Chester & North-East Organists’ & Choirmasters’ Association Affiliated to the Incorporated Association of Organists CNEWOCA Newsletter – September 2016 Online at www.cnewoca.org.uk Facebook - www.facebook.com/groups/CNEWOCA ______This Month nearest car park is at 49 Glanrafon, Bangor is the responsibility of us all to spread the LL57 1LP and that it will cost £0.70 for 2 Good News about Jesus, which for most of Bangor hours or £1.20 for 3 hours, with the us is by our musical offerings. 24 September at 1pm Cathedral being 2 minutes away. I look forward to seeing you soon. If you need to discuss anything to do with Next Month CNEWOCA please contact me on 01244 We visit Cilcain Church on Monday 674878, 07939 645688 or by e-mail 24 October at 7.30pm. [email protected]

The Chairman Writes Vacant Organ Bench August seems to be the month when everything stops, but not properly! Various St John’s Church, Old Colwyn needs an groups “break for the summer” (even organist and choirmaster and could do with CNEWOCA), and most church choirs have someone who would like to build up a choir holidays, but the services continue and the for the 11.00am service (Holy Communion The site of was originally except for the 4th Sunday of the month occupied by St 's Monastery, organist doesn’t get a month off because “things have to carry on” - or do they? when there is a Service of the Word), and established in the 6th century ( around 525) they would also like someone who is - nothing of the original building survives. Should we be prepared to offer a lower standard of musical worship than we would sympathetic to the 9.30am Family Service. The earliest part of the present building was The organ is a three manual mechanical built during the period 1120 to 1139. In normally offer during August, particularly when we are likely to attract visitors to action Conacher Pipe Organ dating from 1211, the cathedral was destroyed by King around 1904, recently overhauled by Willis John's army, on a raid into . many churches? Perhaps we shouldn’t have “breaks” but rather run our choirs like Organs. If you would like to know more, or In the 13th century the original apse was come to see the said pipe organ and the removed and the choir was extended to its a business and allow members so many weeks’ holiday, allowing the choir to beautiful St John’s Church, then please present length. The church was badly contact Quentin Bellamy on 01492 damaged when King Edward I invaded continue throughout the year (that is, of course, if you’re lucky enough to have 478659 – who is known to be completely Gwynedd in 1282, and in 1284 the supportive to organists – and who will and Chapter were given £60 in one!). September is the official start of our Annual gladly share your enthusiasm; he adds "we compensation for the damage. There was will pay well for the right person." extensive rebuilding in this period, under Events, and I think there is a good variety the first Anian, with the of both organs and venues. As well as and crossing rebuilt. The nave was rebuilt going to the ones locally, can I encourage Subs . . . in the late 14th century. you to go to one or two of the events that . . . are now overdue - you will have There was extensive reconstruction from may be a little further from home? received the relevant information in the last the end of the 15th century, completed in The Committee met for a social meal in newsletter. I have been away and have 1532. Some more work was done during August (there’s still a vacancy on the suffered more internet problems, meaning the 18th century and £2,000 was spent on Committee, if you’re interested!) and that since the last newsletter I have been out repairs in 1824, followed by the altering shared a few thoughts for the 2017/18 of action for three weeks, which is a fair and refitting of the interior in 1825 at a cost programme. Please let me know if you chunk of time when the letters go out of a further £3,252. have any ideas; they don’t all have to monthly. As a result I have not had time to The organ is a 4 manual Hill built in 1873 involve organs – a cruise down the canal prepare badges or print individual and enlarged in 1897. John Compton was one suggestion that was floated (excuse reminders - so if you haven't renewed your restored the organ in 1953/54 and between the pun!). subscription could you do so as soon as 2006 and 2008 it was rebuilt by David I would like to send my congratulations to possible as it will save me time next month Wells of when work included Quentin Bellamy and his wife, Kate, who when I will send individual reminders. upgrading of the key and stop actions, have recently celebrated their Silver rebuilding and modernisation of the 1954 Wedding Anniversary, and also Newsletter Contributions console with new electrical systems congratulations to Roger Fisher, who will th Contributions for the October newsletter are throughout, as well as extensive revisions to be celebrating his 80 Birthday with a required before 28 September. Write to the form and layout of the Choir and Solo recital at Malpas Parish Church on Saturday th Bob Jones at 3 Appleton Road, Chester divisions. 8 October. CH2 1JH or (preferred) e-mail at Directions: if you are travelling a distance, It’s easy to get taken in by individual issues [email protected] or telephone allow plenty of time - it is about 67 miles and forget the foremost reason that we are 01244 315089 or 07701 052304. from Chester. The Internet tells me that the associated with the Church and its music. It

What’s On? community and indeed the whole of Wales Chester Cathedral St Mary’s, Warrington and beyond. Thursdays at 1.10pm Saturday 8 October at 1.00pm This opening recital, which takes place on 22 Sep Keith Hearnshaw, Worcester Michael Wynne Sunday 9 October at 3pm, is dedicated to 29 Sep James Kealey, Wells Cathedral Admission Free - retiring collection the three of them and as a token of our 6 Oct George Parsons, Sheffield gratitude to them and to everybody who has 13 Oct Tim Jones, Chester Bethlehem Chapel contributed to the musical life of Capel 20 Oct Paul Derrett, Hull Bethlehem over the years. We are also 27 Oct Roger Fisher - Organist Emeritus Hall St, Rhosllanerchrugog grateful to our present organist, Godfrey Sunday 9 October at 3.00pm Williams, for his enthusiasm and support in Malpas Parish Church Christopher Enston re-establishing the tradition. Saturday 8 October at 7.30pm The recitalist at the opening recital is Organ Recitals Nationwide Christopher Enston, who began organ Roger Fisher studies with the late Geoffrey Knowles at in celebration of his 80th birthday details on www.organrecitals.com the Parish Churches of Mold and Treuddyn, Admission £5 including a glass of wine Flintshire, North Wales. As a teenager he

