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In this special remotely recorded episode, Thomas and Richard talk about Vespers at St Mary’s Cathedral: in particular the daily streamed service of sung Vespers (Evening Prayer), available to view on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel.
We talk about the structure of Vespers, about the music that is sung throughout the Divine Office, and about what defines ‘chant’.
Send us your questions about Vespers, or about anything to do with the Choir! You can get questions to us by sending them by email to [email protected]. Questions received by Sunday 5th September will be addressed in our next episode.
Music in this episode is from the Vespers of Friday 13th August 2021 (Friday week III), sung by two Lay Clerks from Saint Mary’s Cathedral Choir.
Watch Vespers streamed from the Cathedral
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Thomas and Richard are back after nearly a year to talk about the singing of the Passion during Holy Week. The ‘Crowd’ parts sung by the Choir have taken a lot of preparation! Can the Choir be expected to walk and sing at the same time? Plus, we answer some listener questions.
Music in this episode
Tomás Luis de Victoria (1548–1611), O sacrum convivium, recorded at High Mass for the Solemnity of Corpus Christi on Sunday 6th June 2021 (26:48).
Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937), Surrexit a mortuis, recorded at High Mass on Easter Sunday morning, 4th April 2021 (44:32).
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Manglende episoder?
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In this episode, Thomas and Richard talk about Thomas’s time in the UK, which was cut short before he had to dash back to Australia before quarantining started. Then he participated in one of the strangest sets of Holy Week and Easter liturgies that the Cathedral has ever witnessed. The congregation, and parts of the Choir, have since then been gradually returning to the Cathedral. Meanwhile, we answer some questions about countertenors, soloists, and the Divine Praises.
Music in this episode
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–94), Iesus iunxit se discipulis suis, recorded at Vespers for the Third Sunday of Easter on 26th April 2020.
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–94), Kyrie from Missa Brevis, recorded in rehearsal by the Cathedral Scholars in June 2020. -
In a special episode recorded in the car in the dead of night, Thomas reveals his plans for his long-service leave, while also recounting details of his trips to Ballarat and Brunswick Heads in January. (Apologies for the even-worse-than-usual audio quality in this episode.)
Music in this episode:
Anton Bruckner (1824–96), Os iusti, sung at Mass in the Cathedral on 20th October 2019 (19:27) -
In this episode, Thomas and Richard give an exit interview to two of the Choir’s departing Scholars, Blaize and Perrin. But first, Thomas recounts his experience going to Dubbo to see Moorambilla Voices. Finally, Thomas teases us with information about the results of the inaugural Archbishop’s Prize for New Composers.
Links
Hope at last as creeks flow for first time in years (https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/drought-australia-nsw-rainfall-soaks-parched-farms/news-story/7569bb2cfe01e18f3ab10f1283c6bd31)
Drought-stricken western NSW receives best rainfall in years (https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2019-11-04/rain-brings-hope-to-drought-stricken-nsw/11669448)
Moorambilla Voices (https://moorambilla.com)
Moorambilla Voices 2019 performance: https://www.facebook.com/moorambilla.voices/videos/2699452880086406/ (the video which Thomas mentioned is at 5 minutes into that video)
Archbishop’s Prize for New Composers (https://www.stmaryscathedral.org.au/inaugural-archbishops-prize-for-new-composers/)
Join Saint Mary’s Cathedral Choir (https://cathedralchoir.sydney/join)
A Choral Christmas Celebration: Friday 13th December 2019, 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. (https://cathedralchoir.sydney/accc)
Music in this episode:
Perrin Ford (b. 2001), Oculi omnium, sung at Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral (54:08)
Judith Weir (b. 1954), Drop down, ye heavens, from above, sung in the Cathedral on the First Sunday of Advent (1st December 2019) (1:01:22)
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In this episode, recorded in June 2019, Thomas and Richard talk about some of the more ‘modern’ music which was on the Choir’s programme at the end of the Easter season and around Trinity Sunday. Music discussed includes Gerald Finzi’s Lo the the full, final sacrifice, Matthew Martin’s Ut unum sint, and Francis Grier’s Missa Trinitatis Sanctae. After Thomas answers a listener question about Vespers in Latin, Richard has the opportunity to talk to some of the boy Choristers.
