and a wonderful opportunity for the youngsters (and not so young) to enjoy making music together and to socialise.
by John Maxwell-Jones, Cathedral Music Trust Local Ambassador for Derby
and Nick Drew Lay Clerk at Coventry Cathedral