Bethlehem Chapel won the piano competition in the Urdd St Chad’s, Shrewsbury National Eisteddfod in Llanelli, twice at Tuesday 4 October at 12.40pm Rhosllanerchrugog Llangollen International Eisteddfod, and he

Carleton Etherington won the organ competition five times at the In 1862, some fifty years after founding Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales. He Tewkesbury Abbey Bethlehem Chapel, it was decided to build a won the Sir Henry Coward Organ Admission free - retiring collection new vestry and a splendid and unusual Scholarship to the University of Sheffield organ loft behind the original pulpit. This where he read Music for the B.Mus honours St Giles’, Wrexham was to accommodate a pipe organ in place degree and gained the ARCM and ARCO Mondays at 12.30pm of the harmonium which had been diplomas in his second year. He was the Lunches available previously used. This ‘new’ second-hand first organist to win an award from the 26 Sep Iain Stinson, Thornton Hough organ, purchased from Mr J.D. Jones, Ryan Davies Memorial Trust, continuing 3 Oct Paul Morley, Northwich Ruthin and believed to be the first pipe- his organ studies with Peter Hurford at the 10 Oct Graham Eccles, St Asaph organ in the area, served the congregation Royal Academy of Music where he won 17 Oct Jon Barton, Birkenhead for another fifty years. However, in 1908, many awards including the WJ Kipps 24 Oct John Evans, Chester five years after the young Caradog Roberts award twice, the Recital Diploma, LRAM 31 Oct Christopher Pilsbury had been appointed organist and choir- and FRCO. He also won the H.J.C. Stevens Admission free - retiring collection master, the present three-manual organ was organ scholarship at St Bride’s Church, installed. It was built for the princely sum Fleet Street, broadcasting live on BBC of £1,000 (partly funded by the Carnegie Radio 4. He won first prize in the Bach Music at Wesley Foundation) by Norman and Beard, St John Street, Chester Class in the 1985 West of England Organ Liverpool, to the personal demands of the Festival in Bath Abbey and later studied in Tuesdays at 12.45pm organist. Twenty years later the same 27 Sep Adam Davies - piano Paris with Marie-Claire Alain for a year, organist, by now Dr Caradog Roberts, winning the Gold Medal in the Preparatoire 4 Oct Chetham's School of Music supervised an extensive rebuilding instrumentalists Superieure Class. He has performed in programme. Two or three years ago it was venues across the United Kingdom as well 11 Oct Chester Competitive Music decided that it was high time to give the Festival Winners as in the USA, Canada, France, Germany, organ a further overhaul. Thanks to the Austria and Italy. From 2002 he was the 18 Oct Charlotte Thomas (Flute), careful and diligent work of Harold Davies, Bethan Griffiths (Harp) accompanist for the Reading Phoenix Choir Birkenhead, it has been restored to its for twelve years and appeared with them on 25 Oct Chester Competitive Music original former glory and in his opinion it is Festival Winners BBC1, BBC2, on Radio 2 and live on now the equivalent of any organ in North Radio 4. His playing has featured on the Admission free - retiring collection Wales. BBC’s Songs of Praise, Sunday Half Hour, Although the primary function of any organ Morning Worship, Sunday Worship, Silent Bangor Cathedral in a place of worship is to accompany the Witness and Desert Island Discs. He has Tuesday 11 October at 1.10 pm singing, the tradition of presenting organ accompanied the choirs and soloists at the recitals by the resident organist was soon male voice choir festivals at the Royal Philip Rushforth established. And this was quickly followed Chester Cathedral Albert Hall. His organ playing has by grand celebrity recitals by visiting entertained the audiences at Llangollen Admission free - retiring collection organists from far and near. Since the International Eisteddfod and he regularly opening recital given in 1908 by Dr plays at London’s numerous Welsh Liverpool Cathedral Caradog Roberts, numerous recitals have churches. He is the accompanist for Flint Sat 15 October at 3.45pm been presented by many distinguished Male Voice Choir, Llangollen Male Voice Ian Tracey organists of international repute. However, Choir, and the Sirenian Singers. Bethlehem was fortunate in having the Christopher has twice conducted the Admission £5 service of three such pre-eminent recitalists, combined choirs at the Annual National namely Dr Caradog Roberts, John St Georges Hall, Liverpool Seafarers’ Service at St Paul’s Cathedral in Williams, F.R.C.O., F.R.C.M. and his the presence of the Princess Royal, and this Tuesday 11 October at 12.45 pm nephew John Raymond Williams, M. Mus., year he accompanied Mendelssohn’s Elijah Ian Tracey F.R.C.O. Between them they gave almost a with Keighley Vocal Union, North Admission £2.50 century of unbroken service to the musical Yorkshire. life not only of this chapel but the wider