If you like Staved Off, please write a review for the podcast on iTunes, and make sure that you subscribe so that you always receive the latest episodes when they're released. You can get all the information about how to subscribe on the podcast page on the website, at www.cathedralchoir.sydney/podcast. You can also leave comments there on individual episodes.
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With Holy Week and Easter—and all the work that goes into the music then—safely behind us, Thomas and Richard are able to get together for another episode of Staved Off. They discuss the concert Bach, Sorrow and Joy with The Song Company in the Crypt and Anthony Pitts’s new Agnus Dei from his forthcoming Mass. Holy Week and Easter always require a huge amount of work from Saint Mary’s Cathedral Choir, and this year was no exception. The addition of brass and timpani for Easter adds a layer of complexity, and Thomas was even required to sing at one point!
We were able to address the questions that were sent in for this episode, about Responsorial Psalms and Mass preferences. Videos of some of the Easter performances have been posted online, which has led some Internet commenters to question Thomas’s conducting style.
Music in this episode
Felice Anerio (c. 1560–1614), Christus factus est (extract) [0:00]
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–1594), Sicut cervus [30:12]
Martin Baker (arr.), O filii et filiae [50:23] -
After the January break, including Thomas’s trip to Japan, the Choir is back for another year’s singing. In this episode, Thomas and Richard talk about the induction of new Choristers which recently took place. They then discuss best practices in the choice of music at school Masses, before moving on to the seeming tension between English-language hymns and Latin chants. Thomas talks about his experience running an office and how he keeps his team together. The Choristers will join forces with The Song Company for a performance of Bach’s Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden (Stabat Mater) in April, and the Scholars are off to St James’, King Street, for Evensong, part of which you can hear in this episode! For next month, please send in your questions about what you’ve always wanted to know about cathedral music.
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Thomas and Richard convene for a special Christmas episode, where they discuss everything from A Choral Christmas Celebration to the towns of New Zealand, taking in the great cling-wrap controversy along the way.
Music in this episode:
William G. James, The silver stars are in the sky (excerpt) [0:00]
John Rutter, The Shepherds’ Pipe Carol (excerpt) [7:53]
J.S. Bach, ‘Jauchzet frohlocket’ from Christmas Oratorio [45:39] -
Thomas and Richard discuss Remembrance Sunday, and what will be happening at Mass this Sunday to commemorate the centenary of Armistice. But first, Thomas bemoans the fact that Bonfire Night is not observed in Australia. Then they are joined by Simon Niemiński to talk about the organ transcription he has made of F.S. Kelly’s Elegy for Strings, which he will play as the organ voluntary on Sunday. Hannah McCarthy makes an appearance to let us know about what’s going in to this year’s A Choral Christmas Celebration concert.
Buy tickets for A Choral Christmas Celebration here.
Sheridan ‘30 Days of Christmas’ advert. -
Following the recent celebration of the Choir’s 200th anniversary, to which many former members of Saint Mary’s Cathedral Choir returned to sing, Thomas and Richard look at the history of the Choir from its foundation by Catherine Fitzpatrick and through the various different forms it has taken since then, up until the present day. We are honoured to have interviews with Neil Fitzpatrick & Frances Fitzpatrick, descendants of Catherine & Bernard Fitzpatrick; with Peter Kneeshaw AO; and with Michael Hissey, who is co-ordinating the burgeoning Choir Alumni association.
Choir history
Alumni
Saint Mary’s Cathedral Choir: 200th Anniversary MassMusic in this episode:
Charles-Marie Widor: Kyrie from Mass for two choirs and two organs (24:18)
Charles-Marie Widor: Gloria (excerpt) from Mass for two Choirs and two organs (35:39)
Ralph Vaughan Williams: O how amiable are thy dwellings (excerpt) (44:13) -
In the second part of our discussion about the Choir’s European tour in May 2018, Thomas and Richard are joined by Carolyn Lewis, one of the teachers who accompanied the group, to discuss the Choir’s reception in Italy and the Netherlands. A masterclass with Stephen Cleobury, a joint concert with Siena’s cathedral choir, and the experience of singing at the Papal Mass all get recounted. Plus, have you noticed the Director of Music’s new vestments from the papal tailor?
