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Music at Douai

Nov 1999 to Feb 2001by Fr Romuald Simpson OSB,

THE Abbey Church, the centre of our community life of daily prayer and praise, is a wonderful building in which to celebrate the Benedictine ideals of culture and artistic excellence. It is quite remarkable, whether one is a performer or listener, that so many people can experience in the church a sense of the spiritual dimension of life. With its wide space, soaring architecture, excellent acoustic and the two lovely organs, the smaller Tamburini, built in 1987 and the 1993 three manual Tickell instrument, the performance of music either by large groups or small instrumental ensembles is a real joy for everyone present. The Church is also used for the making of recordings by a number of groups. Under the title 'Music at Douai', the concerts held once or twice a month in the Abbey attract many visitors. They come not only from the immediate locality, but quite a number travel from London, southern England and the Midlands. Increased publicity among those connected with the performances, handouts and advertising in the locality, including libraries and tourist centres, and an growing mailing list are slowly bringing Douai Abbey to a wider audience. There has been an arousing of interest and asking of questions about Douai and the monastic life by many of those who have found Douai Abbey for the first time.

Highlights of the musical events held since November 1999 include a variety of talent and cover a wide range of performances. In that month the second of our bi-annual 'Sing for the Homeless' concerts took place. Sir David Willcocks with 500 volunteer singers and an audience of over 200 performed J.S.Bach's Christmas Oratorio parts 1 to 3. The sum of \'a312,000 was raised for the Cardinal Hume Centre for the Homeless in London.

December saw two notable events. First, there was the annual 'Carols for Schools' Service with participants from twelve local schools and many parents and friends in the congregation. Then, on December 19, 'Magnificat', the annual Service of Music and Reflections for Advent was held. The Douai Singers and Instrumentalists directed by Dr. John Rowntree provided the music and monks from the Community gave the reflections.

In January 2000 there took place the annual concert given by the Berkshire Young Musicians, who are drawn from West and Central Berkshire Music Centres. All are under eighteen years old. There were brass ensembles, and over sixty strings who performed Greig's Holburg Suite, and the Berkshire Girls Choir who presented the Ceremony of Carols by Benjamin Britten. It is very encouraging that there are so many musically talented young people living in our locality.

On February 12 the 'Voci Cantanti' Chamber Choir treated us to an evening concert of liturgical music, from the Renaissance to the Twentieth Centuries. The earlier music included plainchant, polyphony and organ antiphons, and the twentieth centuary was represented with music by William Mathias, Vaughan Williams, Kenneth Leighton and ended with Rejoice in the Lamb by Benjamin Britten.

'Singscape' a new professional Choir under the direction of Sarah Tenant-Flowers, gave us a most moving performance on February 28 of Rachmaninov's Vespers, two movements from The Seven Days of Passion by Grechaninov and the premier performance in this country of Psalm of Repentance XII by Schnittke. Images of Ikons, and a montage of moving water and wind were projected on a screen hung from the vaulting behind the altar. The music, the ambience of the abbey and these images made this evening a memorable experience.

On March 4 there was a performance with traditional musical instruments of Love's Journey , the story of the life of the 13th century Sufi poet, Jalaluddin Rumi. On the 11th, there was a fine performance of a capella music by the group 'Magnificat'. It included pieces by Britten, Worlock, and Inclite stirps Jesse by the little known sixteenth century French composer Phlippe Rogier. Later in the month, on the 25th, the Arion Orchestra, conducted by Brien Stait, performed Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for strings, Weber's Clarinet Quintet arranged for string orchestra, with Emma Johnson as soloist, and Dvorak's Serenade for Strings.

On April 21, Good Friday, in the evening The Douai Singers presented a Service of Music and Reflections. Music included Stabat Mater by Antonio Caldara, settings of Christus factus est by Aneroi and Bruckner and two Responsories by Victoria. Members of the community provided the reflections.

For some sixteen years now Douai has supported The Oundle International Summer School for Young Organists, which encourages young men and women as performers at the Organ. We offer a recital in the Abbey Church as a prize for an outstanding performer at the Summer School. This year, on May 28, a 17 year old prize winner, Hannah Richards, gave her first ever recital at Douai. She gave excellent performances of organ works by J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn Frank Bridge and Gigout.

On June 10 we welcomed Wayne Marshall who gave an organ recital to raise money for the Nicholas Danby Trust, which is a fund to help with the training of talented organists. About 150 attended and there was a champagne supper afterwards.

On Pentecost Sunday The Douai Singers, directed by Dr. John Rowntree, performed Vidor's Mass for two organs and double choir at our Solemn Mass of the day.

July 2 saw the launch of a CD of 'Music by Purcell and his contemporaries. The performers were Ryland Angel and Mark Chambers (counter tenors), Terence Charleston (chamber organ and harpsichord), Taro Takeuchi (theorbo, archlute and baroque guitar), Reiko Ichise (bass viol) and Becky Davey and Laura Hird (Recorders). On July 22 & 23 we welcomed back to the Abbey, the 'Konovets Vocal Quartet'. Their recital was of Russian Liturgical Music in the church. The music was interspersed with readings from Orthodox authors. The second half of the concert took place in the school refectory, where the singers performed folk and marching songs. On the Sunday the 'Konovets Quartet' sang some Russian Liturgical Music during the Mass.