Music in this episode
Josef Rheinberger (1839–1901), Kyrie from Mass in E-flat, ‘Cantus Missae’ (0:43)
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–94), Sicut cervus (excerpt, from rehearsal with Siena Cathedral Choir) (16:12)
Thomas Tallis (1505–85), Loquebantur in variis linguis (excerpt, from rehearsal in Domus Australia, Rome) (22:06)
Thomas Tallis (1505–85), Loquebantur in variis linguis (full performance in Siena Cathedral) (33:14)Links
Hayllar Music Tours
Domus Australia guest house
Video of the Papal Mass for Pentecost Sunday, 20th May 2018
Gammarelli: Sartoria per ecclesiastici -
The Choir is on tour in Europe! In this first of two episodes, we follow the Choristers and Scholars as they participate in the International Gregorian Chant Festival, Watou, while also enjoying Belgian hospitality and taking the opportunity to visit some of the Flanders battlefields.
Special thanks to all the Choristers, Scholars, staff, and Festival organisers who appear in the episode.
Next month we will have a wrap-up discussion about the second part of the tour, to Italy, and then the Lay Clerks’ trip to the Netherlands.
Please let us know if you've enjoyed this episode by leaving a review on iTunes. Subscribe to the podcast if you haven't already! Also, feel free to leave comments on this episode’s web page.
Featured music:
Hymn: Salve, festa dies (in rehearsal) (10:15)
Antoine Brumel (c. 1460–1512/13), Agnus Dei from Missa de Dringhs (Cathedral Scholars) (12:44)
Offertorium: Si ambulavero (Cathedral Scholars) (29:05)
G.P. da Palestrina (c. 1525–94), Regina Cæli (Choristers & Cathedral Scholars) (31:08)
Douglas Guest (1916–96), For the Fallen (Choristers & Cathedral Scholars) (recorded at Polygon Wood Cemetery, 11th May 2018) (34:58) -
Let the bells ring out! The recent wedding of our Music Administrator, Hannah, provides the opportunity to discuss the musical side of weddings in St Mary’s Cathedral. Meanwhile, as 2018 continues apace, next month the Choir will be going on tour to Belgium and Italy.
Music at the wedding of Hannah and Martin McCarthy:
Bridal procession: I was Glad, C. Hubert H. Parry (1848–1918)
Missa Rigensis, Uģis Praulins (b. 1957) (G, A)
Offertory: A new Song, James MacMillan (b. 1959)
Sanctus XI
During the signing of the Register: And I saw a new Heaven, Edgar Bainton (1880–1956)
Recessional: Zadok the Priest, George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)The International Gregorian Festival of Watou
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As we get closer to Easter, Thomas describes the huge number of pages of music that have to be prepared and printed for the Holy Week and Easter services. We are delighted to be joined by Simon Niemiński, the Cathedral’s new Assistant Director of Music, who talks about the experience of moving from Edinburgh to Sydney, his impressions of his new job, and his opinions on hot drinks. Richard has an earthquake story.
Keep an eye on the Schedule page to see when the Choir will be singing during Holy Week and Easter.
Simon Niemiński’s organ concert will be on Wednesday 4th April 2018 at 7 p.m., in St Mary’s Cathedral. Entry is free, and there will be a retiring collection.
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Thomas and Richard discuss Lent in the Cathedral, and what changes musically with the penitential season. Discussion includes Gregorio Allegri’s perennial favourite—Miserere Mei, Deus—and people’s reactions when they realise that there is no solo organ music during Lent. Thomas has just been to Rome, and is able to tell us about what he discovered and how that will feed in to the Choir’s trip to Belgium and Italy later this year.
Miserere concert: Friday 16th March 7 p.m. and Sunday 18th March 2 p.m. Buy tickets now.
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In the first episode, Thomas and Richard produce ‘a random and meaningless load of drivel’ about Christmas 2017, including how the Choristers are bribed to work on into their school holidays, what inspires the music choice for A Christmas Celebration, and choices for Christmas tree decorations.
Read more and buy tickets for A Christmas Celebration on 15th December 2017
Black Ops inflatable obstacle course