The Autumn Season started on September 30 with a wonderful Concert in aid of the St. John's Ambulance of Berkshire. We welcomed back again the 'Vasari Singers' with their conductor Jeremy Backhouse. Their reputation as one of the most versatile and popular chamber choirs in the country ensured a well filled Abbey Church. They gave us a fine concert that included Dupre's Quatre Motets and Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb. They came back to Douai for a long weekend in February to make a new CD that included Dupre's De profundis and several of his motets for Choir and Organ, including Ave Verum and Alma Redemptoris Mater. This will be the first commercial recording of these pieces in the UK. Jeremy Filsell, who is also an award-winning organ recitalist, and who has just completed the recording of Marcel Dupre's complete compositions for organ, was their organist. Musicians are now seeking us out to perform in the special acoustic of our Abbey Church which has been well captured in this CD due for issue under the Guild Label in May 2001.

On October 14 the 'Cecilia Consort', which has a loyal local following, provided a memorable concert that included Bob Chilcott's Peace Mass, Britten's Festival Te Deum, Howells' Take him earth for cherishing and works by William Walton, John Tavener and John Rutter.

Later in the month, on the 28th, we were enthralled by another concert given by 'Singscape'.directed by Sarah Tennant-Flowers. Music included parts of Tchaikovsky's The Liturgy of St.John Chrysostom, Grechaninov In Thy Kingdom, and sections of Rachmaninov's The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. Compositions by Gorecki, Tavener, Pert and Macmillan were also included. The whole performance was impressively enhanced by banners and lighting effects.

On the November 18, we welcomed for the first time the 'Schola Cantorum' of Oxford, directed by Mark Shepherd, with Jeremy Filsell at the organ. The choir has an excellent reputation in Oxford and we had an eager and supportive audience. The music included Faure's Requiem and choral pieces by Philips, Cornyshe, J.S. Bach, and Jonathan Dove.

The annual winter concert of the Douai Choral Society, conducted by David Bishop, took place on December 2. The appreciative audience was presented with a programme entitled 'Looking forward to Christmas' and included Charpentier's Messe de Minuit and Magnificat by Pergolesi and seasonal music by Britten, Kodaly, Parsons and Rheinberger. Soloists were Suzy Bishop, Rebecca Geraghty, Robert Geary and Michael Hodges. The organist was Stephen Bowey. David Bishop also performed three movements from Mulet's Esquisses Byzantines on the organ.

On December 17 the Douai Singers, under the direction of Dr. John Rowntree, presented the annual Advent service of Reflections and Music, which included; O come, O come, Emmanuel; Canite Tuba in Sion and Alma Redemptoris by Palestrina; Gaude et Laetare by Sweelinck; Magnificat by M-A Charpentier; and, from the 20th Century, I sing of a Maiden by L.Berkeley and Creator Alma Siderum by Henry Washington. The reflections were given by members of the Community. Introduced by Father Abbot, this annual service has become part of the community preparation for Christmas and is much appreciated by many, who come for this event.

On the last day of December, the Rodolfus Choir, under their conductor Ralph Allwood, gave us, on this their third visit to Douai, a scintillating late-afternoon concert. It was notable for its variety of style and the youthful lively presentation of the music. The Rodolfus Choir consists of some of the best young singers in the country and their age range is from 14 to 25 years old. They are invited to join the choir, having attended the Eton Choral Courses each year. Ralph Allwood is the Precentor at Eton and a very highly respected choral conductor. Their finale was the exciting Widor: Sing! Widor's famous Toccata arranged with words by Sir David Willcocks. The concert was most appropriate for a New Year's Eve celebration and in spite of the choir having already sung earlier in the day at St. James's Church, Piccadilly for BBC Morning Worship on Radio 4, they delighted the large supportive audience present in the Abbey.

January 21 2001 saw the return of the Adderbury Ensemble to give an intimate and very moving performance of String Quartets by Haydn, Shostakovich and Beethoven. Introduced by Chris Windass, the profound and often very dramatic music, especially the Shostakovich, was an incredible experience for us all. Rather unfortunately, it was an evening of thick fog and many of our usual audience were unable to risk the night drive out to Douai.

On February 3, we had a very enjoyable evening. It was the Annual Concert of the talented young musicians from the West and Central Berks Music Centres. The programme contained a varied fare well presented by the various groups. It included a Susato Suite and Antiphony No.2. performed by the Combined Central and West Berkshire Brass Ensemble. The Central Berkshire Girls Choir sang music by H. Purcell and C.Franck; whilst the West Berkshire Girls Choir tackled, very commendably, the challenging Kings Singers piece Ding Dong . The Berkshire Youth Wind Orchestra played music by A. Gorb and P. Grainger. The West Berkshire Cromwell Strings included a Concerto for Clarinet and String Orchestra by G. Jacob, the soloist was Caroline Woodhouse and The Central Berkshire String Ensemble performed Concerto Grosso in F Op.6 no.9 by Corelli, with a trio of excellent soloists. The Combined Central Berkshire String Ensemble and Cromwell Strings, who gave us pieces from the Film Music from Henry V , by W. Walton, provided the finale.

We sense that a wider constituency of the local public is becoming aware of our concerts. We are most grateful for the support and encouragement of the 'Friends of Douai' and for that of our parishioners, Old Dowegians and friends of the community. It is gratifying that our Abbey Church is becoming known as a centre of both spiritual and cultural excellence and that our mailing list is growing.

Index

Editorial

Bishop Austin O'Neill OSB 1841 - 1911 by Abbot Geoffrey Scott OSB

Community Notes

An English Monk in India by Fr Edmund Power OSB

On Sabbatical in Dublin by Fr Finbar Kealy OSB

Une Annee sabbatique by Fr Oliver Holt OSB

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revised 24/07/01 by WS